The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1875-10-13
What is the Issue in Pennsylvania ?

On all sides men are asking, "What
is the i-sue in Pennsylvania what
are we to vote for in the pending can
vass % So far as the Republican party
is concerned, these questions can be
rapidly answered. For fifteen years
the Republican party has either ruled
on both sides Of the Legislature, or it
has had majority on joint ballot,wish
the exception Of the Legislature of
this year; but including the fifteen
years since 1860 the party has had
this control with the management of
the executive business of the common.
wealth. 10 all that time of trouble
during all that periud OF embarrass.
ment 10 business and peril to life and
property the Republican party never
failed to meet the popular expecta'
tion-neyer fell short of the emergen-
cy, and was invariably successful in
maintairing the public credit, harvest.
ing and faithfully applying the public
revenues, and SO reducing taxation
over the State as to enable it to re-
peal the tax on real estate, condi-
ton not attaiEed in any State in the
Union. The first Indebtedness which
it was necessary 10 meet ut the begin
ming of the war was successfully liqui-
dated, and the enormous demands
made upon the State for supplies, men
aud money were so managed as actually
to be no burden on :he taxpayers, and
the liabilities thus incurred wiped
out-scai cely a man in the State
knowing at the tine that such trans
actions were entered into aud dis
charged by the tax which he was call.
ed upon to pay. The rate of State
taxation even when it was levied by
the State, was less after 1860, and uu-
til it was repealed, than it had been
previous to that date, as it was the
aim and policy of the Republican par
ty from the day it reached power to
reduce the burdens CT the people; and
had not the South been prompted to
rebel because the Republican party
succeeded in national authority, there
is good reason to believe tn t it would
have paid The debts of all the States
in which it ruled, aud by this time
have actually liqudated the national
Indebtedness hut the war of the slave
holder, prompted by the disappoint'
ments of the Democratic leaders, frus-
trated this magnificent scheme and
loaded the nation with an indebted
ness which will remain OH its neck for
generations to come.
What is the issue in Pennsylvania
Simply that Of maintaining good gov
ernment The Republican party
throws open its REGARD. We need on
ly GO back to 1866. when the public
debt at the end of the war was $780,.
622,652.10 In 1875 it was S24, $685.
63S37. These are plain figures, and
they show that in the space of nine
years there was reduction of State
Indebtedness to the enormous amount
of s11 ,054,014 In that period some
of the largest improvements were
made in State property, consisting Of
additions to the Capitol, TO the Execu.
tive Mansion, the Executive Depart
ment, the erection of a vast and new
State Arsenal, the purchase of addi
tional public ground, DC, &c. I'
this can he added, also, the erection o
several State lunatic asylIms, norma
school houses, and the support of III,
soldiers orphans schools, with i'm
provements and advances in the pub
lie school system, such as were no
made before from the time of the es
tablishment of those schools, during
which they were in the hands of tn
Democracy, up to 1860, when the Re
publican party assumed their control
1t must not be forgotten that the pay
ment of the State debt from 1860 t
1866, during all the period of the wa
was in proportion TO that made aite
the latter period, and when the ex
pense of the war was the heaviest Oh
finances were so ably manged as L
maintain this steady reduction witbuo
II single years interruption Indeed
the Sinking Fund, about which 8
nnupb trouble has haan Of late created