New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-09-19
Tn, Importance Of the Campaign in Penn
sylvania.
Observation-Disclosures, Honesty, and
Prosperity.
observation-disclosures Democracy and
Corruption.


! Observation-Disclosures Democracy ant
Corruption.
Not since the dark days of the rebellion
has so much importance been attached IL
the result of elections, both State and Ma
tional. as the present canvass excites. The
people, too, have cause to be solicitous o.
the results of this campaign. for the imme
diate interests Of the old Keystone State are
at stake, and the good citizens who have
guarded her fair fame for the past twelve
years are again in line, ready, as in times
past to repel the incursions of traitors and
thieves and place a moral restraint upon
the unholy aspirations Of men whose reputa
tons are questionable, if not absoiu:ey
infamous. 1t is no idle talk to proclaim the
importance Of this contest. 1t is a contest
in which every citizen is deeply interested,
and on the result OF which largely depends
the future we'll being and prosperity OF our
noble old Commonwealth, with all her varied
interests of agriculture, mining, and manu-,
features. Prosperous now, beyond an Or
binary degree Of success, her internal COM
merce should not be placed in jeopardy by
elevating to power men of free trade pro-
clivities, the enforcement of whose peculiar
dogmas would close every rolling mill in the
| State, suspend our numerous manufactures,
turn thousands Of lsboring men out Of en-
ploymen', and cause a general prostitution
in business. All of our avenues Of trade and
commerce TEEN with the products Of our
of honest and we'll rewarded industry is
heard throughout our borders. The me
| cbanic, the farmer. and the laborer all re-
joice in unhounded prosperity, and peace
and plenty abound everywhere. Never was
the laborer more literally rewarded for his
toll. never could the producer find a more
ready or better paying market for his
! products.
This unexampled prosperity, not only
| Of our State, but of the whole country, is
| Justly attributable to a wise and judicious
Government. Emerging from long and
sanguinary war, the resources Of the country
were seriously crippled, business depressed,
taxes high, and the necessaries of life ALSO
lutely beyond the reach of many poor but
worthy people. This was the natural Sc
quence Of long and expensive war. But
as peace spread her mantle over our dis
tracted country and our brave soldiers re
turned to their legitimate pursuits, and with
the Government in the hands of honest, pa
trio.ic, and competent men, thrift soon fol
lowed in the wake of war. Business thrived,
confidence returned, the burdens of taxation
were lifted from the people, and with e sure
and steady stride an unparalleled prosperity
soon overspread the whole country, entering
into all the avenues of trade and industry.
In our own State our mines were reopened,
our shops and factories resumed their former
functions, new enterprises sprung up, and
new sources of wealth and business were de-
veloped. Each year this vast volume Of
business has been steadily increasing, and at
the present time no State in the Union is in
more prosperous and thriving condition.
The public finances of the State. too. are in
most satisfactory condition. The debt has
been greatly diminished, the State tax has
been entirely removed from real estate, and
our public credit to-day is below that of no
State in the Union. This is certainly
pleasant and encouraging state of affairs to
contemplate, and we will now briefly con-
81 Ter the causes which led to these desirable
results.
During the last twelve years the State has
been governed by the Republican party.
When our Republican Governor succeeded
his Democratic predecessor, he found the
treasury impoverished and the State bank
rupt. Under Democratic Administration
he public moneys had been squandered and
stolen, and the State swindled out of mil
lions of dollars of the peoples money.
True to their instincts, the Democracy had
made clean sweep of everything valuable;
even the credit of the State was seriously
impaired. The State debt, instead of being
diminished, had largely Increased, and, as
our taxpayers we'll remember, the taxes
we're enormous. Times were hard and money
scarce, and labor, the poor mans capital,
was worth nothing. A nominal sum of fifty
cents per day was the wages of the laboring
classes. Poor men could not support their
families; the merchant and mechanic lacked
money to carry on trade and commerce, and
our untold mines of wealth lay dormant for
want of capital and enterprise to develop
them and throw their products into the
market. The free.trade and steal. all policy
OF the Democratic party had brought ruin
upon the State and poverty upon the people.
The inauguration of a Republican Governor
ives the dawn Of new and important era
upon the political and business interests Of
Pennsylvania. Although weighed down by
gigantic war waged against the Federal
Government, the credit of the State imme
diately assumed an upward tendency; bust
ness revived, and our internal commerce
rapidly took rank with the foremost States
of the Union. To Pennsylvania the Fed
eral Government confidently looked for ma
terial aid and support during her trying
ordeal and struggle for national existence
In this she was not disappointed. Every
patriot can point with unaffected pride to
the war record of our noble old Common.
wealth. The National Government met
ready response from our patriot citizens.
Men and money were lavished in abund.
ance, and 10000 as brave men as ever bore
arms proved their devotion to their coun.
try's cause by taking their lives in their
hands and Cnino 60 az <ho;. oo,r,rr.c oil