Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-10


much needed financial relief of tho
country.
Hon. +. T.. Beltzhooyer, who repre-.
sents the Cumberland, York and Al.
ans district, was pumped, with the fol.
lowing result:
q. What is the meaning of the Re
publican position in regard to Federal
control of elections
4. That is so plain as to answer itself
The Republican position assumes iirst,
that the Federal government has the
right to control elections in the State
so far as members of Congress, Senators
and Presidential electors are concerned (;
second, that the right TO interfere being
conceded by its opponents or settled by
legislation, all the powers incident to
and necessary for its enforcement fol.
low; third, that under the cover of the
right and the measures provided for il
enforcement they can pay their thou
saEds of corrupt workers by appointing
them as deputy mAr-hais, &c. With the
political parties of the country 50 evenly
balanced a. they alway- have been, are
now, and of necessity must continue 10
be, aud the corrupt floating purchasablc
vote as large as il is and Increasing us
!. must with the increase in the hard
ness of the times, the balance OF power
will always be turned by the use OF
Federal patronage in the appointment
of deputy marshAls, the number OF
which will only Ice limited by the ne,
ccssitics of the occasion. The real
meaning Of tho Republican position.
therefore, IS to establish the right Of the
Federal government TO interfere with
elections, to provide 10y sweeping and
tyrAnnical legislation for the enforce.
mcnt of the right, aud under the pro
visions OF this legislation to buy by pa
ironage the corrupt vote Of the country
which holds the balance OF power, aud
thereby control elections.
u. Doe. their claim Of right to con.
troll elections by deputy marshals, and
to back up their arbitrary arrests with
troops, mean a fair poll and an honest
count?
4. No; il means only the mAintcn
ance Of Republican supremacy 10y the
commoncst devices Of corrupt politics
q. Why, if they meant pure elections
10 they insist upon the right to assess
ofliceholiers aud flibustcr against re-
forming an abuse which their President
and chief organs have 20 often con.
dcmncd
4. or course the Republican party
opposes the political assessment bill be.
cause it strikes at ono Of the sources Of
their campaign funds. The profcssions
OF their fraudulent Executive and the
Pecksniiiian reformers by whom he il
surrounded, arc just 20 much trash'
They are not sincere themselves and do
not expect others to be- All pharisees
are contemplate. 1t is not 40 clear
that the Democracy are not courting the
same judgment Of mankind by mani.
Testing too much zeal against assess.
ments for political purposes. 4 pure
Arcadia or Utopia, IL it were attainable
among men, might justify such laws,
but hardly any other State would. a
party that for half century inscribed
on iis campaign banners ito the victors
belong the spoils, and apo;heosized
the author Of the declaration, will hard
~ win the honest admiration Of men
by standing firmly and looking towards
heaven, crying. thank God we are
not as other men" The right Of any
man, whether in government employ or
out of it, to do what he plcascs with his
money is absolute aud indefea.iblc; it is
the rigat to do what one pleases with
ones own. II government employees
get too much compensation and there.
by are enabled voluntarily to contribute
to campaign funds il might be well
enough for Democratic Congress, upon
this being shown, to cut down the sur.
plus amount.
q. What do you conceive to be the
net result politically OF the extra ses.
sion
4. It is very hard TO tell on which
side the advantage lies in the results Of
the extra session. ltshould never have
been called. Having been called, how.
ever, il was the plain duty Of the Demo
cracy to make the issue which induced
il squarely and promptly--then 60 TO
the people. Nothing else should have
bean donc No hobbiaa no silvar hills