The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-04-21
Democracy and Progress.


and they mean to render the power
of the people always effective. We
maintain that Democratic principles are
efficient for the cure ofallpolitical evils,
when faithfully applied, and that the
Democratic party is capable Of master
ing every difficulty. For maddening
period, portion of the people may be
led astray, but In the end a majority are
sure to come right. While in minority
it is much more profitable for the Dem.
ocratic party to maintain the purity Of
its principles than to acquire temporary
success by adulterating them, and that
party which proposes wholesome reme-
dies and shows capacity to WELD power
to public advantage is more worthy of
respect and confidence than one that
plants itself upon the "No' platform
or in other words opposes all things and
supports or proposes nothing.
Two great evils corrupt our Legisla-
ture. These fill the Legislature with
corrupt men, and corruption therefore
enters into the passage or rejection of
almost every bill, and the election of
Federal Senators. These evils are the
power of the Legislature to pass local
and private laws, and the election of a
State Treasurer While these remain
our Legislature will always be corrupt,
rogues can well afford to spend much
more money for election than their sal
airy amounts to, which honest men can
not afford to do. These evils are not
within the reach of the people except
through the instrumentality of con-
stitutional convention. We, therefore,
favor such convention, to be composed,
however, of an equal number of men,
bers of both parties, and lis important
amendments to be separately submitted
TO vote of the people.
We want all this to take place before
the election of ano ther U. S. Senator,
so that rogues shall not have control of
that matter. Therefore we favor the
election Of delegates at the first general
election. AS the people are to vote on
the amendments, there is no use in TAX
ing vote upon holding the convention.
That would double the expense without
accomplishing anything, and is there.
fore useless, but would serve to delay
matters so that the corruptionists would
have the election of the next Senator.
For years the Democracy have been
cheated out of the vote of this State by
the frauds of the Radicals In Philadel-
phia and other places, and we insist ON
such change Of the election laws as will
prevent these frauds and give force to
the will of the people. Although we
have our own theories as to the best |
manner of accomplishing this result,
we will be perfectly satisfied with any
thing that will accomplish II. We are
not in accord with those who deplore |
the evil yet oppose the application of
any corrective. We scout such conserva-
tism as worthless and destructive, and |
therefore regard its influence as baleful.
The Reading Gazette's do nothing |
policy, though not intended by the
editors, has no other effect than to con-
tinue corrupt rule. We would destroy
that as quickly and effectually as pos
sible. The principle at issue between
us is that it is for conservative inaction,
trusting to fate or some other indefinite
power to cure positive evil-we are for
promptly destroying the root of the
evil by the most efficient means posi-.
BILE, and thus totally obliterating the
evil itself, and forever preventing its
recurrence.
Certainly there is no occasion for the
Gazette getting into passion, as regards
the discussion between us, for we ever
treated its editors with the respect due
to proper gentlemen, which they had
right to claim. The editor of the COL
UMBIAN is responsible for the senti-
ments he utters and 1t is not manly to
peck at any one else because of them.
We advocate nothing that is not based
on the clear principles laid down by
Mr.. JEFFERSON as the basis upon which
our Democratic structure rests, and
rom that position we shall not be driv.
en- by ex-Whigs or ex.Federalists, or
their sympathisers, however eminently
conservative" they may be. Ungen.
eroUs and untrue insinuations in no wise
affect us and are worthless weapons in
this discussion. ~