The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-05-02

elecrlon OF a United States senator IN
sbe LEGISLATURE renuesfed his friends
n 90 on record rs ABSOLUTELY IN iaycr
of the election of United Stn'c7 seaa-
tors directly ~ fhn ps2ple. Haf -hrf
heen the -re-hrd - r~ncefFre + -''S
state last wear Colonel N-sy would
heve heea victorfous He hrs s'f i'.7-
ifa+ed n - before the pe~nle IN the
ras. and Re would not IN tho fut2re.
should occasion require IT, The -H1e
tasuree-t Influences that were arfinst
him IN the iar1 legislature tTind - RE
vent the election Of Colonel Stone for
the gove-nc-shia and Colonel p7~nett
fo- state +-n-s,.rer hv making CO. hina-
.ic,s with Democrats. ard n eaca cnse
thew were -oute1 bv the stalwTrt Re-
musicians Of the state ST the polls. IN
both camraivrs the issYe was mace
Nv theu rs QUAY or anti-0uay.' aud
the cardidafes of the ReDuhiican or
ranization were as5ailed as friends OF
Colonel QUAY.
II was noteworthy that upon the oniy
test vote IN the state convention OF
"wednesday last the Insurgents we're
shnTn 10 have but yerv iuslgniheaht
following in the convention
William Finn found that not only
did the platform committee reD0Tt IN
favor OF the election OF United states
senators by popular vote. but took the
most radical ground in favor Of ballot
reform and against eli forms OF cleo
tion frauds.
FOR BALLOT REFORM.
This is the plank on ballot reform:
THE Republican party OF Penn
sylvania has always stood fer an
honest ballot and q fair count In
the furthe-ancs OF this idea. an act
was passed In 1891. known as the
Baker ballot law, for the purpose
of protecting the citizen in the ex-
ercise of the elective franchise.
This act was passed by Repub-
Iican legislature at the instance OF
the Ballot Reform association. and
WIS intended to secure a secret and
honest ballot. Further safeguards
were thrown around the ballot law
BY the supplemental act OF 1893.
In addition. however. to these laws
we favor such legislation as viii
enable the courts to open the ballot
boxes upon the petition OF citizens,
duly presented, in all cases where
complaint is properly made. alleg-
ing fraud In the holding of an cleo
ton or the counting of the vote
cast, so that IL fraudulent ballots
are placed in the boxes or a false
count has been made il can be ex-
posed by the courts with expedition
and all offenders against the puri-
ty of the ballot detected and
brought to speedy justice"
Another issue that was squTely met
by the state convention was that as TO
majority rule. Upon ehis subject the
platform read:
I'VE believe in the fundamental
principle of government that the
will Of the majority, properly as
certained. shall always prevail We
declare that this principle applies
as we'll to political parties as to
other governmental affairs. The
will of the majority must always
be ascertained under the rules. Gus
toms and usages Of a party organ
ization. Therefore, the primary
elections, the county and state con-
venticrs, the senatorial and con-
gressional conferences and the par
~ caucuses have come 10 be an In
tegral part of the machinery OF
party organization ior the purpose
of ascertaining the viii Of the ma
jority of those who have right to
participate therein. We declare II to
be the test Of party fealty to OBJ
serve these rules and customs in
ascertaining the win of the majori-
ty by attending the party conven-
ton, conference or caucus. and
when the will of the majority has
been ascertained It is the duty OF
every person who claims to be a
Republican to abide by that de-
cision."
That plank was body blow to the
caucus bolters OF the last legislature
and the manipulators Of the fusion
schemes already en- foot for the dafeat
OF regularly ncRiRated candidates for
Lne next legislature