The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-11-03
THE RIGHT MAN
FOR GOVERNOR
Why a Palmer and Buckner Leader
Supports Mr.. jerks.
4 Vigorous Communication From Samuel
Dickson, a Leader of the Philadelphia
Bar-Facts For All Honest Citi-
zens to Ponder.

The strongest men in Pennsylvania.
regardless of partisan, factional or
financial views, are rapidly getting into
line for jerks and reform. The Phila-
delphia Ledger, Notwithstanding it's
arge proportion of Democratic readers,
las been hitherto very unfriendly to
he Democratic nominee for governor.
neins inspired to this course by certain
well known influences which Were
against the Democratic party two
years ago. But the tide of public in
dignation against Quayism, and the
manifest determination of the people
to rise superior to party and to over
throw the enemies of honest govern
ment, is showing The Ledger the err
ror of it's ways, and that journal is now
devoting every day a large amount of
space to the jerks meetings, and edf-
torially is pursuing a much more COM
mendable course with regard to the
state contest. Our contemporary gives
a solid column, on it's editorial page,
to Samuel Dickson, Esq, one of the
leading lawyers of the country, who
shows in the strongest language not
only why all Democrats of his way of
thinking should support Mr. jerks
and he was one of the Palmer and
Buckner leaders in 1S96-but all other
good citizens as well. Mr.. Dickson
thus writes:
LAS many Independent voters are
apparently in doubt as to whether to
vote for DIR. Swallow or Mr.. jerks, a
statement of some of the reasons which
will lead many of the sound money
Democrats to vote for the latter may
be of interest. The first is. that the
powers conferred and the duties i'm
posed upon the governor of the state
are of such transcendent Importance
that the question of personal fitness
should be given predominant weight in
the choice. In point of fact. the office
of governor is of singularly little con-
sequence relative to party politics. He
has but little patronage. and, in re-
cent years. at least. he has not been
a party leader. On the other hand he
has controlling influence in the max
ing and amending of laws of the state,
which really come home to the people.
Every one, who knows anything, knows
that the laws which govern the tenure
of property. by which every man holds
his house and his goods. which relate
to the effect and enforcement of con-
tracts. taxation. to schools, to roads
and all the interests which really enter
into our daily life. are state laws. Now.
when IL Is remembered that at the ses-
sion of 1897 over 400 new statutes were
enacted, making up a volume OF over
800 pages, 1t is apparent that the In
cessant tampering with our laws is an
imminent danger to every property
owner and to every taxpayer.
ut must be conceded by every one
who pauses to reflect that the first and
fundamental questions as to the can
didate for the high office of governor
of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania
are those of Jefferson: Is he capable?
Is he honest? Tried by this test, there
is one candidate and one only who sat
isfies the requirements Of the office.
For half a lifetime Mr.. jerks has been
known as a leader of the bar of Penn
sylvania His life has been led in thu
open practice of his profession. and is
known to his neighbors and the bench
and bar of the state as an open book.
II is the common and concurrent tes-
timony of all that ne had en-
riched a vigorous and capaci-
Gus intellect by unremitting and
discriminating study, and the
effect of his powerful and logical argu-
ments is reinforced by a character so
listener gives absolute confidence to
every word he utters. He has not only
had the leading practice in his own
county, but he has been sent for to ap-
pear in every court in that section of
the state, and his arguments before
our own supreme court and the su-
preme court of the United States and
the electoral commission have given
him eminence among lawyers in the en-
tire country. In addition to his foren-
sic ability he Is an exceptionally calm,
wise, judicially minded mana safe and
good counsellor as well as effective ad-
Vocate. 1t Is impossible that one of
such intelligence and character could
be deceived by bad advisers or coerced
or cajoled into doing what his own con-
science condemned. No single voter,
IL required to select a lawyer to advise
or act for him in that part of the state,
would fail to consider himself fortunate
If he should secure the services of such
a man. Now that we are all compelled
to choose one as our adviser and rep
resentative at Harrisburg. why should
we not do collectively what any one
of us would do If acting alone?
without making any invidious COM
parison, 1t may be said with entire con-
HOeilCe tnat no one would engage the
services of DR.. Swallow to represent
him in any private matter calling for
knowledge of the law. or sobriety of
Judgment, or prudence in action. On
which ever side the account between
him and Governor Hastings the bal
ance should be struck. the fact is that
he was convicted of libel before Judge
Simonton. as accomplished a Judge as
sits in any court of the state: and when
called before the committee of investi-
cation. composed of men of all parties,
he offered no justification or excuse
for his charge of incendiarism in the
fire which destroyed the capitol build
ing. 1t is inconceivable how any busi-
ness man would be willing to trust one
so reckless and incautious to pass upon
the revision of our laws. or to use the
National Guard to enforce order. He Is
simply impossible. AS to Mr.. Stone. it
Is enough to say that his political life
has always displayed the qualities be-
coming a follower-none of the quail
fications of a leader.