The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-12-08
A Sound Political Platform.
JEFFERSON DEMOCRATIC ASS oClATtoN
TO THE GOVERNOR ELE CT OF PENN
SYINANIA.
Robert Emoru patt;son. Goyern

Robert Emory Pattison, Governor
elect.
SIR The Jeffer Democratic As
sociation of York begs leave to mingle
its congratulations with the many thou
sands which come up to you from this
redeemed Commonwealth, which, in
spite of power, patronage, and mo ney
corrupty raised and corruptly applied,
has. chosen you to be its chief magis-
trate. We hail this result with
peculiar satisfaction, because we recog-
nize in you an examplar of Jeffersonian
Democracy. There never was and
there never can be any progress toward
better political methods, except that
which springs from the benefcent phil
osophy, first practically formulated on
this continent and crystalized into n
system by Thomas Jefferson, the found
er of the Democratic party. That sys-
TEN is as simple and as plainly true and
necessary as any law given to men. 1t
consists of few principles, which, ever
being observed, secure the public well
fare, and, being disregarded, bring GER
tain disaster. Government is necessary
evil the less we have of it the better /;
the further government is removed
from the immediate control of the peo-
pie in their primary capacity the more
luxurious, corrupt, expensive and op.
pressive it becomes. Hence, home rule
by the people in the States strict econ
omy in the administration number
of officials sufficient to transact the
public business, and no more not q
dollar taxed from the pockets of the
people, except it be absolutely and i'm
mediately required for the public SER
vice no class legislation no monop.
olies ; corporate power duly restricted !;
protection to all, favors to none q
pure ballot box, and elections free alike
from Federal intimidation and Federal
corruption. This is the creed of the
Democracy to day, as it was when JEFF
ferson, Madison and Gallatin led the
common people to their first great vict-
ory over the Bourbon Federalist at the
beginning of the century. There is
really no practical difference of opinion
concerning the soundness and necessity
of these principles, if we would pre-
serve our Republican institutions. The
people have always approved them, ,and
they have uniformly endorsed them at
the polls whenever their sober judg-
ment was invoked and left to decide
unembarrassed by temporary issues,
cunh % tbosa or;cinc n,,t of Tho n; oil
war. When the opposition has ach.
ieved power, or held it, in national
contest, it has invariably been upon
some false pretence while heir meas.
ures in power have been invariably of
the same haracter-centralza high
taxes, subsidies, bounties, multiplica-
ton of officials, favored classes, monop.
olies, rings, bosses, universal extrava
gance and corruption, followed by the in
evitable disaster which overlook the Fed.
eralists in 1900, and has now overtak-
en- the Federalist- Republicans in 1882.
This association is formed to main
tain in its way these principles of Mr..
Jefferson and it is our hope that sim
liar associations will be formed every.
where in the State of Pennsylvania to
discuss public questions in the light of
fundamental truths to back our repre-
sentatives in Congress in the great
work of decentralization and retrench-
ment upon which they will enter one
year hence to prepare for the final
contest in 1884, and make sure that the
fruits of victory are not wrested from
the people by another electoral fraud |;
and to those ends to support your ad-
ministration in the application of the
Jetfersonian test to state affairs, includ-
ing the reduction of expenses, the re-
duction of taxes, the dismissal of useless
officials, the faithful execution of the
Constitution, where it touches great cor
porations as well as where it touches
the individual citizen honest legisla-
tion in the interest of the people and
the fearless exercise of the pardoning
power according to justice and law,
without reference to the wishes of any
ring however powerful, or any man
however high in place. No body of
your fellow citizens within the limits of
the Commonwealth has keener appre-
citation than we of the high qualities
you have displayed in the important Of
flee which You have held and elevated
in the city of your residence, and none
will take deeper satisfaction in doing
their part toward holding up your IN
spotted hands in the great work before
you.
CHAUNCEY f. BLACK, President.
JAMES A. BLAssER, Secretary.