My maternal grandfather, Frederick T. Gelder (1874-1955), was editor and publisher of the Forest City News in Pennsylvania from 1898 to 1955. I have been reading his weekly column, “JUST A WORD IN PASSING,” written over a period of 52 years. I have copies of the column from the last 16 months of his life in our family archives.
My Grandfather held a number of political offices, including from 1924 to 1940, Republican Senator from the23rd District to the Pennsylvania Senate. During his last term, he was elected President Pro-Tempore of the Senate.
“Because of seniority and his position as chairman of may state committees, he probably wielded more influence in state politics than any Republican of his day.”—Gertrude (Gelder) Bryan
The following is from “JUST A WORD IN PASSING,” February 11, 1954: “Perhaps the infiltration of government into our lives—even in attempts at helpfulness has sapped from us some of the fortitude, independence and self-reliance of the pioneers.
We have reached the point where we do not just hope, we demand, that the government come to the rescue on any and all occasions. We’ve wandered far astray from the viewpoint of former president Grover Cleveland, who is 1887 enunciated the principle that ‘though the people support the government, the Government should not support the people.’
It is said that one out of every eight persons in the country is receiving Federal money in one form or another. There isn’t a chance that the country will ever get back to the fundamental proclaimed by that robust Democratic president, but it is well to remember that each and every time the government helps one group it does so only with money it takes from other groups.”