The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-05-30


The Democracy of Pennsylvania
unanimously declare:
That the Republican party, its meas.
ures and its men, are responsible for
the financial distress, the misery and
want that now exist. 1t has had con-
troll of the legislation of the country,
and has enacted and perpetuated a
policy that has enriched the few and
impoverished the many. Itssystem of
finance has been one of favors to mon
eyed monopoly, of unequal taxation,
of exemption of classes, of high rates
of interest and of remorseless contrac-
ton, which has destroyed every enter
prise that gave employment to labor.
Its present hold upon federal power was
secured by fraud, perjury and forgery.
Its laws are unjust, and its practices
are immoral. They distress the people
and destroy their substance. The only
remedy for these evils is an entire
change Of policy, and the dethrone-
ment of those In power; and we re-
solve,
That further contraction of the vol
ume of United States legal tender notes
is unwise and unnecessary. They
should be received for customs duties
and reissued as fast as received.
Gold, silver and United States legal
tender notes at par Herewith are just
basis for paper circulation.
A close connection of the federal
government with the business inter-
ests of the people, through national
banks, tends to monopoly and centrali,
zation, but in changing the system,
uniformity of notes, security of the
noteholder and protection of the capi-
tai invested should be provided for.
Treasury notes issued in exchange
for bonds bearing a low rate rate of in.
terest, is the best form in which the
credit of the government can be given
for paper currency.
Labor and capital have equal de.
mands upon equal responsibilities to
law. Commerce and manufactures
should be encouraged, so that steady
employment and fair wages may be
yielded to labor, whilst safety of in
vestment and moderate return for its
use belong to capital. Violence OF
breaches of order in support of the
real or supposed rights of either should
be promptly suppressed by the strong
arm of the law.
The Republican party, by its legisla.
ton in 1872, which reduced the tariff
upon bituminous coal from one dollar
twenty-five to seventy-five cents pei
ton, and upon iron, steel, metals, pa.
per, glass, leather and all manufac.
lures of each of them ten per cent.
struck a fatal blow at the industries
and labor of Pennsylvania.
The public lands are the common
property of the people, and they should
not be sold to spectators nor granted
to railroad or other corporations, but
should be reserved as homesteads fol
actual settlers.
Our public debt should be held al
home, and the bonds representing il
ought to be of small denominations, in
which the savings of the masses may
be safely invested.
Thorough investigation into the elec.
toral fraud of 1876 should be made
fraud should be exposed, truth vindi
Gated and criminals punished. But
we oppose any attack upon the Presi
dents title as dangerous to our institu'
tions and fruitless in its results.
The Republican party, controlling
the legislation of the State, has refused
to execute many of the reforms of the
new constitution. Among other things
it has neglected and refused to compel
the acceptance of all of its provisions
by the corporations of the State; tc
prevent undue and unreasonable dis
elimination in charges for transporta.
ton for freight and passengers, and
without abatement of drawback to
any; to give to all equal means for
transporting the raw material of the
State in such manner and to such
points as they may prefer; and to pub.
lish in good faith monthly statements
of where the money of the people was
kept. The Republican party creates
new officers, and adds enormous per.
quisites to the others, and fills them
with favorites, whose chief duty is to
manage its political machinery. its
administration of the State govern.
ment grows more expensive with each
year of its rule. Legislation has been
directed by Republican lobbyists,
who in turn manipulate and control
the nominations of the Republican
party, and its candidates are the crea.
ton of ajunta, whose DEGREES are ac.
cepted as the irreversible mandates OF
absolute hereditary power. We de-
nounce these methods, these measures
and these men as unworthy the sup
port of an honest and free people, and
we invite all, of every shade of politi-
cal opinion, to unite with us in deliv-
ering the commonwealth from their
hateful rule.