The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-30

LAST Saturday the people of Somer-
set county witnessed the novel specta-
Gle Of primary election held at the
instance of small band of hot-head-
ed and ambitious would-be-p politicians,
of the borough of Somerset and imme-
diate vicinity, representing none of the
political parties, for the purpose of dis
rupting the Republican county organi-
zation and turning il over to the thor
oughly discredited and corrupt "Com-
bine," who are seeking to overthrow
the Republican organization in the
State.
During the two or three weeks pre-
ceding, such conspicuous gentlemen
as F. j. Kooser, s. u. Shober, Geo. Z.
Kimmel, Isaiah Good, Henry f. Bar
ron, j. \. Berkey, (all of whom have
enjoyed honor and profit at the hands
of the Republican voters of the coun-
tyl and their paid agents, traversed
the county from end to end eirculat-
ing malicious and false reports in re-
gard TO the party organization and
sowing discord among the voters.
They first appealed to, then threat
ened and afterwards corruptly solicited
members of the Republican County
Committee to hold elections in their
respective districts. a number of
Committeeman, not in sympathy with
the Chairman and majority of the
Committee, announced their willing
ness to hold an election, believing that
by so doing they would best represent
& majority of their friends and consti-
tuents, but where it was found that
Committeeman would not act these
self-constituted managers of a phantom
organization secured other persons TO
hold primaries.
Dat of a total of forty-three members
OF the County Committee twenty pre-
sided at the election held on Saturday,
and in seventeen Others gentlemen act
ing under orders of the parties named
served in similar capacity. In seven
districts the party wreckers were una
ble tp muster enough voters TO organ
ize election boards and primaries were,
therefore, not held in them.
The HERALD has no knowledge of
how the elections were conducted in
all of the various districts, but in this
town, where all but one of the local
Combine" leaders reside, and where
their political records and characters
are best known, an excellent opportu-
nifty for measuring their political in
| tegrity and standing among their
neighbors and fellow Republicans was
presented.
Frequent secret eaucuses were held,
at one of which each voter present was
detailed TO ''look after" a given num-
Der of his personal friends and neigh
bors, with the result that house to
house canvass of the town was made.
The passions and personal animosities
of voters were appealed to, after en-
treaties to friends and neighbors had
failed, and as a last resort intimidation
in it's most dastarGly form was resorted
to in order to force unwilling voters to
the polls.
In their frenzied anxiety to swell the
vote at their own home, thus hoping
to send a fattering report of their great
popularity abroad, Democrats, POpO-
Gratis and non-residents were ushered
to the voting place and were permitted
to east their ballots. Indeed, the cleo
ton officers kept the voting place
open until long after seven o'clock for
the accommodation of several gentle
men who were beseeching their next
door neighbors to cast ballot as per
sonal compliment. Finally the polls
were declared closed and il was an
nounced that l5S persons out of a total
of 35l who exercised the right of vot-
ing at the primary last spring had
participated in the election. In other
words, assuming that all Of the l5S votes
were legitimate, three-fifths of the Re
publican voters of the borough refrain
ed from voting; while of the votes east
2l were recorded in favor of gentle
man who was not in sympathy with
those engaged in trying to disrupt the
organization.
In Somerset township 80 votes are
reported as having been east as against |
55l polled at the primary last spring,
less than one-half of the Republican |
vote of that precinct. In this district |
carriages were provided TO convey vot- |
ers to the voting place and back again. |
Many of those who voted i'm the town |
ship did SO under wrong impression;
Others were driven 10 do 50 against |
their own better judgment by the
party wreekers named, who, with |
their lieutenants, took possession of |
the streets at an early hour in the |
morning and throughout the day beg
ged, entreated and threatened in |
order TO compel them to participate
in a sham election OF their own calling.
Democrats and non-residents were
hustled 10 the township by the hyster-
ical would-be politicians, who asked
no questions as 10 the voters qualiii-
cations.
In view Of all this, We submit to the
sober judgment OF the Republican
voters Of the county whether the po-
sitiOn of the County Chairman in re-
fuSing to permit this little band of
men, working for their own personal
selfish ends, TO override the rules gov
erning the party organization, was not
triumphantly endorsed by a vast ma
jority Of the Republican voters of the
two districts, where the characters and
political standing of the gentlemen,
who were guilty of calling an election
outside of the party rules, are best
known and appreciated.
In the other districts of the county
the party wreckers were rebuked in
the same manner; such Republican
strongholds as Meyersdale and Sum-
nnff casting 81 and m VOTES r,aStsacfi,,s, I