The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-10-21
THE ONLY PROBLEM.

49, NtNot ihODholu'
Will the Democrats Come Out p-If
SO, Brown and Ritter Will Both be
elected-The Absurdity of the Pro
posal That $4,000 Shall Abandon
the Field to an Insignificant
10000.
Probably the most inexcusabe
blunder a Democratic voter could
make would be the casting of vote
for either Swallow or Thompson.
Each Of these gentlemen may prove a
useful instrumentaliiy for reform, but
only to the extent of the votes they
may succeed in Turing from the Re.
publican party. Every Democratic
vote given to either will be vote
lost to the good cause at stake and a
half vote for Republican ring rule.
Democratic administration in 1883
and again in 1896, though only
partial, checked extravaganza and
closed the door to a considerable ex-
tent against thievery. And this boom
was secured because the Democrats
IN those years were wise enough not
to throw away their strength upon
Prohibitionlsts or Independents, but
allowed the Republicans a monopoly
Of that business and themselves voted
their straight party ticket.
The situation of those years is vir.
tually repeated this year and the same
tactics will bring an equally gratifying
victory.
Messrs. Brown and Ritter are at
least the peers of either Swallow or
Thompson in ability. They are gen.
tlemen of unassailed rectitude. They
are solemnly pledged to complete and
unrelenting retrenchment and reform.
And they have chance of being
elected, which certainly will not be
seriously declared as to either Swallow
or Thompson, by any man having
even the remotest comprehension of
the political possibilities In Penn,
sylvania.
Some of Swallows super-enthusias-
tic friends have gone so far as to give
out that Mr.. Brown was to withdraw
in his favor. 1t is needless to say
that there never was the least reason
for expecting such silly move,
neither Mr.. Brown nor his friends
ever even for an instant entertained
the possibility Oft. 1t would be the
rankest absurdity for an organized
force of $4,000 voters to abandon
the field to an insignificant minority
of 10000. and these latter handi-
capped by Prohibitionism, a policy
the people of Pennsylvania are not
likely to accept for many years to
come, if ever.
There is but one ursolved problem
in the fight against the Treasury Ring
and its lniquities. Will the Demo
Gratis come out q? If they do, the
election of Messrs. Brown and Ritter
is assured. The factional feuds in
the Republican party, and the disgust
OF the better element Of its followers
evoked by the rascalities of its leaders
will render it impossible for that party,
to poll much more than fifty per cent.
OF its 1896 vote. Brown and Ritter
will be the next state treasurer and
auditor general if the Democrats wish
it and will come to the polls to regis
ter that desire.
The decision of Judge Simonton
merely gives the intended interpreta-
tion to a law specifically designed to
allot to an adjunct of the Quay ma
chine the pickings incident to the
erection of a new capitol. The CON-
mission can be rescued from the
malign influences that now condemn
it in the public estimation, through
the election of Messrs. Brown and
Ritter. That of itself is good enough
reason for voting for these gentlemen.