The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-05-04
A GOOD PLATFORM,

the day so forcibly that they deserve
reproduction in full.
According to the customary duty of
a Democratic County Committee, we
call the attention of our fellow citizens
to the existing state of public affairs,
and invoke such action upon them at
the primary meetings of the party as
will best conduce to the cause of justice,
liberty and good government.
|. The Chief Executive Magistrate
of the Commonwealth, elected in No.
vember and inaugrated in January, has
entitled himself to the respect, conf
dence and gratitude of the Democracy,
by his able and faithful efforts to re-
form the abuses of the public service,
and to abolish the corrupt practices
which had grown up under previous ad-
ministrations. ...
2. We fully concur with the Govern
or in the Judgment SO strongly express
ed in his messages, that the power Of
corporate monopolies to rule the State,
according to their pleasure. and plun-
der it for their profit, ought to be i'm
mediately checked-that the extortion
of unreasonable tolls, taxes and freights
by railroad companies, and the grossly
unjust discrimination between parties
whose rights are exactly equal, have
never been authorized by any law, are
now expressly forbidden by the Consti-
tuition, and, therefore, should be effect
ually stopped-that the seventeenth ar
ticle of the Constitution being designed
merely to make the railroad corpora
tons honest, and hold them like other
public servants to the performance of
their plain duty, it should be enforced
and carried into full effect, and that
the willful failure of the Legislature, or
members thereof, to enforce the Con
stitution by appropriate legislation, is a
direct breach of their oaths, and mex
cusable on the score of common morali-
ty.
3. The relations between capital and
labor are at present more unsatisfactory
than ever before. On this subject also,
we have occasion to honor the wisdom
and integrity of our Governor If his
recommendations were properly second
ed, every laborer would be assured of a
fair days wages for fair days work,
and his right thereto would be legally
enforceable without the necessity OF
sudden and irregular strikes, which in
jure him as well as his employer, and
endanger the peace OF the country at
the same time.
4. Our present system of taxation for
state, county and school purposes, is
grossly unjust because it is grossly un-
equal in its operation. Land and labor
pay the great bulk of the public taxes,
while capital invested in other pursuits
much more productive is almost entire
ly exempt. The Democratic idea of
Governor Pattison's administration
would make all classes equal, relieve
the farmers of unjust burdens and i'm
pose only fare share on others.
S. Appreciation or blame of our rep
reseutatives in the legislature would be
premature at this period of their session
But he who fears to put the curb on
corporate rapacity; he who willingly
sees labor oppressed and starved, or he
who refuses to equalize taxation can
hardly expect to be counted among the
faithful. He that is not for us is against
US.
6. We are able to congratulate our
fellow citizens of all political parties on
the near prospect of reform in the Ma
tioual Government. The existing ad
ministratlon-the offspring of accident,
and the heir of fraud-can rally no
formidable force to oppose the march
of liberty and justice. The discordant
materials of its body, not less than its
weak and incompetent head, make its
early dissolution natural necessity;
and with it will perish the power of the
greedy rings that have robbed us of
our public domain, plundered our treas
ury and cheated us out of our votes.
7. The fundamental principle of a
true Democracy is expressed in the JEFF
fersonian maxim; equal and exact
justice to all men; special favors to
none;' and this must be especially OBJ
served in the exercise of the taxing
power not only in the State but the Ma
ton. We demand, therefore, the repeal
of the internal taxes as being unneces-
sary, oppressive, injurious to particular
classes, and attended with corruption.
We are in favor of taxing foreign i'm
ports, for the purpose authorized by the
Constitution, namely: to raise revenue
sufficient for the legitimate needs of the
Treasury, with incidental protection,
encouragement and reward, equal and
just, to all classes of men, and all kinds
of lawful business, including manufact,
urers, agriculture and commerce in all
their branches.