The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-03
$3.50 100000 in currency in 1870. Our

hggrogato taxation from S1s4, 10000
in gold in 1860 to $3.50, 900, 900 in cur
rency in 1870' Or in one decade,
from less than SIS per hoad, to moro
than Sl8 per head. Since the peace
the people havo paid to their tax gathc
ercrs more than thrice the sum of the
national debt, and moro than twice
that sum for the Federal government
alone.
We demand vigorous frugality in
every department and from evory ot>
ficer Of tho government. Reform is
necessary to put q stop to the profit
gato waste of public lands, and their
diversion from actual settlers by the
party in power, which has squandered
$500, 100000 Of acres upon railroads
alono, and, out Of moro than thrice
that aggregate, has disposed of less
than q sixth directly to tillers of the
soil. Reform is necessary to correct
the omissions of tho Republican Con-
grcss and tho errors OF our treaties and
our diplomacy which havo stripped
our follow citizens of foreign birth and
kindred race recrossiDg the Atlantic
of tho shield of American citizenship,
and have exposed our brethren of the
Pacific coast to the ncursion of II race
not sprung fiom the samo great par>
ont stock, and, in fact, now by law
denied citizenship through naturali>
zation, as boing neither accustomed to
tho traditions of progressive civili-
zation nor exercised in liberty under
equal laws. We denounco tho policy
which thus discards tho liberty low
ing German and toleratos the revival
Of the coolie trade in Mongolian wo-
men, imported for immoral purposes,
and Mongolian mon hired to perform
servile labor contracts, and demand
such n modification Of the treaty with
the Chinese Empire, or such lcgisla-
ton by Congress within constitu-
tional limitation as shall prevent the
further importation Of immigration of
the Mongoian race. Reform is me-
ccssary and can never be effected but
by making it tho controlling issue of
tho elections, lifting it above the two
false issues with which the Office holds
ing class and the party in power seek
to smother it. Tho falso issue with
|
strife N respect to the public schools,
Of which tho establishment to support
belonging exclusively to tho several
States, and which tho 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 issue by which they sock 10
light anew tho dying cmbers of scc~
tional hato bctwcon kindred peoples,
once NATURALLY ostrangcd, but now
reunited in one indivisblo republic
and common destiny. Reform is
necessary in the civil service. Expe>
ricnco proves that efficient, economi-
cal conduct of the governmental busi4
moss is not possible if its civil service
bo subject to change at every election,
bo prizo fought for at tho ballot box,
be u half reward of party zeal instead
of posts of honor, assigned tor proved
competency and hold for fidelity in
the public employ. That tho dispons-
ing of patronage should Mother bo a
tax upon tho timo of all our public
men, nor the instrument of their am
bition. Hero again professions falsi-
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 highor
grades of public service. The Pros.
dent, Vice President, Judges, Sona>
tors, Representatives and Cabinet of
ficcrs. These, and all others in au.
thority, aro the peoples servants;
thcr officers arc not private porqui-
sites; they are public trusts. When
tho annals Of this republic show the
disgracc and ccnsuro of Vice Pro-
sdcnt, a late Speaker of the House of
Representatives rkoting his ruling
as u presiding officer; thrco Senators
profHng secretly by thoir votes as law
makers; five chairmcn OF loading com
mittocs of tho late House of Repre-
scntativcS exposed in jobbing; late
Secretary of tho Treasury forcing bal
anccs in tho public accounts; late
Attorney General misappropriating
public funds; II 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
dishonorabIo speculation; tho Prosi-
dents Private Secretary barely cs-
capped conviction upon trial for guilty
completely in frauds upon tho Rcvcn,
ne; Il Secretary of War impcached for
high crimes and confessed misdomcan.
ORG irhn Recommendations 10 oono,Iot