Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-08-24
Wants Better County Government.
CUMBERLAND, Md, August %, 1901.

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CUMBERLAND, Md, August %, 1901
TO the MINING JOURNAL.
read with much interest and pleasure
your leading editorial, eyes or No." in
your issue of the 10th, and although l
have been an ardent and consistent
democrat all my life, write to say l am
fully in accord with the sentiments ex-
| pressed in that editorial.
am a democrat because believe that
government administered under and in
accordance with democratic principles
tends more to the peace, prosperity,
happiness and general welfare of the
people than under any other political
auspices.
But at the same time "hold the pop
ular welfare above mere party success. !"
In other words, l hold that the restora-
ton of good government i'll this county
is of more Importance to the people, if
respective of party affiliations, than the
mere success of any political party
The democrats are in the minority they
cannot win without republican votes,
and good many of them too; therefore,
if we sincerely desire to rescue the cOun-
ty from the control of the selfish ring
which is running it we must make liberal
concessions to the better element in the
majority party.
Whilst we all owe duties to the FEEDER
al and State governments our first duty
is to our hOmes-Our local county gov
eminent. The proper administration of
our county government ought to be the
first consideration of all intelligent and
| patriotic citizens. Where the citizen of
Allegany county is touched once by the
Federal government, or once needs its
| aid, he is touched hundreds of times by
| the county government, and hundreds of
| times needs county aid. Every man
knows what his county government costs
him annually when his taX-bills are pre-
| scented, but very few, if any, can at any
| time tell how much the Federal govern
ment is costing him. All feel NAL
administration ill county government
much sooner and more keenly because it
is closer to MS. Therefore, l insist, all
| good citizens are willing to make every
reasonable sacrifice in order to secure
and maintain good county government
The man who is not willing to do this to
secure such government, is not, in my
opinion, good citizen. Now, the sacri-
flee of mere party success which we
are called upon to make in this case, is,
indeed, very small one.
Unfortunately, there are good men in
all parties led to do wrong, politically,
because of their intense political preju-
dices. There are hundreds of good re-
publican citizens in this county who
know their party is dominated by ring
of selfish politicians, caring absolutely
nothing for the public welfare; that this
ring is giving us miserably bad county
government, and is using the county of
fees and the patronage attached thereto
to promote the selfish purposes of its
members and to perpetuate their power
yet, so intense are the prejudices of these
good republican citizens against the
democratic party they hesitate TO oppose
openly their so-called party organization.
Now, as practical men we must meet
conditions rs we find them. If we de
sire to oust this ring we must concede
something to the prejudices of these
men. We cannot rescue this county
from the grip of the ring without the
active aid of all dissatisfied republican
voters. 1t will require the united,
earnest, sincere effort of men of all
parties to accomplish the desired end.
Therefore, am in favor of either an
independent ticket or fusion ticket.
| If, however, we can't have either, why
can't we have a democratic ticket com
! posed of our very best and least objection