Sewickley Herald

              " Fear no man, and do justice to all men."
NOV 21   190?
MttiXlh.
Vol. I.
SEWICKLEY, PA., SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1903.
No. 10.
ANALYZING  THE RESULT,
Review of the Recent County Election—Primal Causes of Defeat.
Status of the Orphans—A Veto by the People.
THE   LESSON   OH   THE   HOUR.
The announcement hy the Returning Board of the official vote in Allegheny county at the recent election,
furnishes cold comfort to either victor or vanquished. With a magnificent plurality of sixty thou'sand, in
round -numbers., for the state ticket,
and. a paltry one of three thousand
for the county ticket—there is not
much room for exultation on the part
of the Republicans. On the other
side, the wiping out of a substantial
majority and the placing to the credit
of the opposition of a safe plurality,
is a result that is not very gratifying
to the supposedly astute leaders, of
the Citizens party. It is a question
which of the two parties were most
surprised at the result.
The causes of this sudden revulsion
of public sentiment are not far to
seek. Flushed by an unbroken succession of victories in the three previous campaigns, the leaders of the dominant faction evidently imagined that
their position was impregnable and
tuat they could play horse with the
people. In other words, that the oft-
repeated pledges and promises were
merely for campaign use and had
served their purpose, and could there-
fore be laid aside to be used in future campaigns.
But they reckoned without their
i-Ost. The educational work done in
tne three successive campaigns had
not beon without effect. The seed
sown had borne fruit. The people of
Httsburg had awakened from their
lethargy, and had begun to understand their political rights and were
determined, to assert them. They had
wearied of ring rule and concluded
they would cast it off,
The political history of Pittsburg
for the past ten years would form
the groundwork for a Story of surpassing interest—in fact, if truthfully
portrayed, it would scarcely be believed. The moves on the political
chess-board have been skillful and
daring,  and   at  times   exciting.     To
delineate them all would require more
time and space than is at our disposal.
But to resume our text. The Citizens party did not keep its pledges
to the people to the extent of its
ability. True, it did give a better
government to the people of Pittsburg
in many respects than they had formerly enjoyed, but in the essential
features of its reform pledges it failed miserably. A notable instance of
this was shown in its juggling with
the Duquesne Way franchise in favor
of the Pennsylvania Railroad'. Instead ol standing for the rights of
the people and for the future growth
of that great industrial center,, the
responsible leaders of that party were
willing, for a mess of pottage, to sell
the birthright of the people—to permit one great, selfish railroad corporation to girdle the city and prevent
future compensation for these valuable and exclusive rights. This was
too much for a patient and long-suffering people. They had suffered much
irom the former regime, and when
they saw that their new master had
become a Caesar, they arose and rebuked him. Fourteen members of the
Common Council of Pittsburg, with
the controller, revolted and by their
action influenced several thousands of
votes, enough to reverse the result.
The effect of this was marvellous.
The "Orphan's"—as the doughty fifteen are called—have assumed a position of importance. They now hold
the whip-hand.
By a peculiar train of circumstances the Citizens party is now in
full control of the administration of
the City of Pittsburg. For more than
a year the balance of power in the
Select Council has been held by the
Republican party.
The removal of two members by
death, and the ousting of two more by
the order of court, leaves the Citizens
in full control of both branches of
Councils, and they now have no valid
excuse for failing to perform the
pledges previously made. And, in
view of the approaching election in
February, they will make a serious
mistake should they fail to do so.
The future action of the "Orphans,"
tho third factor in the situation, depends largely upon the record that
will be made by the administration.
If Mayor Hayes gives the people of
Pittsburg a good., clean-cut administration, and the City Councils perform
the pledges made by them, the "Orphans" will likely lend them their full
support. Should the former fail in
either of these requirements, or make
a "deal" of any sort with the Republicans, an independent! ticket will
undoubtsdly be placed in the field. If
such prove to be the case, a battle
royal may be looked for. The people of Pittsburg will not willingly go
back to former conditions.
The lesson of all this should not
be lost on the people of other communities. That "Vigilance is the price
of liberty" was never more clearly
illustrated than it is' to-day. The
abuse of corporate privilege, the encroachments on public rights and the
indifference to the general welfare,
demand a rigid supervision by the
people of the official-actions of their
public servants. "Like master, like
man," may truly be safd of a large
portion of the official class to-day. If
the people themselves are indifferent
to tneir best interests, they cannot
expect their representatives to have a
profound regard for the same. While
there are many goodi men holding official position, it is a notorious fact
that the major portion are in them for
the personal advantages that will accrue. The remedy lies with the people themselves. Nor does it consist
in continually finding fault with those
who represent them. The true remedy lies in their taking a deeper interest in the things which concern
their own welfare and in electing to
positions of preferment men who will
look at these things from the same
point of view.
A
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Novel Manner cf Raising Funds.
Stock Gompany Organized.
Five  Thousand  Dollars Raised.
Shocking!
While Mr, William   Prentiss  was at
| work at the Quay house  last Monday
.morning during the thunder storm, remov-
i ing some spots from the floor with a knife
the electricity caused by the storm was
so strong that the sparks flew from the
knife and the ends of his fingers causing
his arm to feel numb the remainder of the
day.
A   WIDE-AWAKE    MUNICIPALITY.
A new idea in regard to equipping a
fire department has been brought to
our notice. The little town of Whit-
aker, a few miles east w of Pittsburg,
recently dedicated a new fire 'engine
house at which a parade of nearly
300 firemen took place. Visiting
delegations from several of the adjoining towns were present, and five
bands and drum corps enlivened the
occasion. After the parade, supper
was served to the visiting firemen in
the new engine house.
The Whitaker Fire Company was
organized in 1889. » Two years ago
their new engine house was burned,
six months after it had been erected?
at a cost of $2.,00'0. The members of
the company got up a stock company,
selling stock at $10 a share. In this
manner $5,000 was raised. All of this
was expended on the erection of the
new structure.
The building is three stories high,
of brick with terra cotta trimmings.
On the first floor is the apparatus
room, on the second floor are parlors;,
dining room and waiting room. The
third floor is a lodge room. The company now has 120 members.
In connection with the above which
shows what the people of even a small
town can accomplish when they make
1 up  their minds  to  do so, we might
note that the members of the Cochran
Hose Company, of this place, are preparing a circular and petition to pre-
l sent to our citizens, asking for their
assistance in properly equipping the
| company.    If  Whitaker   can  form  a
| stock company of $5,000,, what could
j not Sewickley do if the people were
thoroughly interested?    The   firemen
are net asking for charity*;  they are
j asking for what is justly due them.
They are giving their service without
I (Continued on Page 12.)
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