The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-07-12

The Honorable Dudley Coliler was
iusiicc of the peace of Long Valley
Township, and had been such from
fine whereof the memory OF man
ran not to the contrary; he consid-
cred that the confidence reposed in
him by his fellows was mark OF
high favor and esteem. What mat
tered 4 II he did preside over but one
ease a year on Che average? At the
trial of that one case he was in the
puhllc eve. What If on one occa-
sion he had heard one lawyer whis-
ocr to another that "the presumption
that a justice of the peace knows no
law is indisputable in this instance?
What was the difference If his fame
had gone abroad because it was his
invariable rule during trial to rule
in favor of one litigant, and then
rule in favor of the other one in
order to balance the account? The
emoluments of the Office were not
great: it was not for them that he
coveted the position. but the dignity!
that was the thing 1t gave him a
standing. That was his reason for
hoiding on so tenaciously.
Il jess naturally need that Office in
nv business" was his explanation.
But his sway was threatened. An
election was again at hand, and
James Kelsey, more familiarly
called Jim" Kelsey, his lifelong
opponentg was likely to be elected
Collier was q Democrat, and had
polled eight out of fifteen votes in
the township at the last six elections,
While Kelsey. who was Republican,
as uniformly polled the other seven
Each candidate voted for himself,
for every vote was needed.
"Dud Collier'll stay with this
game until he gets defeated" said
Kelsey. mo man except George
Washington ever escaped defeat if he
stayed with the game long enough
Defeat is the ultimate lot of the poll
tician. Ingratitude is his reward.
Dud Collier'll catch it,"
A few months before the election,
the widow Scott had sold her ranch
to a newcomer, John Clark. Now
it happened that Clark had two sons
of voting age. The introduction of
these three elements into the poll
tics of Long Valley made such poll
tics uncertain. Try as they might,
neither the Collier nor Kelsey adher-
ents could get any satisfaction out of
the Clarks. When interviewed they
maintained a strict silence as to their
political convictions.
The campaign opened with a rally
by the Collier faction at the school
house. Those present were Collier
and his seven faithful followers,
their wives and children. The
Clarks had been invited to come by
the eight voters. but they didn't
come. Henry Marders, who had
served as supervisor years before,
was dho chairman of the meeting.
He waXed eloquent over the virtues
of his candidate for the Office of JUS
tice of the peace. There was a man
who was entitled to the suffrages of
his fellow-citizens, because he had
always answered duty's call. 1t was
true that he had served as justice
of the peace for twenty-four years,
but the speaker believed in Keeping
true merit in Office Dudley Collier
was a representative citizen of Long
Valley, and it behooved all good men
to vote for him. Then Collier arose,
While it is generally considered a
violation of political ethics for a ju-
dicial candidate TO take the stump,
Collier was not troubled. He was
Ignorant of such section in the Code
OF Political Ethics His adherents
cheered and applauded. Collier spoke
at great length. He reviewed his
past service, He pointed at his un-
furnished record. He spoke feeling
ly OF his party loyalty, of his efforts
IN pehalr or the Democratic party
he thought that he was deserving OF
reelection because of his administra-
tlon OF justice in the township. He
didn't know that lawyers that came
from the county seat to try cases in
MS court spoke of him as a Judge
who dispensed with justice.
The next night the Kelsey faction
held a rally. Kelsey was there with
his six adherents. The Clarks were
not in evidence--the people KELSEY
hoped to reach. The same proceed
ings were gone through with at the
Kelsey meeting that were had at tho
ooiiier opening gun" There wa,
the same vociferous applause. tn,
same enthusiasm. There were ex
hortations to stand by the party
All the old time tropes, the ancien
stock OF the political orator. wer,
brought out and re-introduced /.
the audience--"the tocsin has sound
ed" "beacons will blaze" "the gag,
OF battle has been thrown down !
victory win perch upon our ban
per, and so on, and so on.
How to reach the Clarksl Tha
was the problem confronting the mol
iticians of Long Valley. TIE move
to sbange the face Of the politics o
that region lay in the hands of thi
new factor. II Herbert Kelsey coul,
only get those votes his election wa
assured. His faithful servants raa
soned with the Clarks. They uoInt
ed out how Collier had held tho OF
uc0 for years and yaars ard