The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-17

ants. We demand that all custom house
taxation shall bo only for revonuo. Re-
form is necessary in the scale of pnblic
oxpense-Federal, State and muni-
cpnl. Our Federal taxation has swol-
len from $50, 100000 in gold in 1860 to
$3.50, 100000 in currency in 1870. Our
aggregate taxation from S1S4,OOO, 900
in gold in 1860 to $3.50, ,000,0 in cur
renoy in 1870. Or in one decade,
from less than $5 per head, to more
than $l8 por head. Since the peace
the people havo paid to their tax gath
| erors moro than thrice the sum of the
national debt, and more than twice
that sum for tho + Fedoral government
alono.
We demand vigorous frugality in
cvcry department and from every Of
fcer Of the government. 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 squandored
| $200, 100000 of acres upon railroads
alono, and, out of moro than thrice
that aggregate, has disposed of less
than n sixth directly to tillors of tho
soil. Reform is necessary to correct
tho omissions of tho Republican Con-
| gross and tho errors OF our troatios and
our diplomacy which havo stripped
our follow citizons Of foreign birth and
kindred race reGrossing tho Atlantic
of tho shield of American citizenship,
and have exposed our brethren of tho
Pacific coast TO the incursion Of a raco
not sprung from tho samo groat par-
ont stock, and, in fact, now by law
denied citizenship through naturali>
zation, rs boing neither accustomed to
tho traditions of q progressive civil
zation nor exercised in liberty under
equal laws. Wo donounce tho policy
which thus discards tho liberty low
ing German and tolcratos tho revival
of tho cooIio trade in Mongolian wo-
mon, imported for immoral purposes,
and Mongolan mon hired to perform
scrvilo labor contracts, and demand
such modification Of tho treaty with
the Chinese Empire, or such legisa-
tion by Congress within constitu-
tional limitation as shall provcn tho
further importation Of immigration of
the MOngolian race. Reform is no.
ocssary and can ncvor bo effected but
by making it the controlling issue of
the elections, lifting it above tho two
false issues with which tho Office hold.
ing class and the party in power seek
to smother it. Tho falso issue with
which they would cnkindlo scctaran
strife IN respect to tho public schools,
of which the establishment to support
belonging exclusively to tho several
Statos, and which tho Democratic
party has cherished from their tound-
alton and resolved to maintain with
ont nartiality or preference for any
class, sect or crood, and without con-
trbuting from tho treasury to any
the falso issue by which they sock to
light anew tho dying embcrs Of Sec
tional hate botweon kindred peoples,
onco NATURALLY estranQcd, but now
reunited in ono indivisble republic
and common destiny. Reform is
necessary in tho civil service. Expc>
rionco proves that efficient, cconomi-
cal conduct Of the governmental bnsie
ness is not possible if its civil service
be subject to change at every election,
bc prizc fought for at the ballot box,
be half reward Of party zeal instead
Of posts Of honor assigned for proved
competency and held for fidelity in
The public employ. That tho dispons-
ing of patronage should neither bo
tax upon tho time OF all our public
mon, nor the instrument of their am
bition. Hero again professions falsi-
fled in tho performance, attest that
tho party in powor can work out no
practical or salutory reform. Reform
is necessary ovon moro in tho higher
grades of public service. The Prosi>
don't, Vice President, Judges, Sona>
tors, Representatives and Cabinet of |
ficors. These, and ali others in au-
thority, arc the peoples servants;
their officers arc not private pcrqui-
sites; thoy arc public trusts When
the annals Of this republic show the
disgrace and ccnsuro of a Vico Pre-
sidcnt,a Il late Speaker of tho House of
Representatives marketing his ruling
rs q presiding ollicor; three Senators
profLing secretly by thor votes as law
makers; five chairmcn OF loading com
mittcos of tho late House of Repre-
scntatycs exposed in jobbing; q late
Secretary of tho Treasury forcing bal.
anccs in tho public accounts; q latc
Attorney General misappropriating
public funds; Secretary of tho Navy
enriched or cnriching friends by per-
ccntals levied off the profits Of con-
tractors with his department; an am
bassador to England consurcd in