The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-08-18
ExTRAyAGANCE In GOVERNMENT.


Z
The New York sun, the ablest, most In
I fiuential and widely circulated or the Inde-
pendent journals of the country, in recent
issue said
"a The reckless prohicacy and prodgality of this
Congress exceed all experience.
''The FARMERS, the mechanics, the laborers and
the pain people, as Mr. Lincoln called them, who
pay the great body Of the taxes by the sweat Of
their brows, have cried aloud for relief aud they
." Congress will adjourn leaving disered lta bic
record. It has voted away the peoples money in
Wild eXtravagance, without any honest attempt
70 reduce the burdens that weigh down industry
and enterprise.
- II the Democrats are at all wise In their nornI-
nations, and in presenting the issue Of retrench-
ment and reform rs they did in 1874 history will
be apt to repeat ittelf in the experience Of the
coming elections
The present campaign in Pennsylvania is
state campaign, Waged, for the re-
demption of the Commonwealth and the pu
riication of its politics. While the candi-
dates OF the Democracy are Democrats
nominated in a Democratic State convention
! their records and the platform on which they
stand " invite the cooperation of all honest
citizens who desire the establishment of
{ honest government" That is the sole issue
of the contest. The Democracy aim at the
overthrow of boss rule, of the spOils system,
of legislative corruption, of administrative
abuses and of pardon board infamies. They
/ present the most effective means to do it by
Offering for election a stainless ticket of men
known to the State whose integrity is above
reprOach and whose courage is unchal-
lenged. No honest man seeking to secure
| honest government need fear to vote for
Pattison' Black, Africa, Clark and Elliott.
Why?
| Because they are reforaers, and honest
and intelligent men. They have the brains
te know the right and courage to fight the
wrong.
Mr.. PattisOn IS young man who has
achieved a national reputation because of
I his courageous and successful efforts for
municipal reform. For years the tongue
and pen of Mr.. Black have been engaged in
the exposure ard correction of government
abuses. Messrs. Clark and Elliott were
tall figures in the Constitutional Convention
which accomplished such reforms for Penn
sylvania; while Mr. Africa, as chief clerk in
the office for which he is now the nominee,
proved himself so efficient and popular that
IN 1873 he ran 10000 votes ahead of his
ticket.
When Pattison entered upon the duties of
his Office as Controller he found official ex-
JraYagance and municipal maladministra-
ton prevailing TO remarkable degree in
Philadelphia. The permanent debt, the
department expenses and tax rate were all
increasing yearly. From the very outset
PattiSOn turned the tide. He not oDiv
checked the constant Increase: : he has eff
fecteG a steady decrease. Instead of an av.
erage yearly addition of s.. 622, ,4O6 to the
city debt, there IS now a steady reduction of
81 ,246, T37 per anDum the department q Y
y
S5,8S3,92, a reduction per aunum of 81 ,301,-
6342S and the tax levy is reduced from
1925 to Si90, reduction of the annual bur
den on property of 35 cents on every 500 of
valuation,
The New York Sun thus points out what
would result from PattisOn's election:
." The election of Pattlson to be Governor would
mean only in the state what his election to be
Controller meant In Philadelphia. n pure admin
1strttion, the scattering Of the rings the bafin
OF the thieves, and honest and decent state
government FOR the term of four years. This may
Oc q prospect full of terrDrs the bosses but IL
party"
George Alfred Townsend, aibitter Repub-
Iican partisan, in writing Of Pattison, says ::
" He obtained the very responsible place Of
Controller or Watchdog, Of the city treasury. and
there II was astonishing how one man. educated
In honor and the fear Of God, could be distin-
guishcd ia peculating and thievtng age. He
positively did not know how to steal. though he
had been always poor. This made him eminent
IN Phlladeiphia politics, and very unfa shionabIe.
But IL pleased the taxpayers. who hardly knew
what was theirs unless they sat on It. And finally
at the age of thrCytwO, this little boy born at the
old town OF snow Hill. which is older than An
napolls, Verihes the text heard his father
preach q sermon from: Thou hast been faithful
over few things; %, viii make thee ruler over
many