The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-18
THE "PsNNSYLpINIA DUTCH" DIS
TRICT
Ono ConRreM Contest This Year which
IL Certain to Establish Nothing.

Ono ConRreaa Conten This Year which
IL Certain to Establish Nothing.
HARRIsBURa. Oct 1.-THE two counties Of
this State which have the largest proportion OF
" Pennsylvania Dutch" voters are Berks.
which includes the City OF Reading. and Ie-
high. which includes the City OF Allentown.
Berks and Lshieh are neighborine counties.
and together they make up the Ninth Pennsyl-
vania district. which Is Overwhelmingly Dem
ocratic In its political propensites and was
represented In Washington for q number
OF years by the late Daniel Ermen-
trout. Democrat OF Reading. He was
fist elected in 1880 and after retiring
for several terms resumed his former seat.
1t being a rulo Of politics in Pennsylvania
among Democratic districts that whore Con
grsss district Includes moro than one county
each Of It's political divisions shall have rop-
resentation in rotation. When Congressman
Ermentrout was first elected from what has
como to be known as the Pennsylvania Dutch
district 1t was made up wholly OF Borks
county. with 40 neiRhboring county TO divide
political honors with it until after the appor-
tionment made on the census Of 1890.
Tho death OF Mr. Ermentrout leaves vacancy
In the Berks-Lehigh district to be filled In No
wonderland In the respective party conventions
held on Monday-the Democratic convention
In Heading and the Republican convention
simultaneously in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
were made. the choice Of the Democrats being
Capt. Green and OF the Republicans Jeremiah
Parvin. There 10 probably no other district in
the North outside, perhaps. Of some rock
ribbed Republican stronghold in northern
New England. In which In year when there
are no general elections a contest could be
held for Congress In which the result would
be OF so little political account as Ia the fight In
the "pennsvlya Tia Dutch al riet
The allegiance OF It's voters to the Dem ocratlc
party Ia no new thing. 1t antsdates even the
establishment OF the Republican party and Is
based on purely sentimental grounds OF local
tradition coming down from tho days whom
there were In some eastern counties OF Penn
sylvania two groups OF rival IL not antagoni stic
emigrants. the Quakers and the Moravians-
the former from England and the latter from
Austra-the Quaksrs allying themselves with
the majority OF the Inhabitants OF Penn
sylvania at that period. and the horavians
or PENNSYLVANIA Dutchmen holding aloof
Through many subsequent convoutions OF
American politics the descendants OF the orig
inal English settlers and OF the Scotch and
North Irish settlers OF Pennsylvania have
become stalwart Republicans. whereas tho
Pennsylvania Dutch. most numerous in
these two counties OF the strong Republi-
can State OF Pennsylvania. are Demo-
Gratis. In the Presidential election OF 1896
the Republicans carried Pennsylvania by
nearly 100000 majority. but the Pennsylvania
Dutchmen stood stolidly Democratic. imper-
vious to all arguments. and regardless OF the
fact that the Pennsylvania Dutchmen not only
have fertile region but are thrifty citizens. hav-
ing. many Of them. large vested interests and
therefore naturally opposed to the incendary
creed OF Bryan. They supported the Democratic
hal
counties had always been Dem ocratio."
1t il well-estabshed fact In authentic po-
litical history that 1t was in Berks county.
Pa. that the practice OF voting for Andrew
Jackson for President OF tho United Statos
was longest adhered to. Andrew Jackson
died at the Hermitage noar Nashville In
1S45. but twenty years later there were still
Pennsylvania Dutchmen supporting him for
President on the somewhat unique ground that
jackson dead was better than many Of the
living" The allegiance OF the Pennsylvania
Dutchman to Jackson was not due to
any question OF nationality. for Martin
Van Buren, was moro truly representative
OF their particular views. which include In all
cases opposition to tho govern ment In office, II
Republican. and oppositon to the exercise of
tho powers OF government In office II Demo-
cratic. They are. in fact. opposed to
any display of official sovereignty to any
exercise OF government authority and to
any new departure in political life. being
totally opposed to any innovation. A
story was told during the Civil War OF q
Pennsylvania Dutchman who enlisted In one Of
the volunteer regiments. When asked il he
was native OF the United States he replied in
the negative. Asked II he was a naturalized
citizen. he replied in the negative also. Finally
he was asked whether he was an alien and he
repli0d to that Uueation in the negative too
Then. what are your" asked the recruiting
officer. And whore do you come from" Tho
response OF the volunteer was: 'Bsrks county.
Il.