The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-12-16
Thursday, Dec. is, 1897.
The MAN Is the Best Platform.

Last saturday hiia"ciP''"
Press in an editorial has the follow
ing to say concerning our attempt to
secure honest men in the Legisla-
ture:
The editor of Middleburg 'Post'
is Offering premium for the con-
struction of the best platform for the
candidates for nomination to the
Legislature to run upon at the COM
ing Republican primary in Snyder
County. There are plenty of good
platform makers in Snyder County,
very likely, but it is doubtful if
there will be very crowded COM
petition for the reward offered by
our contemporary.
The fact is all the reform plat
forms that could be packed within
the limits of the county would not
accomplish the end which the es-
tecmcd editor of oftheestecmed "Post"
has in view. He wants an honest
man to represent the county in the
Legislature. Dishonest men some
times make use of the best platforms.
Insincere politicians are ever ready
to deceive the people and gain at
least Il temporary advantage by de-
claring in favor of the most radical
retorms-the reform of the very
evils which they have done allthey
could to cultivate. This sort of
thing takes too well with many
people and has helped to continue in
power some whose inhuencehas been
steadily pernicious, and could never
well be anything else. 1t has been
intended to deceive the people, and
though made use ofby those whose
record must be convincing ofits in
sincerity it has served its purpose.
No doubt every candidate for the
Legislature nomination in Snyder
County will 90 to any extravagant
length ndeclaring for whatever may
be thought likely to aid his nomina-
ton. How many would heed that
declaration after election?
Conscience and capacity are the
need in amcnbcr of the Legislature.
What our public-spirited and right
minded contemporary wants to DO Is
to secure the nomination ofa man of
such integrity and strength of char
acter that the temptations of the
capital will not swcrvc him from his
fidelity TO his constituents. 1t wants
to secure Il man of sufficient intclli-
gcncc to know that it is his dut" as
representative of the people to
serve the people and the State and
not become the tool of personal in
tercsts. 1t wants to elect a man
who will not, as soon as he reaches
Harrisburg, sell himself, andhis con-
stitucnts as well, for few dollars, or
for particular committee place, or
for the chance to name paster and
folder, or the privilege of going up
on special committee with lots OF
mileage and personal expenses in it.
Those who are purchased in that
way are weak and cheap men, unfit
to represent any constituency, and
there is not one of that kind who
would not run upon the most radical
platform of honesty, ifby so doing
he could be nominated and elected
The best platform test in making
nominations for the Legislature is
the character and record cfthc man
Nothing else is required, and they
ought to be of the best. There ha.
been no time in the recent history OF
the State when a high type of re-
presentation in the Legislature ha
been so much needed as it will b'
at the next sessions. Unless thu
people are properly watchtul it il
certain that most if not all the sean.
dals, jobs and grabs that were haltec
by executive veto at the last session
will be revived. The various bill,
for committee expenses that were
defeated will be brought forwarc
again, together with the 100000 OIL
$4,000 for the Andrews-Penrost
investigation in this city, which had
to be withdrawn for obvious reasons
If Senator Andrews present plans
in State politics go through so will
every expense bill, vetoed by Gov
Hastings at the last session. The
next session will be ahighlyimport-
r-r'5'1rr'
....- !