The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-06-02
THE INDEPENDENT PLATFORM.

AS it is unlikely that the Cameron
Republican organ of this county will
publish the platform adopted at the
Philadelphia convention last week, we
print it for the information of Repub-
licans who want to read all the news.
THE PLATFORM.
The Republicans of Pennsylvania who
will not surrender their political rights and
who maintain the exercise of their own con-
science and judgment concerning public af-
fairs, having assembled IN State Convention
make the following declaration of principle
andpurpose:
First-We declare our attachment to the
principles of the Republican party-free-
dom, union, nationality, equal rights be-
fore the law, maintenance of the public
faith, protection to home industry-and we
demand that the record which has been
made shall be wisely and fearlessly perpet-
uated.
Sccond-We declare that the nomination
and election of j. A. Garfield to the Pre-
sidency signifed to us the triumph of
true reform in the Civil Service and of an
enlarged liberty of action for the masses of
the Republican party in the nomination of
their candidates and in the conduct of their
party affairs, and we deplore the overwhelm-
ing evidence presented to us in Pennsylva-
mia that the calamity of this assassination
has been followed by the overthrow of
of these reforms in the hands of his sue
cessor.
Third--We denounce the system which
makes patronage" and "spoils" out of
public offices; we denounce the practice of
giving them to political managers for use
in advancing personal political ends; we
denounce the removal of faithful and COM
petent officers in the absence of public
reason; we denounce the practice of levy
ing assessments and demanding contribut-
ions for party use from public officials; we
denounce severally and collectively the
evils OF corruption which accompany the
conduct of the Government as "spoils
system" and which are uneeparable from
such method of administration, and we
denounce the system of "boss rule" and
''maceine control !" which when they
tamely endured, makes leaders into auto
Gratis and reduces the mass of the citizens
into political bondage
Fourth-Wc declare our purpose to take
up the work which fell when Garfield fell
We demand, in place of the ''spoils system"
the reformation of the Cevil Service by law,
SO that the appointed places therein may
| be fully open to all fit and meritorious citi-
zens, and removals shall be only for good
| and sufficient public cause We demand,
instead of the prostitution of the public
service to private uses, its recognition as
| high and honorable trust, to be administer
| ed for the peoples benefit, with efficiency,
| economy and integrity. We demand in
stead of the insolence, the prescription and
tyranny of "bossism" and 'machine rule"
the free and conscientious exercise of pri-
| vate judgment in political affairs and the
faithful discharge by those who assume re-
presentiye trusts of the expressed will of
| the people.
Fifth-We declare in favor of the follow
| ing party reforms;
/. That delegates to State Conventions
| shall be chosen by the people in the man
| ner in which candidates for the General
| Assembly are nominated.
2. The representation in the State Con-
| vention shall be by counties, and shall be
appointed according to their Republican
vote.
3, State Conventions shall not be held
without at least sixty days notice, or earlier
than the second Wednesday of July, except
in Presidential years.
A. That the Republicans who voted for
the Republican candidate for President at
the Presidential election next preceding
shall be entitled to join in the choice of
delegates to the State and National Conven-