The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-09-05
Pillage Must Cease

It has been said that since the accession OF
the Democratic party to power in both
Houses of Congress the lobby has disappear
ed. This fact speaks louder than platforms
or speeches. The people know that
means smaller appropriations and lighter
taxes. The ruthless application of the knife
to executive estimates and the large reduct'
ion of expenditures made by the lower
House in the Forty fourth Congress, had
much to do with the election of Tilden and
Hendricks in 1876. This, with the econo-
mical administration of Gov. Tilden in New
York and his war upon the'rings, undoubt-
edly produced the great majority against
Hayes and Wheeler which was given, and
was falsifed in the interest of further cor
ruption and extravaganza.
Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Sherman, the third term
ers and the Fraudulent Administration may
make speeches, and more speecnes, and do
what they will 20 turn the public mind OIL
upon other questions, but the real issue Is
this of honest and economical government.
The people are determined to stop the plum
dering and the squandering to reduce their
taxes, and pay for nothing but the support
of their Governments. They know that ex-
travagance is the parent of every other evil,
and that people who permit the earnings
of industry to be taken and enjoyed by their
rulers, either with or without the forms OF
law, are mere slaves. The political history
of the last few years shows that this great
truth has leavened the whole public mind
| The real struggle now is for emancipation
from corrupt combinations, rings, and cor
porations, which in ways too numerous to
mention, prey upon the people and eat out
| their substance.
The campaign in Pennsylvania shows per-
haps more clearly than any other the fact
that the popular apprehension is fully alive
to these issues. There reform seemed to be
hopeless. In the State and in the chief
cities, rings of political criminals, growing
visibly rich from public plunder, controlled
everything, aud their despotic rule was
scarcely questioned The Treasury Ring
embezzled millions, with but feeble popu.
lar protest, which the leaders par
ties took care should find no efiectual express
sion. The Pennsylvania Railroad debauch'
ed and used the Legislature, and in collusion
with the rings, owned and directed the State
Administration.
But they overdid the business. The re.
cent attempt to filch $4,000,000 from the
Commonwealth by bribing the Legislature
to give it away was too startling. Men be
gan to figure up how much it was proposed
to steal from them individually, or from
their counties, by this single tremendous
grab. Had this operation been successful
Lancaster county, for instance, would hsv'
been required to pay up, as her share of tn
Rings booty, s12l,O 900; York, $4,000
Chester, SIT 900; Franklin, s45, 900 Berks
$l06, 900, and so on through the list. Decen
house-holders over there have begun to ci
pher-it is high time-and while they ar
about it they propose to find out to what ex
tent they are robbed by the unconstitution
al freight discrimination against them b.
this same Pennsylvania Railroad, whic
they created and endowed not to be thei
master but their servant.
When they get this sum done, there wi
be revolution in the old Commonwealth
and the Republican Ring, which openly SUI
tains these iniquities, refuses to let its con
vention condemn the four million steal, an
forces it to declare against honest men
office will be broken into fragments. I'll
people are evidently determined that pillal
8 must cease.-N y Sun.