The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-04-16

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1906.


honesty of the Democratic patty, and
in its ability to govern by placing
honest and competent men in public
office. 1t believes that in this county
the Democratic party has as a general
thing selected that kind of men for
Office, especially during the past few
years since it broke loose from the
yoke of scheming and INSCRIPTIONS
bosses, and has been running things
its own way. Some time ago, the
party overthrew its would-be bosses,
and put an end to the one-man power,
and determined that all county Offices
should no longer be filled at the die
tation of one person. In this respect
the party has already reformed itself.
THE COLUMBIAN never said that the
Democratic party was not fit to have
control of affairs, and that the Offices
ought to be filled by Republicans. 1t
never said anything that could with
any sort of reason be construed into
any such meaning, and the effort of
the Sentinel of two weeks ago to mis-
construe and misrepresent our article,
was simply amusing to intelligent men
who can read, and understand what
they read.
We believe in the Democratic party.
We believe in Grover Cleveland, the
Democratic President, and in his abil-
ity and integrity. We believe in the
honesty and competency of Demo
cratic officials generally, and hence we
endeavor to maintain the principles of
Democracy, and we recognize the
ability of the party to rule the nation,
state and county. five believed one
halt of what the Sentinel has said
about Democratic officials, from the
President down to the court house
janitor, we could not support a party
capable of placing so many bad men
in office, and hence we repeat what
we have said before, that if what the
Sentinel says be true, the party had
better be utterly overthrown.
But we do not assent to any such a
proposition, and hence we shall use
every endeavor to overcome the evil
effects of its attacks upon representa-
tive Democrats, and to bring back to
Columbia county its old time majority
of $500. Sowing seeds of distrust
and discomfort among the people has
tendency to make them lose interest
in public affairs, and the result of this
is that they will not take the trouble
to go to the polls on election day.
They are led to believe that all the
Democrats holding public Office are
plunderers, and believing what they
read in disgruntled newspapers, they
become disgusted, and stay at home.
The reduced majorities in this county
for several years past have occurred,
not because the Democrats voted the
Republican ticket, but because many
of them did not vote at all, and one
of the most potent factors in bringing
them to this state of mind has been
these constant attacks upon Demo
cratic officials, and upon prominent
Democrats of national and sta te repu-
tation.
The Republican party has owed its
long supremacy in the nation to the
fact that it has stood by its represent
ative men through thick and thin. No
party can maintain an organization
unless its members act together, and
they cannot win except by concerted
effort. The Republicans fully under
stand this, and hence it is that they
chuckle with delight at the discord
they see is being sown in Democratic
ranks in this county, and are encour-
aged by the hope that it will not be
many years before they will control
the elections here, if this sort of thing
is permitted to go on.
This is Presidential year, and the
Democrats must stand solidly together
if they would accomplish any good
results. Demagoguery, under the
guise Of "reform," has run rampant
uutil the act has been considerably
overdone, and the Democrats of the
county are tired OF it. They have no
use for ''reformers" whose methods of
reform lead to the disruption of the
party.