The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-10-30
The Situation.
An Unbiased View of the
COmmiSsiOnsrship Question.

THE COLUMBIAN has no AK to
grind in the election of county off.
GERS next week. 1t has no personal
grievances, and no interest what
ever in the personal controversies
OF politicians who have kept the
Democratic party of this county in
a turmoil tor some years past. It's
only desire is to see the supremacy
of Democratic principles, and in
order to accomplish this it believes
that certain things must be done,
and unless they are done it will not
be many years before the longtime
famous reputation of Old Columbia
for her unwavering adherence to
the doctrines of Jefferson, will be
scattered to the winds, and we will
fnd her in the doubtful column,
giving sometimes q Republican ma
joiity,
The rank and file Of The Demo
cracy are getting tired ofthe schem-
ing and wire-pulling and political
treacherv that has been going on
for some wears past, and they are
growing to feel that when leaders
violate rules of the party when it
suits their purposes best, or bolt
the ticket or any part OF it when
they please, that il is no sin for the
private ranks to do the same thing.
If we want to hold our place in the
column of Democratic counties, we
must get back 10 first principles.
We must stand by the party rules
we must stick to the ticket as law
fully made; and we must respect
the decisions of the courts as they
are made in election cases.
This brings Us to a case in point.
Judge Durham has decided that
w. H. Fisher should have been de-
clared one of the nominees for
county commissioner by the Demo
cratic county convention. His de-
cision is based upon the fact that
the ballots for the primary election
were not printed in accordance with
the party rules requiring voters to
vote for one person on each side of
the river, and that if they had been
so printed Mr.. Fisher must have
been chosen. because ne was the
only candidate from the south side.
The evidence before the court
showed beyond a doubt that the
official ballots we're printed as they
were for the express purpose of de.
featiug Fisher. 1t is fair to pre-,
sumo that if the ballots had beer
properly printed that the voter:
who voted for two persons on the
north side would not have so voted
if they had been properly informed
that by 50 doing they would lose
their vote tor commissioner. AnC
yet that is exactly what would have
happened. If the ballot had beer
printed in accordance with the rule
every vote for two commissioner
on the north side would have beei
illegal and would have been thrown
out; or if counted that way by th'
election boards the latter woulc
have subjected themselves to arres
and punishment for a violation 0
the primary election laws.
No one questions this, for ther
, is no room for argument. Noon
/ has attempted to claim that III
ballots were properly printed. TIL
only claim seems to be that becaus
t Fisher was defrauded out OF til
| nomination to which lie was Ell
A titled, and did not receive a major
2 ty vote on ballots SO printed tina
/ half Of them were illegally counted
s that now he is attempting to fore
c himself on the ticket when tn
G people have decided that the
t didn't want him" There has bee
e no such test fairly and honestly
j and therefore no such conclusio
t can be drawn.
r The situation is just this. Tt
). rules OF the Democratic Tarty {
e this County provide that when tN
If commissioners are to be nominated
d the voters ShaH vote for one c
It each side of the river. Not mo
o vote, but ShaH vote. This is II,
optional, but mandatory. In a
/. cordance with this rule William