Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-11
Asn,astrr EmtclIiQetlcrl
FRIDAY EVENING, AUG. IL, les2.


FRIDAY EVENING. AUG. II, Iss2.
The CemnandIng Issue.
Nothing more forcibly illustrates the
degradation of the Republican machine
in this state than thu low tone which
pervades its newspaper organs in their
attempted discussion of the issues in
volved in the present contest. After
six weeks of effort to find a weak
point In tho srmor of tho Demo-
cratic candidate for governor, the
most subservient of these journals
boldly take up the universal admis-
sion as to his courageous integrity of
character, and attempt to sneer down
this commanding recommendation to
public confidence and support. 1t is
argued that honesty is such a common
virtue, that the admitted possession of it
should not specially commend a candi-
date for public position that the Re-
publican party is crammed full of hon.
est men !; that its candidates are always
honest /; that no one questions General
Beavers honesty, etc., etc. The object
of the men who write and talk in this
loose way is to belittle Mr.. Pattison in
public estimation and to divert attention
from the one vital issue of the contest.
Ever since the close of the war
the Republican party in Pennsyl-
vania has held possession of the state
government, and many of the municipal
governments, under false pretences
Year after year its candidates have come
before the people with same solemn
pledges, only to violate them at the first
opportunity. Under two Republican
administrations at Harrisburg legislative
debauchery and official iniquity became
SO siiamefully notorious and defiant that
the people imperatively demanded con.
stitutional revision as a means of gov
ernmental publication. After failure to
control the convention or turn it aside
from the patriotic purpose of its crea-
tion, the corrupt Republican managers
and their army of imperiled hench.
men attempted to prevent the adoption
of the proposed new organic law. DE.
feated in this the ring cOolly came to the
front with earnest protcstatiOns of de-
votiOn to reform, and thus new lease OF
power was secured, to he as systematic
ally abused as before. The tide of vii
lainy swept on, reaching its highest
mark in the riot bill bribery infamy and
only being checked by the iron doors OF
the penitentiary.
Thus for nearly twenty years has the
great Keystone state been disgraced as nc
other commonwealth in the Union ever
was. Four millions of citizens have been
Systematically plundered. Agreat party
has been prostituted to the base uses Of
a few corrupt men. Our legislative halls
have become a by-wOrd and reproach
The executive Office, with its grave re
sponsibility and immense power fol
good or evil, has been the open or secret
ally Of public plunderers, its derelict in
cumbents ignoring alike their consciou.
knowledge of duty and their sworn obi
cations to the people, and trampline
upon their own self-respect, being tin
ready tools of the designing men whl
placed them in power. The ballOt-bo,
has become polluted until in som,
places it is an object of public distrust
A partisan press had been subsi
died and enslaved. And now tht
enemy is determined TO secure by any
means within its grasp, however repre-
hensible, control of the state govern
ment for four years more. The sam,
tactics are pursued as heretofore. A
candidate for governor has been selected
who is satisfactory" to the big bos
and all the little bosses, and who ha'
the effrontery to come before the people
loudly declaring that he is wholly limo
cent of any such alliance with the ma
chine. The soldier issue israised to hid
the real issue of honest government, ant
every effort will he made thus to sneal
in at the back door of the public temple
The campaign on the part of the Cam
eron machine has been and will he to TIN
end one of false pretences.
The vital issue before the people o
Pennsylvania to. day is whether the gov
eminent of the state, SO long and SO dis
gracefully prostituted to base purposes
shall he restored to ios original desigl
conceived by the patriot founders of tn
commonwealth, or whether it shall
continue to be simply gigan
tic wheel in the corrupt machin,
to which We are indebted for the ruinou
political evils of the time. 1t is there
fore of the supremest Importance tha
the leading characteristics of the guber
material candidates should be taken int,
consideration. The essential qualifica
tions needed in the next governor of thi
state are intellectual alertness ant
ability, iniexible honesty and dauntles
moral courage. The coming executive
will not be required to face belchini
cannon, but he will be compelled con
stantly to undergo a much severer tes
of genuine manhood and patriotism
He must be fully prepared successful.
to fight an army of public plunderers, o.
the people will lie betrayed as of old. HI,
must bc man Of iron will, controllet
by an exalted sense of public duty ant
immovable alike in the face of threats
and temptation. In a word, he must b,
a man who has been tried and proved
One who has been weighed in the balanc,