The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-08-25

tCommuhcated.l
THE CAMPAIGN IN PENNSYLVANIA,


THE CAMPAIGN IN PENNSYLVANIA
A correspondent Of the New York Tribune
of the 22nd inst, has the following strict.
ures on the Pennsylvania Democracy:
Their organization is everywhere defective
and their leadership shockingly bad. The
old chiefs who used 10 make Pennsylvania
Democracy a rock upon which the party
throughout the Union felt 1t could build with
safety, are mostly dead, aud the few that IRE
living-Bigler, Vaux, Wright, aud one or
two others--are constantly made to feel that
the reins have passed into other hands. A
new school of smart and tricky politicians,
often suspected of corrupt alliances with Re-
publican rings, and always looking to their
personal interests rather than to those of the
party throughout the State, have come to
the front. In the country districts the Dem
ocrats, as body are honest, faithful, and
persistent, and although without mnch dash
or intelligence, they make very sturdy and
trustworthy material for political organza
ton, always going to the polls and always
voting straight ticket. II Philadelphia
were cut off and annexed TO New-Jersey,
Pennsylvania would be the most steadily
Democratic State in tho'nOrth. With Phila-
delphia IL goes Republican with greater
regularity than any State outside of New
England, except Michigan aud Iowa. The
reason is that the Democrats of the city are
led by lot of jackals who subaist on the
bones thrown TO them by the Republican
managers. The rank and file are regularly
sold out, and are too stupid to find for them
selves honest leaders. There is scarcely a
ward where there are not score or more of
pretended Democrats who are loud and ac-
tive in primary meetings and conventions
but whose real business in politics is to get
appointed judges of elections, and conniye,
for price, Of course, at frauds upon the
ballot. A part of the spoils of municipal
misrule has for many years been given to
Democrats for services of this and other
equally dishonorable kinds, until the party
in the city has become corrupt and demoral-
lied through and through. Without a
thorough reorganization aud reform, such as
there is no reason TO hope for, it will never
be anything but burden and disgrace to the
country Democracy.
Much of this censure is justly deserved.
No doubt the writer correctly states the con-
diton of affairs in Philadelphia, condition
equally discreditable to both parties. Out.
side philadelphia, Pennsylvania is clearly
and Enthusiastically Democratic and even
with Philadelphia included, with an honest
vote and an honest count, the same is true.
Philadelphia is where they vote "early and
often," and if that does not give them
enough, they make up the balance in the
count" And this is effected as is clearly
implied by this correspondent, by the Re-
publicans through the connivance and
treachery of professed Democrats. But these
evils are beyond our reach. There are others
however, that we can remedy.
The writer says that our Organization is
everywhere defective" This is true and
this we can remedy. There should be no de-
lay in perfecting complete compact, and
effective working organization, in every
County in the State. Now is the time to do
this. Let us proceed in this county to or
ganize a "Tilden Reform Club"in every eec-
tion district and prepare for immediate eff
fective work. O.