The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-11-23
Principles Win Always Live.
AN ADDRESS. TO THE DEMOCRATIC So
CIRTY OF PENNSYLVANIA.


AN ADDRESS, TO THE DEMOCRATIC So
cIRTY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
The following address to the demo-
cratic societies has been issued by Pres
ident Black:
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12.-The dem
ocratic party has met temporary defeat
In defense of a just, equitable and nee.
essary principle of free government.
1t contended that Unnecessary sxation
was unjust taxation; that the federal
government had no right TO take more
money from the people than might be
necessary for its own support economi-
cally administered and that it had no
right to take n oney from the mass of
men to confer it, as a mere largess,
upon class. This doctrine has been
held by the democratic party from the
adoption of the constitution to the pres
ent day. 1t was the doctrine of JEFF
ferson, and of every democratic states
man in our history. But since the
civil war, the federalists' scheme of
strong government, taking from the
people whatever those in power may
think useful or desirable, building up a
few industries at the expense of others,
and comforting upon favored enterprises
greaj annual bounties far in excess of
the public revenues, has been incor-
porated in the policy of the general
government, and for more than q quar-
ter of a century has been steadily main
tained by our Legislation and admins
tration.
PRINCIPLES MUST LIVE. f
The conflict between these two prin.
ciples of government is most assuredly
irrepressble. 1t must continue until
the industrial people of the United
States are all free or all slaves. The
democratic party has no thought of
abandoning the fight. On the con-
trary, it has just begun it. Consider
ing that the presidents reform message,
regarded by many as a perilous new
departure in favor of industrial free.
dom, was given to congress only in
December last, and that the ensuing
popular debate has been in progress
less than year, the results of the vot-
ing on November furnish the friends
of tariff reform the most abundant en-
couragement. If so much has been
won in so short a time; if all Eeresy
upon this vital question has been
crushed within, or finally cast out of,
one of the greatest political parties in
the United States in this brief period,
what may not be accomplished by a
fearless, resolute, persistent agitation in
the years to come? Rising from this
momentary check, strengthened by the
consciousness that it carries the ark ol
public safety, that 1t has in it's keeping
a sacred principle upon the future sue
cess of which depends the industrial
and political freedom of the people OF
the United States, the democratic party
will 90 on with this contest until it ID
gloriously won. We have met the
special interests, the monopolies and
the trusts, stimulated to their utmos,
exertion by the new danger which con
fronted them; we have met their mil
lions, extorted from the labor of the
country, poured out in any quantities
demanded by their unscrupulous politi
cal managers, and, Notwithstanding al
their advantages of position, power
and means, and the meagre time al
lowed for the momentous struggle, We
have fairly divided the suffrages of the
people with them; and 1t will be weeks
to come betoreit can even be told upor
which side the actual popular majorit,
has fallen.
ORGANIZATION OF SOCIETIES.
| There are now about 1000 demo
cratic clubs and democratic societies i,
the United States. The convention
which brought these together an,
formed the national association, wa
held only on the Fourth of July last
and the democratic society of Pennsyl
vania was formed but few weeks pre-
vious. Considering the great worl
done, and the important results accom-
plished in the few intervening months
it must now be apparent to every il
telligent observer that had this can
paign OF Organization and informs
} tion"-this vast republican propagand,
formally founded upon the indisputabl
and immortal principles of Jefferson
been undertaken at an earlier date, an
prosecuted with intelligent vigor, tn
presidential election of 1888 woul
have had far different termination
Nothing was required to insure the su,
cess OF the democratic candidates bu
that the issue should be clearly unde
stood. This is made only too mantle,
by a comparison of the results in ii
manufacturing centres with those in ii
agricultural regions. In the former tt
tariff scale appears to have had n
} effect whatever upon the minds of il
! telligent operatives, for whose allege
benefit a fraudulent and delusive "pr,
, lection is invoked, while in the agr
D cultural regions, whose people are IL
, almost confessed victims of the fedora
. ist system of spoilation, the federali
a majorities seem to have been mai
? tained and even increased. In 9th,
a words, where the debate ragged,
n WHERE THE CONFLICT WAS FIRRoEsT
j where the truth was most clearly an
most thoroughly struck out betwe.
the contending parties, there the tru
q has prevailed. 1t must, therefore,
J. plain that had the discussion been Ga
ried home to the agricultural pc pie
l. the country to the same extent ar
y with the same intensity, we shou
have made the same strong impressit
ii upon that class as upon the other. L
q there be democratic society in eve
y neighborhood, and let that society boil
y iy, constantly, and energentically co
tinue the discussion of the tariff que
l, tion as it relates to the material inte
e ests OF the people themselves, and II
d democratic party of the United Stat
o will never lose another general electi,
u during the existence of this generatio
u Had the Democratic society of Pen
T. sylvania been four years old, instead
e FIVE months, with Its primary societi
d in every election district, as they shou
3 have been, the election votes of Pen
d sylyania would have gone to Grov