The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-05-02
Law, EQUITY AND FAIRNESS ARE
AGAINST THF THREE rs

1 .-"fo ~ Htukto tHoElctl Detfefeu inst
they ere the nominees of the Republican,
party OF Somerset county for the Offices
of Assemblymen and Congress, resDec-
lively. by virtue OF the primary election
held April Dist, but since the anss OF
the two gentlemen first mentioned APP
pear upon a certificate filed with the Sec
retary of the Commonwealth, attested
by the officers of an Illegally conducted
convention, we presume that they mean
to make an effort to prevent the names
I OF their successful competitors-W. II.
Sanner and Fred Rowe-from appearing
in the Republican column on the official
ballots to be voted at the general election.
Mr.. Koontz's legal knowledge and
sense of fair play must tell him-ss a
sense of honesty and fairness tells every
man conversant with the facts-that he
aud his colleague received minority OF
the votes cast at the primary election,
and they are therefors not. aud have no
right to claim to be, the nominees of the
party II Is presumed, also. that they.
before announcing their names as candi-
dates and paying the usual announce
ment fees, attached their signatures to a
pledge presented them by the Chairman
Of the County Committee. whereby they
agreed TO abide by the result Of the pri-
mary election and support the nominees.
sanner and Rowe, their opponents. sub
scribed to such pledge. and they mean
to abide by it.
Mr.. Koontz's knowledge Of the law and
his sense Of fairness must tell him-as
the honest dictates of conscience has told
every fair-minded man in the county
that the Chairman OF the County Com
mittee was powerless 10 remove the Com
mitteemen OF Jefferson and Larimer
townships, the former on the night pre-
ceding the election aud the latter on the
night OF the election amer the polls had
been closed and the vote counted, without
giving them an opportunity to be heard,
and that .he votes cast at the polls con-
Quoted by Messrs. Schlag and Smith
must be counted, while the votes cast at
the voting places Illegally established by
Chairman Berkey must be thrown out.
SchlAg and Smith were elected Commit
teemen by the voters Of their respective
precincts, were recognized as such, and
both performed their duties under the
law and the rules OF the party, and Chair
man Berkey or no other authority had
the right to depose either of them without
fair notice and an opportunity TO be
heard. merely that he might retain con-
troll Of a COMMITTEES. a majority of which
was unalterabiy opposed TO him.
Mr.. Kooniz's legal knowledge and
sense OF fairness must tell hiin-as the
dictates of honest conscience has told
that the Chairman OF the County Com
mittee and his unscrupulous agents had
no legal or moral right TO procure by
fraud aud direct purchase the resigna-
tions OF Committemen who were hostile
to the reelection OF the Chairman or his
brother-in-law, and that the honest
voters. who saw that their confidence was
about 10 be betrayed and their rights sac
rifieed, acted clearly within their rights
and within the rules Of the party when
on the morning OF the election they pro-
ceeded to elect judges TO conduct their
elections. The mockery OF decency aud
justice in the case Of New Baltimore bor-
ongh, where nonresident is alleged in
a sworn anidavit TO have. by deception
and unlawful means. procured the resig-
nation of the duly elected Committeeman,
must appeal to General ROontz's knowl-
edge Of the law as well as to his sense of
fairness, as il has already appealed to the
sense OF fairness Of every man CONVEX
SAINT with the facts. This agent OF Ber-
keys, after securing the resignation Of
the Committeeman by the methods and
means alleged-himselfa q non resident of
the district-on the morning of the cleo
ton set up an illegal poll, OF which he
MAS the only officer and at which his was
the only vote cast. This same bogus and
Illegally appointed Committeeman,
non resident Of New Baltimore. had the
brazen effrontery to present himself as a
member Of the body Of return judges and
to nominate brother -in-law Barron for
Chairman Of the County Committee.
Mr.. Koontz's knowledge of the law and
his sense OF fairness must tell him-as the
conscience OF every honest man has al
ready disclosed-that the vote OF ogle.
township. which Chairman Berkey and
his illegally assembled committee chose
to ignore, in order that Berkey might
figure out a majority for 8 part OF the in
surgent ticket, should have been counted.
a. il will be counted when the matter
comes before the courts, where it will be
finally decided solely on its merits.
Mr.. Berkey or no other power on earth
has the power to disfIsnchise the voters
of Ogle township. simply because the
Judge OF election, illegally appointed by
the Chairman, failed TO obey the Chair
mans Illegal orders. Under such cir
cumstances the rules provide that the
electors shall proceed to elect judge
Of election. This was done and the
election was held in strict conformity
with law and the votes were lawfully
counted. The fact that an illegally ap
pointed Committeeman attended the IL
legally conducted convention and cast
vote for Brother-in-lzw Barron will not
vitiate the returns from Ogle, which give
a majority OF IS votes in favor OF the Stall
wart ticket.
Mr. Koontz's legal knowledge and
sense Of fairness must tell him, what has
already been made manifest 70 every lay
man and fa;rminded man in the county
that the vote OF Garrett borough, where
the electors denied the right OF the Chair
man OF the County Committee to trans
eend his powers and name judge 70
hold their election, but elected judge of
their own choice, must be counted.
Sixty-eight honest and intelligent voters
who cast their ballots IN strict conformity
with law and party rules cannot be dis
| franchised at the W him Of s County Chair
man because they refused TO recognize
his unlawful assumption of power in order
that he or his brother law might be
elected Chairman of the County Com
mittCe.
Mr.. Koontz's knowledge of the law and
| his sense of fairness must have tcld him
/ lsng ere this, As the facts have impressed
every honest and fair-minded man in the
county, that If it is in tho power Of the
| Chairman OF the Committee to remove
members of the Committee at bis pleas
ure, that nothing stands ia the way OF a
designing aud unsc-Gpnlous officer keep
ing himself in power indefinitely, max
ing up committee of persons absolutely