Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-01
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TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST I, 1881
ExTRAvAGANCE IN GOVERN MlsNr.

TUESDAY EVENING" AUGUST !. 1884,
ExTRAvAGANCE IN GOVERNMENT.
Tn" Supreme Issue IN PonnsyIvsnIs.
The New York Sun, the ablcst, most in
fluential and widely circulated Of the Inde-
pendent journals Of the country, in recent
issue said:
"The reckless profigacy and p7odigality
of this Congress exceed all experience.
"The farmers, the mechanics, the Ia
bOrers, and the plain 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; and they have cried
in vain.
"Congrcss will adjourn leaving 4 dis
crcditabIc record. It has voted away the
peoples money in wild extravaganza, with
out any honest attempt to reduce the bur-
.lens that weigh down industry and enter
prise.
"If the Democrats are at all wise in
their nominations, and in presenting the
issue of retrenchment and reform, rs they
did in 1874, history will bc apt to repeat
itself in the experience of the coming
elections
The present campaign in Pennsylvania
is a State campaign, wagcd for the
redemption Of the commonwealth and
the purification of its politics. While
the candidates of the Democracy are
Democrats, nominated in Demo-
cratic State convention, their records
and the platform on which they stand Gin
vito the cooperation of all honest citizens
who desire the re-establishmcnt of honest
government That is the sole issue of
the contest. The Democracy aim at the
overthrow of boss rule, of the spOils sys-
TEN. OF legislative corruption, of admin
istrativc abuses and of pardon board infa-
mics. 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 unchallenged. No hon
est man seeking to secure honest govern
ment need fear to vote for Pattison, Black,
Africa, Clark and Elliott.
Why?
Because they are Reformcrs and honest
and intelligent men. They have the brains
to know the right and the courage to fight
the wrong.
Mr.. Pattison is 4 young man wlt has
achieved 4 national reputation because OF
his courageous and successful efforts for
municipal reform. For years the tongue
and pen of Mr.. Black have been engaged in
the exposure and correction of govern
mental abuses. Messrs. Clark and Elliott
were tall figures in the constitutional con-
vention which accomplished such reforms
for PENNSYLVANIA while Mr.. Africa rs
chief clerk in the Office for which he is now
the nominee, proved himself so efficient
and popular that in 1873 he ran III, 600 votes
ahead of his ticket.
NVbon D,ft;SNn nutnro,l ,1nnn tho
duties of his Office rs controller hc
found official extravaganza and mu-
micinl malatministratiOn prevailing to
4 remarkable degree in Philadelphia.
The permanent debt. the department ex-
,ensts and tax rate were all increasing
yearly. From the very outset PattisOn
turned the tide. lie not only checked the
constant increase. He has effected a
steady decrease. Instead of IN average
yearly addition Of s:5.G22, 4OG to the city
debt there is now 4 steady reduction of
S1.2i6,7 737 per annum: the department
expenses have gone down from So, 1S4,
9Gl. 20 to Sc $50. 32G.92 reduction per an.
mum of S1,3Ol .634.2S: and the tax levy
is reduced from SEE to S1.90, 4 reduction
of the annual burden on property of 81
cents on every 500 of valuation.
The Philadelphia Record, whose propric-
tor was 4 delegate to the State conven-
tion and voted against Mr.. Pattison, said Of
him:
''It must he conceded that in the office
Of controller of Philadelphia he has given
proofs OF firmness, integrity and executive
ability of u high order-qualitics that arc
emncntiy requisite for the proper dis
charge of the duties of the chief magis-
tracy "f Pennsylvania. In his manage.
mcnt of the financial affairs of the city hc
has brought order and simplicity out of
chaos, and has introduced an accountable
ity in municipal trusts which has saved
large sums of money to the taxpayer. lie
has permitted neither party nor personal
considerations to swcrvc him from the
courageous discharge of his official duties.
There are many abuses in the State GOV
ernmcnt, many and dcep-scatcd, which
await Il strong hand of this kind for their
eradication. Partly by design and partly
by neglect, important provisions of the
constitution have failed of enforcement
and the election of Pattison would afford a
guarantee that the constitution had at last
been brought under the guardianship of
its friends"
The New York Sun thus points out what
would result from Pattison's election:
''Thc election of Pattison to be COVER
nor would mean only in the State what his
election to be comptroller meant in Phila-
dclphia, pure administration, the scatter
ing Of the rings, the battling of tho thieves,
and IN honest and decent State govern
mcnt for the term Of four years. This may
be prospect full of tcrrors to the bosses,
but it has no terrors whatever for the tax
payers of any party"
George Alfred Townsend, bitter Re
publican partisan, in writing of T;,ttisor,
says:
"He obtained the very responsible place
of comptroller, or Watchdog, of tho city
treasury, and there it was astonishing how
one man, educated in honor and the fear
OF God, could be distinguished in pecu-
lating and thicving age. He positively
did not know how to steal, though he had
been always poor. This made him eminent
in Philadelphia politics, and very unfasll-
ionable. But it pleased the taxpayers, who
hardly knew what was theirs unless they
sat on it. And finally, at the age of thir-
ty-twO this little boy, born at the old town
of Snow Hill, which is older than Annapo.
lis, veriiies the text 1 once heard his father
preach sermon from ''Thou hast been
faithful over a few things; 10, I will make
thee ruler over many"
"TO THEIR SATISFACTION"
Golden words From the f,aon,.,. c.,,,,a...