The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-09-24
NIX. BLACKS ACCEPTANCE.
BOLD DEIIvERANcE ON STATE
ISSUES.

1or Blacks letter OF acceptance OF the
Democratic nomination for Governor
York, Pa, September l6, 1886.
GENTLEMEN desire to acknowledge
again, in this more public manner, the
with which you haye dis
the duty imposed upon you
by the Democratic Convention. 1t was
understood, when you presented the
official notification of my nomination
for Governor, that l would at later
period make more formal response.
I am the nominee of the Democratic
party for Governor. The questions o
be resolved by the election relate %
the management of the State govern
ment exclusively, and | am concerned
now, as l would he if elected, about
nothing else.
THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION.
Pennsylvania has a Constitution.
All her officials take solemn obliga-
ton to support and defend it. Shall
it be enforced in all its parts and upon
all persons alike? None OF its pro-
visions are openly resisted and detied
by any respectable number of persons,
except those contained in Articles XVI.
and XVII. Their scope and purpose
are we'll known. They were framed
to secure to the people their equal and
lawful rights upon the highways of the
Commonwealth. Their due enforce
ment under appropriate" acts of
Assembly would injure no honest busi-
ness and disturb no legitimate interest.
On the contrary, it would promote the
welfare of the entire people, including
that OF the shareholders of the trans
portation companies themselves. Their
best interests are intimately associated
with the general interests OF the Com
monwealth, under whose wise policy
they are created, regulated and pro-
tected. The hand which breaks the
sanctity of law in one case weakens it
in all. The aggressor who defies the
Constitution to seize wrongful ad.
vantage to day, invokes it tomorrow
for his own protection. Least of all
can corporations, in the enjoyment OF
public grants for public purposes, af
ford to disregard its wholesome restric
tions. To do 30 is almost necessarily
to arouse among freemen spirit which
may seek, and, in numerous instances
has sought, reclamation by proceedings
as little in accord with Fundamental
law and vested rights as those which
provoked it. We propose to hold the
shield of the Constitution over all alike
and behind it there is no place for extor
tion on the one hand or for confisca
ton on the other. The articles il
question must be enforced. The peo.
pie are determined that they shall be
and that the abuses which they wer'
intended to correct shall cease. o.
this important subject there has neve
been any doubt about the attitude o
the Democratic party, and believe
am its nominee to-day, principally be
cause there is no doubt about mine
And in this we are happily not alone
Every party but one, offering Stat
candidates at the pending election, con
ours with ours in the demand for en-
forcement Of those provisions, and tn
election of Legislature which Wi
pass the appropriate legislation"
LABOR AND CAPITAL.
The enforcement of the articles O
the Constitution,relative to railroads
telegraphs and canals would in itsel
afford large measure of relief TO tn
productive industries of the State an
to the manual laborers employed i
them. But the latter require NOR
chan this. They have special grie,
ances demanding special remedies
Upon some of them the conventio
spoke freely and unequivooally, and i
accepting the nomination l, of cours
accept the platform. Should I b
elected, I would invite the cordial ct
operation and the considerate advice {
the duly appointed represen tatives {
all labor organizations of the Stat
with reference not merely to the right
but to the needs of the people. Throug
! a long series of years their infuent
has scarcely been:lpreceptible in OIL
Legislation. While the lobbies swarl
with the well-paid and expert agen
of other interests, the laborer lahore
on in his vocation, trusting to the hoi
: or of his official representatives I'll
result is mass of laws in which ever
. interest but his is carefully provide
for, while he is cunningly restricted
). the most important concern of his lif,
Others may combine to limit produ'
tion and suspend his employment;
v raise the price of the necessaries of Ii
or to lower the wages which purcha,
them but should he combine with
fellows to market his labor at bett,
rates he is too frequently charged wi,
!. disorders for which he is not primari
h responsible; prosecuted under Law
+ which are but slight modification I
:. the barbarous conspiracy laws; CO
n fronted by police representing the er
l. ployer, instead of the public authorit
y and not unfreguently he is cast adri
}. while imported laborers, aliens to b
J., blood and country, are brought fc
e ward to take his job and eat the bre;
: of his children. He sees the wealth
J. the country increasing in ratio &
e most appalling; but he also sees
t concentrating in the hands of a We
8 few, and he knows there is somethir
T. essentially wrong In those laws Whit
e permit such division of the CONNIE
produce of capital and labor. VIII
he wants principally is a free field al
fair one repeal of the laws whiC
circumscribe him, with careful revi
q Ion, followed by vigilant enforcemel
/ of those which protect his life al
. health while at work and insure hi
Z the regular payment of his earnings
honest cash.
Il Some time since ] was appealed
f by miners in the Monongahela Vale
8 to aid them iu securing the appoir
l. ment of coal and iron policemen, wi
l. might be employed in the interests
:. the men, to protect them against syst
h matte swindling by false weighing
It the tipples. They said that such plu
q dering of the workmen was systemat
5; and extensive, and was the main eau
n of the disastrous strike then preva
.. ing in that region. But when | car