The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-11-29
A Word to Political Insurgents.
,rom ,he phlIaaeIphla Inqulrer.

From The Philadelphia inquirer.
The photographers tell US that an
insurgent is one who rises in forcible
opposition to lawful authority. The
trainers Of this definition must have
had an intimate acquaintance with the
methods Of the combination Of would
be leaders who have been conducting q
guerrilla warfare in the politics Of our
State during the past few years. What
a combination it Isl 1t is made up Of
decayed or decsying politicians, would
/ be or "bas been" bosses-the "has
beens" largely preponderate-nOw and
then an old time ballot box suffer is
thrown in. for the purpose Of making
the reform movement look more sincere,
then there are disappointed and dis
gruntled Office seekers who always
make Jealous reformers, and 10 this list
may be added an occasional hypOcriti-
cal Sunday school worker, who has
forgotten the scriptural injunction that
I u
the eye OF a needle than a rich man to
enter the Kingdom Of Heaven. And
this is the combination that intends 10
purify the politics Of Pennsylvania
God save the Commonwealth.
The public is not permitted to know
the secrets of this cabal Of political in
triguers; but whisperings around the
keyhole seem to indicate plan Of CAM
paign along the following lines, to wit:
l. Ballot reform will be the shib-
boleth, and it is the intention to make
this so loud and strong that the voters
will forget the kind Of people who
make it.
2 For the purpose Of purifying the
ballot, making corruption and bribery
impossible, and securing unseliish,
genuine reform q campaign fund Of
large proportions is to be raised and
placed in the hands of practical poll
tieian for safe investment.
8. The reform campaign, on cash
basis, is to be made first at the Repub-
lican primaries, for it must not be for
gotten that some, if not all, Of these
gentlemen claim to be Republicans iD
the sense that they want Office and
deem it advisable to have some sort Of
a connection with the party.
l. If they fail at the primaries, a.
fail they will, then it is their avowed
purpose to make an illianee with the
Democrats by fusion or otherwise, for
the purpose of defeating Republican
members Of the Legislature.
What a schemeI And yet many Of
the gentlemen back Of this movement
have sufficient assurance to call them
selves honorable men. 1t is the priv
ilege Of every American citizen to be-
long to any party he chooses, or to no
party IL he so desires. 1t is his un-
questioned right to be Republican,
Democrat, Populist, ProhibitiOnist,
ora free silverite, as this is q matter
OF free choice on the part OF the indi-
vidlal citizen. Or if the voter does not
care to be affiliated with any party, but
votes as an independent without re-
gard to party at the general elections,
no one will deny him that right. But
when a voter claims to be Republi-
can, helps to make the party rules, or
aspires 10 Office under those rules, at
tends the primaries and takes part in
the nominating conventions, is freely
given an opportunity OF voting for and
aiding in the nomination of his fsvorite
candidates, be is bound by all the rules
Of honorable fair dealing to abide by
the decision OF the majority and sup
port the candidates named by his par
ty. II person is not willing to be
bound by a majority Of the votes
cast at the primaries, honestly and
ftirly held, he should not attend them.
To attempt to control the primaries,
and having failed, to enter into com
bination with another political party
for the purpose Of defeating candidates
fairly nominated, is dishouorable act
ldged by any manly standard. No
man should aspire to party honors and
party favOrs who Is NOS willing to ae-
cept the recorded will Of the majority
Of his party on any question involving
party policy. A party cannot exist If
the right Of the will of the majority to
control is denied.
Let US give word Of advice to our
insurgent brethren who are about to
set out on another campaign before the
rainy season begins. Make all the fight
you want TO make at the primaries;
select candidates in sympathy with
you; put into the contest for necessary
and legitimate expenses as much
money as your eOnseiences and reform
records will stand, beat political TOM
tom so loud that you may think you
are fooling the people; preach reform
from the house tops so that the voters
will forget to exame the records Of each
one Of you individually; go about tell
ing the good people how much better
you are than yoCr fellow men, and how
much they ought to elevate you to po-
litieal leadership in place Of those bad
men at the head of party affairs; do
all this with a ferveney Of spirit be-
coming the true reformer, and then II
a majority of the Republican voters de-
eides against you, as they surely will,
drop quietly down to earth once more,
throw aside your reform cloaks which
very lily fit you, to say the least; forget
forever that you made any hypoeritical
pretensions about reform, accept the
decision Of the majority as binding,
and, finally, enjoy with the rest Of MS
the blessings Of peace and prosperity
that have come to our State and nation
under the Mckinley administration
Trust Those Who Have Tried.