The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-08-07
FERGUSON HAS THE FLOOR


Communicated
EDITOR HERALD believing that loyalty to
the principles of the Democratic party and the
faithful support of its candidates regularly
nominated, constitute the supreme test Of the
Democracy of the individual, and believing
that treason to the party and its candidates
should never be rewarded by political prefer
ment, we deem it just and proper at this time to
direct your attention TO the past trcachery of a
man who is now seeking a nomination at the
hands OF the Democratic party Of Schuylkill
county.
1t is only necessary to go bacl three years in
the history Of the Democratic party to show
that the gentleman TO whom we refer should he
ashamed, If he possessed any sense~of SHAME.
to ever announce himself as q candidate for
ever iu the Democratic party. In 1898 Mr.. =. j.
Ferguson, Of Lost CrVk. was a candidate before
the Democratic county convention for the Office
OF county commissioner. After "a long and
bitter Struggle In the convention he was de.
isiGated and James Lcahy was nominated. It
was not even claimed that Mr. Leahy was not
| honestly and honorably chosen for the place on
the ticket to which Mr.. Ferguson aspired.
Neither was IL contcndcdt that any undue advant-
age had been taken by Mr.. Ferguson in the
Under these circumstances, if Mr.. Ferguson
was q Democrat, he would have gone home
from the convection and eNertcd his influence
to secure the election of the ticket.
Did hc do it?
The election returns from his district, the day
after election showed the extent of the obligu-
ton lac felt himself under TO the party. The
Democratic vote of the district in which Mr..
Ferguson rcigns as a sort of supreme ruler, is
about 200.
The state ticket, In 1891, received 2O6 votes,
and Judge Wcidman received 206 votes. Mr.,
Ferguson was not fighting the state ticket or
Judge Wcidmau, but he openly fought most OF
the county candidates. The result of his open
trcachery to the ticket is shown in the vote cast
for some Of the other candidates. Here are the
figures
MIR. :. c. Kirk, the Democratic candidate for
ProthOuutary, received at the Lost Creek poll,
80 votes Mr.. S-cheurman, the candidate for
] RapAplap VnnaftsaI X VrnfDgs Nj 1tuprnT Ran1t-
date for Register, received 100 votes; Mr.. Null
holland, candidate for Controller, received 98
votes, aud Mcssrs. Martin and Ieahy, candidates
for Commissioner % and 96 votes respectively.
That this slaughter of the Democratic ticket
in this particular district was the result of the
trcachcrN OF Mr.. Ferguson and his friends ana
h~enchmen, was their open boast at the time, and
we are not aware that they deny it now.
Mr.. Ferguson is again "A candidate for the
Office of commissioner. Do you, as "a Demo
crat, believe him entitled to recognition? Do
"A nomination and election Do you think the
voters Of the county endorse the selhshness and
REASONABLE impulses that led him to slaughter
the ticket because he failed OF "a nomination?
Do you think "a man with q record of this kind
should be or could be elected, if nominated?
These tHcts and queries are respectfully
suhmittcd to the Democratic voters in the
belief that their sense of right and justice will
impel them to say to Mr.. Ferguson that the
Democratic party Is not disposed to reward
treason 70 its principles and candidates with
election to office of honor and profit. Mr..
Ferguson should be taught that treachery to the
party Is not so hastily forgotten and others who
would emulate his example should be deferred
from So doing by making treason odious. The
convention this year has a chance to do this
thing.
Respectfully,
MANY DEaoCRATs.
--.- HAH "