The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-02-14
VINDICATION FOR
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Republican District Attorney Sc
cures Convictions in Ballot
Fraud Cases.
DEMOCRATIC GUNS SPIKED.
Philadelphia Republican emeiaiN
Have The Confidence of the People
and Do aot Mcguire to stun Ballot
Boxes 80 Win Elections.
lsneciaI Correspondencel

and Do sot Require to stun Saii0'
Boxes 80 Win Elections.
Especial correspondence)
philadelphia, Feb. Ga prompt vim
dication Of the Republican orsanlAa-
tion OF this city was given IN court
y-i-bio the last few days il the success
n the efforts OF the Republican as
trict attorney OF Philadelphia IN MS
prosecution OF the men accused oi
frau6 - the last election Three men
who were arrested upon charge OF
CONSPIRACY TO make a false count ana
. false return at that. election were
found guiltv after rNost sensatlonal
trial The accused made a determlned
defense and had il not been Tor the
persistence and untiring zeal OF DIS
tricf Attorney Rothermel Il is quite
nossibIe that there would az least have
been a disagreement of the jury. IN
view Of the efforts Of the Democrats
and their Republican insurgent allies
10 make political capital out OF this
case by charging the corruption az the
polls AGAINST the Republican organiZa-
fion. the course Of the district attorney
throughout the trial was carefully FOL
lowed bv his fellow citizens. He ha1
all the resources of the Ashbridge ao-
Ininistration at his command to aid
him in procuring testimony and getting
his witnesses on hand.
ROTHERMEL'S GREAT WORK.
In order that there might be no
hitch in the preliminary work before
the Grand jury the district attorney
went into court. obtained an order for
the anrointment Of a commissione-
before whom the ballot box was open
ed. and evidence was procured which
left no doubt Of the character Of the
frauds that we're perpetrated. The
trial then followed. and step by step
Mr.. Rothermel pressed his case until
he came TO his closing argument. which
was a mastery effort. The jury was
ont but a short time when q verdict OF
guilty was returned, and thus was the
most emDhatic refutation possible
given 10 the charge that these frauds
were committed al the instance Of
leaders of the Republican organization.
Testimony elected at the trial Of the
case fully sustained the statement that
the character Of the population in the
precinct in which the frauds took place
the heart Of the slum districts-made
II quite probable that the frauds were
coacocted for personal advantage Of
some of the heelers in that locality
One Of the Democratic candidates was
run ahead of his ticket hv over one
hundred and fifty votes in this precinct.
The fact that the Republican ticket had
practically a walkover at that election
in this citv removed any incentive for
the Republican party leaders to resort
TO fraud to help along their party's
candidates.
Since the conviction Of the men ar
rested in the Fifth ward there has been
less talk by the Democrats and the So
called reformers against the Republi-
can organization. They know that the
people are fully aware of the fact that
District Attorney Rothermel is an or
ganization Republican. that he has
never been accused of opposing the
Republican ticket. and that his inter-
ests and symDathies are all with the
regular Republican organization.
II is believed that the result OF this
trial viii go great way toward remov-
inc the false impression that has been
left upon the minds of some that the
Republican organization of the Ouaker
CITY is enabled 10 win its splendid vic
tories at the polls only by the aid of
improper mems and illegal methods
at the lections.
AsHBRIDGE a GOOD MAYOR.
Philadelphia Is a Republican city.
and its municipal government is IS
honestly managed as is that of any
large citv il the country It is true
that in the past there have been things
cone which should not have been done.
but unoer the present administration
the people have found no cause for
complaint. Mayor Ashbridge hss made
an efficient AMI progressive chief exec
utive officer and the taxpayers have
confidence in his administration.
The report of City Treasurer Nc
Michael. just made public, makes
gratifying showing The total cash
balance at the close Of the year of the
combined deposits of the city's money
in banks is reported to have been $40
.95. .03205. The treasurer. says: The
receipts Of moneys from all sources
which came TO the department of city
treasurer during the year ending Dec.
n, 1899 amaunted TO S39. .3s9. .764.04
The disbursements of this department
for the same period aggregated S34.-
5S2.tSl.29. Il is a deserved testimony
% the integrity and accuracy of the
employees OF the department that in the
handing Of these vast sums. in paper
money. in coin and IN checks. drafts
and warrants there has not been an
error, a loss or a displacement, even
to the value of one cent.
UNJUST CRITICISM.
The treasurer enters at length into
the financial relations of the city and
the state. and asserts that much criti-
cism Of the state LOT failure 10 make
prompt payments is unfounded He
points 10 the fact that interest on de-
posits o. city funds is regularly collect
ed and says that by this system the
city has been enriched more than ST.
000.000 since July ], 1892. He shows
that irterest is now required on all
deposits made through the city treas
urer. and that every dollar in his Of
fetal custody is made TO yield an in
come.
The debts and resources Of the city
are treated as follows: The net debt o3
the city OF Philadelphia on jan 1. 1901,
amounted TO s3S6S6. 5I31S. Addition
al loans have been c0nstitutionally au-
thorized by the vote of the citizens to
the extent of ST.. 500. 600. A part Of the
available assets Of Philadelphia is
property belonging 10 the city valued
at S57 7,35S,974. In addition TO this there
is in Philadelphia assessable real es-
tate officially estimated at the eaor-
nous total OF SS79. .2e5. .355. subject 10
unlimited taxation for municipal pur-
poses.
PUSHING CONVENTION PLANS.
Mayor Ashbridge has gotten the
Republican national convention project
out Of pretty bad tangle. and there
is now no doubt that the arrangements
fer the convention will be entirely
satisfactory. He has appointed a COM
aittee of 100 representative citizens
who will take hold of the matter of
raising funds and who viii generally
supervise the plans for the cOnVen-
ton The association which started
our with the work became iTvolved in
controversies and il became necessary
for the mayor to step in and right
matters. This he has done. and in a
short time work will be begun upon
the convention hall 10 remodel the
building according to the plans that
have been approved by Republican Ma
tiOnal Chairman Hanna.
Philadelphia is preparing to enter
tain many thousands OF visitors dur
ing the week which will be devoted to
the convention. and there Is every rea-
son TO believe the visitors viii all go
away well pleased with the city and
impressed by her hospitality. There
will be thousands OF visitors from the
Republican club men are preparing to
show dna Crnrrfasv 70 al anffra Pc