The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-04-07
Constitutional Reform.

The Reading Gazette acknowledges
"that cheating at elections has been
carried on to fearful extent of late"
but indulges the comfortable hope that
it will be put down by the Courts of
justice and is still indisposed to resort
to measures of fundam en- tai reform for
Its repression. Its conservatism" is
incorrigible. 1t has no confidence in
effective changes Of any sort for putting
down notorious evils, but holds fast to
the imperfect remedies which have al
ready been proved to be insufficient.
The Gazette has anteced ents-a histo.
ry and an established character-which
recommended its utterances to public
attention and respect. But in its new
role of protection of wrong and oppo.
nent of all change, it does injustice to
itself and imperils its future useful
ness.
1t has for some years past and it will
continue to be for years to come, a prin-
cipal business and a duty Of the Democ.
racy to oppose the unconstitutional,
reckless and proflgato policy of the Re.
| publicans. But ours is not pa rty of
mere opposition and must not be made
such. No great party can subsist upon
mere grumbling and antagonism TO all
progress. 1t must advance with the
age and exhibit its capacity for useful.
ness by graphing with all new ques.
| Ix,fnr n;r
merits. 1t must not confine itself to
saying "Now upon every possible
question, and place itself stolidly and
uniformly in the way of all improve.
| ment.
Upon tine question of a Convention
to reform the Constitution of this State,
the Gazette will pursue its own course
and we shall pursue ours. But Con.
vention will come and ought to come,
and that right speedi ly, in order to cut
| off or curb most notorious and deep.
rooted abuses in our political system.
Our great corporations require strong
checks which Convention only can
propose and the people apply. In Illi-
nois and Michigan recently, by Con-
ventions, most valuable restraints up
on corporations have been imposed and
we should have such, or still better
ones, without delay.
The election of State Treasurer, with
all its corruptive influence, should be
taken away from the Legislature. The
annual choice of that officer has become
an intolerable scandal and fruitful
source of profligate intrigue and NAL.
administration. Who can tell at this
moment how the surplus two millions
of dollars in the Treasury are being
used or misused; in fact how much of
private profit Is being made out of the
monies of the peo pie? The Constitu-
tiOn places the election of State Treas
urer in the Legislature and it must be
amended in that particular before we
can have financial reform.
The demand for restraints upon spe-
cial and local legislation is almost uni
versal throughout the State, and it is
as just and proper as it is general. Con-
stitutional amendment alone can secure
it.
But Electoral Reform is also impera-
lively demanded by the public interests
and cannot be long postponed if our
Republican system of government is to
be maintained. Our popular elections
are deeply infected with corruption, as
the Gazette admits, and palpably they
reduce injustice to system in their
disfranchisement of large numbers of
the people. Their purity, vigor, use.
fulness and permanence depend upon
their amendment, and their amend
ment can only be made thorough and
complete by the interposition of the
people themselves.
There need be no fears enter tanned
that Convention will fix upon the
people any unwise or improper amend
ment. In both the Convention bills
now pending in the Legislature it is
carefully provided that one-third of the
Convention may require the separate
submission to the people of any amend
ment proposed by the Convention.
Thus distinct and separate vote will
be secured upon any controverted ques-
tion of change.
However excellent the Gazette may
regard Conservatism, it can not success.
fully maintain that there is virtue in
all opposition to reform, or that chang
| ms q 70 Il
change Of laws and practices. If it did,
with all its other merits, it would stand
condemned before any tribunal Of hon
est Judgment. If such is conservatism
its very name will become justly odious
and detestable to the people.
Our amiable cotamporary will under
stand that we strongly object to subsid-
Ing into the position or attitude of the
former Whig party before the country
as a party of obstruction under the
euphoneous name of Conservatism.
The Gdzette's observations upon the
, free vote as applied to the making OF
nominations are evidently put forth
without due reflection. The rules OF
nomination in this county give full eff.
feet in the choice of delegates to County
Conventions and we have no more
doubt of its salutary effect than we have
of its justice, By it every considerable
, fraction or interest of the party is fully
, represented and the voice of the real
majority necessarily controls. Tht
power of every phase of wrong-doer
is destroyed and the people will effect
ually control the selection of their Off
GERS at every step. There is no plac
for dishonesty in the plan-it is rulet
out because rendered impossible.