Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-02-28
Especial Corresoondence.)

Especial Correspondence.)
Philadelphia, Feb. 26.-The voters OF
this city having once more administer
ed crushing rebuke to the insurgents
and others who have been malfgning
the leaders of the Republican organiza-
tion and the Ashbridge administration.
1t would seem that these party wreck
ers would change their tactics.
At the election last Tuesday the
choice of the Republicans for receiver
of taxes, Capt. Davidson, polled 12S,695
votes, and received a plurality OF
9S,193 votes. These figures are nearly
10000 in excess of what had been ex-
pected by the Republican leaders, in
view of the persistent attacks made by
the insurgents and the yellow journals
of this city. The people have evident
ly reached the conclusion that they can
find little truth in these subsidized or
gans, when they touch upon politics or
matters affecting the local admintstra-
tion.
THE PEOPLE WE'RE AROUSED.
The taxpayers resented the ma
licious assaults upon the city, which
were begun as part of the recent cam
paign, when few followers Of Wana-
malerism succeeded in getting Bishop
Potter to believe some terrible tales
about wickedness in this city and got
him over here to speak at a mass meet
ing, where the initial attack was made
upon Philadelphia and her Republican
officials.
Then followed protests from business
men, manufacturers, property owners
and others with large interests in this
city against the malicious, unwarrant-
ed and sinister attacks upon the fair
name of the Quaker City. The Repub-
lican organization met the insurgents
on their own issue and boldly appealed
to the people to stand by their city and
the Republican party.
The people rallied around the Repub-
lican standard bearers, and the plu-
ralty of SO, 1913 for the head of the
Republican ticket was the result.
Yellow journalism and the other
newspaper allies of the insurgent ma
chine in this state cannot command
popular support.
JOURNALISM DISGRACED.
A timely deliverance on this dis
graceful feature of insurgent journal
ism has just come from the pen of Col.
Theodore Hart, the stalwart Republi-
can editor of the stalwart Pittston Ga
zette. Col. Hart writes:
Those who declare and lament the
low estate of Pennsylvania journalism
base their condemnation unconsciously
upon a mongrei type of comparatively
recent development-the spiteful, vim
dictive and pharisaical publication
which, during 80 per cent of its exist
ence, tries to establish that every
thing in its party is all wrong; that
the political leaders are knaves and
scoundrels; that outside of few mug
wumps or insurgents of high sounding
professions virtue has departed from
the affairs of state, and that the pub
lie man who does not subscribe to
this bilious platform is fair target
for Misrepresentation and abuse.
1T is true that when a local cam
paign forces this specimen of buZzard
journalism to protect it's official pick
inSs it momentarily checks it's out
flow of bile and proceeds to sound the
signals for party regularity. But 1t is
also true that for this exhibition of in
consistency, insincerity and greed the
best people in every party despise 1t
all the more.
I'VE have an illustration of this kind
of journalism in LuZerne county II
isn't necessary to mention its name.
Everybody will recognize it from our
description of it's kind. 1t breaches
loudly of purity and reform. 1t is vo-
ciferous in disparagement and scorn
Its irrepressible consciousness of its su-
perior holiness exudes through every
fyttn
guardian of the political morals of
county, state and nation. 1t is Sir Ora
Gle with license to regulate the uni
verse.
POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND PAR
TY TREACHERY.
And yet it's hands are tarred with
every form of political insincerity, hy-
pocrisy and party treashery; it's COL
umns in campaign times have been at
the disposaG NJ an pxbody who paid the
price, and Its stand and deliver tac-
ties are theme of gossip and jest from
Hazieton to Duryea. Every party
worker in the county despises its Peck
sniftian characteristics, although some
may conceal their disgust by reason of
its threats to use the sandbag should
any open opponent aspire for political
place.
This is the kind of journalism which
has fallen into disrepute and which
draws from public men the accusation
that all journalism is degenerate. Such
generality is too sweeping. 1t will
not sustain investigation.
In many cities and towns through
out the commonwealth are Journals
which view their moral obligations to
the community, to their party and to
the government with becoming respect
They are not destructionists, but con-
structionists; they are critics when
abuses have to be remedied, but not
common scolds. They believe that hon
est men and good intentions are not
'he monopoly of any party, set or fac
ton; but they believe in confining fac
tional strife within party lines and are
not in favor of spiteful destruction
when fairly outvoted by the majority
This stalwart type of journalism Is
nhn