The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-24

ants. We domand that all custom house
taxation shall be only for revenue. Ro-
form is necessary in the scale of pnblc
oXponse-Fedcral, State and muni-
cipaI. Our Federal taxation has swol-
len from 60,000,O0O in gold in 1860 to
$3.50, 100000 in currency in 1870 Our
aggregate taxation from S184, 100000
in gold in 1860 to S730,000, 900 in cur
rency in 1870. Or in ono decade,
from less than SIS per head, to moro
than $lS por head. Since the pcaco
the people have paid to,their tax gatho
erors moro than thrice tho sum of tho
national debt, and moro than twice
that sum for tho ederal government
aionc.
We demand q vigorous frugality in
every department and from every ot~
ficer Of tho governments. Reform is
necessary to put stop to tho profit
gate waste of public lands, and their
diversion from actual settlers by the
party in power, which has sQuandercd
$500 100000 OF acres upon railroads
alono, and, out Of moro than thrice
that aggregate, has disposed of less
than sixth directly to tillcrs of the
soil. Reform is necessary TO correct
tho omissions of the Republican Con-
gross and the errors OF our troatics and
! our diplomacy which havo stripped
our follow citizens Of foreign birth and
kindred race rCcroSsing the Atlantic
Of the shield of American citizenship,
and have exposed our brethren of the
Pacific coast to the incursiOn of Il race
not sprung from the same great par>
cnt stock, and, in fact, now by law
denied citizenship through naturali>
Hation, as being neither accustomed to
the traditions OF II progressive civil
zatiOn nor exercised in liberty undcr
equal laws. We donounco tho policy
which thus dscards the liberty low
ing German and tolcratcs the revival
OF tho coolio trade lin Mongolian We
mon, imported for immoral purposes,
and Mongoiian men hired to perform
scrvilO labor contracts, and demand
such modification of the treaty with
the Chinese Empire, or such lcgisla-
tion by Congress within constltu-
tiOnal limitation as shall prov cnt the
further importation Of immigration Of
the MCngolan race. Reform is ne
|
by making it the controlling issue OF
tho elections, lifting it above the two
false issues with which the Office hold.
ing class and the party in power seek
to smother it. The false issue with
which they would cnliindc scctarian
strife IN respect to the public schools,
Of which the establishment to support
belonging exclusively to the several
States, and which the Democratic
party has cherished from their tound-
alton and resolved to maintain with
out partiality or preference for any
class, sect or creed, and without con
tributing from the treasury to any
the false isst0 BY which they seek to
light anew tho dying cmbcrs of sec
tional hate botwcon kindred peoples,
once unaturally estrangcd, but now
rcnniled in enc indivisblo republic
and common destiny. Reform is
necessary in the civil service. Expc-
ricncc proves that efficient, cconomi--
cal conduct of tho governmental busiS
ness is not possible if it's civil service
be subject to change at every election,
be prize fought for at the ballot box,
+ be Il half reward Of party zeal instead
OF posts of honor, assigned for proved
competency and held for fidelity III
the public employ. That the dispcns,
ing Of patronage should neither be
tax upon the timo of all our public
men, nor the instrument of their am
bition. Hero again professions faIsi-
fled in tho performance, attest that
tho party in power can work out no
practical or salutory reform. Reform
is necessary even moro in the higher
grades Of public service. The PRESS
dent, Vice President, Judges, Scna>
tors, Representatives and Cabinet of
ficcrs. These, and all others in au-
thority, arc the pooplos' servants;
their officers arc not private pcrqui-
sites; they are public trusts When
the annals Of this republic show the
disgrace and ccnsuro Of Vice Pre-
sidcnt a late Speaker Of the House OF
Representatives marketing his ruling
as a presiding oiliccy three Senators
profting secretly by their votes as law
makers; five chairmcn of leading com
miltccs Of the late House OF Repre-
scntativcs exposed in jobbing; a late
Secretary OF tho Treasury forcing bal
anccs IN the public accounts; late
Attorney General misappropliauing
public funds; Secretary Of the Navy
enriched or cnrching friends by per-
ccutaIs levied Off the profits Of con-
tractors with his departments; an ann
/ basSador to England ccnsurcd in a