The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-07-20
| $3.50, 100000 in currency in 1870. Our
aggregate taxation from $1S4 ,000, 900

TCnCy lu loiO. vi III Ouo ucCauoJ
from loss than $5 per head, 10 moro
than $1S por head. Since the poace
tho people havo paid to their tax gath,
erors moro 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 every Of
ficer Of the government. Reform is
necessary to put stop TO tho proai-
gate waste of public lands, and their
diversion from actual settlers by the |
party in power, which has squandered |
5000, 900, 900 of acres upon railroads |
alone, and, out Of more than thrice
that aggregate, has disposed of less
than sixth directly to tillers of the
soil. Reform is necessary TO correct
the omissions Of the Republican Con-
gross and tho errors of our treaties and
our diplomacy which havo stripped
our fellow citizons of foreign birth and
kindred race rccroSsing tho Atlantic
of tho shield of American citizenship,
and have exposed our brethren Of tho
Pacific coast to the incursion OF race
not sprung from tho 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 undor
equal laws. We denounce the policy
which thus discards tho liborty low
ing German and tolcrates Tho revival
Of tho coolie trade in Mongolian wo-
|
and Mongolan mon hired TO perform
servile labor contracts, and demand
such modification of the treaty with
the Chinese Empire, or such legisla-
ton by Congress within n constitu-
tiopal Limitation as shall prevent the
4 further importation ofimmigration of
the Mongolian race. Reform is ne
= ccssary and can never be effected but
by making it tho controlling issue Of
tho elections, lifting it above the two
falso issues with which tho office holds
ing class and the party in power seek
to smother it. The falso issue with
which they would cnllindlo scctarian
strife IN respect to tho public schools,
of which the establishment to support
belonging exclusively to tho several
States, and which tho Democratic
party has cherished from their found>
alton and resolved to maintain with
out partiality or preference for any
class, sect or crccd, and without con-
tributing from the treasury to any
tho false issue by which they seek to
light anew tho dying ombors Of scc~
tional hate bctwcon kindred peoples,
once unaturally cstrangcd, but now
reunited in ono indiyi6iblc republic
and common destiny. Reform is
necessary in the civil service. EXpc>
ricnco proves that cfficiont, oconomi-
cal conduct Of the governmental busiS
be subject to change at cvory election,
be prjzo fought for at tho 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 be
tax upon the timo of all our public
mon, nor tho instrument cf their am
bition. Hero again professions falsi-
fed in the performance, attest that
the party in power can work out no
practical or salutory reform. Reform
is necessary even more in the higher
grades Of public service. The PRESS
dent, Vice President, Judges, Scna>
tors, Representatives and Cabinet OF
iccrs. These, and all others in au-
thority, aro the peoples servants;
their officers arc not private pcrqui-
sites; thoy arc public trusts. Whom
the annals of this republic show the
disgrace and censuro of Vice Pre-
sident late Speaker of the House OF
Representatives marketing his ruling
as presiding officoT throo Senators
profiting secretly by thoir votes as law
makers; five chairmcn OF leading com
mittcos Of tho late House of Roprc-
scntativcs exposed in jobbing; lato
Secretary of tho Treasury forcing bal
anccs in the public accounts; a late
Attorney General misappropriating
public funds; Secretary OF tho Navy
enriched or onriching friends by por>
ceptals loviod off the profits Of con-
tractors with his department; an am
bassador to England consured in
dishonorablo speculation; the Prosi-
dcnts Private Secretary barely cs-
capod conviction upon trial for guilty
completely in frauds upon tho Rovon,
uo; u Secretary of War impoachod for
high crimes and confessed misdemcan.
ors. The demonstration is complete
that the first step in reform must bo
the peoples choice Of honest men from
another party, lest the disusc of one
political organization infect the body