Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-11-02

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Here then is the party in power de.
clsring for reform when it alone has the
power TO remedy the evils of which il
complains. II reform is needed, and
it must be, or the party would not have
so declared, they have had full control
Of the law.making power for years and
could and should have, If they did not
mean to act in bad faith with the peo.
pie, made the laws necessary to abolish
the evils of patronage. and make hon
esty, efficiency and fidelity the qualifi.
cations for public positions.
This convention condemns the
use of patronage to promote personal
political ends and condemns assess
ments for political purposes. Who are
they condemningl Can it be that this
party, whose stalwart candidate said
ing itself. Who uses patronage TO pro
mote personal political ends The Bosss
Who makes assessments for politi-
cal purposes The machine and
the boss OF the Republican party.
Whose convention condemns these
crimes upon the public? The conyen-
ton of the bosses. And why, because
they fear the wrath of the people and
they hope by fair promises and fine res
olutlons to appease the people and OBJ
tain a further lease Of power.
! con assure you my Republican
friends the men who made and passed
these resolutions and placed upon them
candidates, will no more keep their
pledges of reform in 1852 than they did
IN 1872. Even before the election they
have violated them in every particular.
Patronage to promote personal political
ends has gone on increasingly. The
convention that promulgates these res.
olutions had barely adjourned until the
official gullotine is set in motion and
as fast IA they could bc borne away the
official heads OF those who would not
submit to the imperial will of the boss
tumbled into the basket. At the direc
ton of the boss faithful officers were re-
moved, not for cause but to give place
to others who would strengthen his
dynasty.
The assessment Of Office holders has
not ceased. 1t goes on mercllessly, no
toriously and necessarily a. the How OF
the water OF the Mississippi, sparing
neither age, sex. race or previous condi.
tion of servitude. Right here we ARE
told that General Beaver is not respon
sible for these violations OF the Repub.
lican platform. He is the standard
bearer and promised to carry that
standard into every county in the State,
and by right and position the leader in
the campaign. To his knowledge these
evils are practiced. Why does he not
denounce them? As the leader OF the
campaign why does he not take the
monster by the throat and see that
every pledge OF the convention ia
honestly and firmly adhered to. Prin.
ciples, however good. and however
plainly declared by conventions are OF
no use unless you have r man with the
moral courage and force TO carry them
out. And as Gen. Lear said, "if he has
not the moral courage to do this he ia
incompetent. II he can conscientiously
approve the conduct Of this campaign
he is morally unfit to be governor of
Pennsylvania" IT the monarch be =
plunderer the subjects will follow the
ways of the court. so he who il depend.
ent upon the boss will follow his ways.
and do his bidding.
The Democratic convention OF 1882
declared that "we protest against what
il called the boss system and the plum.
deriug of Office holders by assessment Is
of money for political purposes public
Offices are the property OF no party but
are open TO every citizen, honest, capa-
BILE and faithful, and protested against
the spoils system, that it is = prostitu.
ton of the office Of the people 40 that
they become the perquisites Of the poll.
tician.
So far as mere words go, my friends,
there is but little difference between the
platforms of the two parties. Why then
should you prefer the one to the other.
The one convention condemns: the
other protests. Is that all, mere dif.
ference in words. mol In the work
OF the conventions we have all the
difference in the world. The one
laughed in derision at its declations Of
reform as they passed, and nominated
candidates who have never ceased to
trample upon the principles and the
reforms for which they declared. The
other not only declared for reform act
ual. real, and practical, hut showed its
good faith with the people by nominal
ing man who embodies in himself the
very elements of the conventions de
clarations. A reformer himself, tried
in the fire and not found wanting. lie
has met the machine and the boss in
the citadel of their power, where il was
their habit to annually steal millions
from the people. and by honesty, eff.
cheney and integrity. the very elements
Of official capacity declared for by the
Republicans, succeeded in breaking the
machine and driving the boss from
power As controller of the city OF
Philadelphia he has saved millions of
dollars annually to the people Of that
great city. His official integrity was 3
constant check not only upon dishon.
esty, but upon ill.advised legislation
which involved the expenditure OF
money. When the city paid for ma.
terials, under him, il was known that
they we're furnished. When IL paid for
labor II was known that IL had been