Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-02
A Brilliant Address by Mr.. pattison.

cracy in overthrowing the rule of bossism
and corruption that has so long cursed
this State.
The address is in marked contrast with
those Delamater has inflicted upon
the people. Mr.. Pattison's speech
deals directly with the issues now before
the voters of Pennsylvania. Delamater
entirely avoids State issues, lugs in the
tariff question, which has no connection
whatever with purely State campaign,
and tries to arouse party enthusiasm by
| appealing to sectionalism. Mr.. Pattison's
address is moderate in tone, weighty in
matter, and is a direct appeal to the
logical thinking man.
As Mr.. Pattison points out, the great
question now before the voters of Penn
sylvania is the eradication of bosssm and
its attendant evils. This is not mat
ter of party success. 1t is a question as
to whether Pennsylvania shall be re-
deemed from corruption. 1t is to decide
whether the State Treasury shall remain
plaything and loot shop for one man,
or whether its affairs shall be equitably
or honestly administered. The election
will also decide whether legislation shall
be for monopolies or the people, and
taxation shall be equalized so as to lift
heavy burden from the poor.
These are the issues to be decided in
November next. Upon the people de-
pends the responsibility. The Democ-
racy has presented a clean platform and
an able candidate. 1t comes before the
people as their champion, and the re-
sponses from all portions of the State
show that the masses recognize that
their interests lie with the party which
is making such a gallant stand to rid the
State of corruption. The principal por-
tions of the address are contained in the
following:
There has never been time when the
people of our State have been confronted
more directly with the duty of rebuking
an attempt to subvert the very basis of
| representative government. would not
emphasize unduly a purely personal
issue. But men often become by reason
of circumstances the eXponents of a
system or an idea.
In such instances it is impossible to
disassociate the fortunes of the individual
from those of the cause. Hence, at the
present juncture of our politics every
consideration of Self-respect as well as OF
self government calls upon the voters to
take notice of the audacious personal
domination by which our public interests
and political affairs are menaced. All
history teaches the danger of intrustine
even to the wisest and most virtuous of
men absolute dictatorship in affairs of
the State. In Democratic government
such absolute power can never be achlev-
ed by candor, integrity, or public fidelity,
and cannot be retained except by the
abuse Of official power and the corrupt
suppression of the popular will
The present boss domination IN Penn
sylvania illustrates both these truths
, The people have not willingly chosen
whose stigmatized leadership they mani
fest such hopeful unrest. There could
be no more severe reflection upon the
patriotism and virtue of the people
than to say that they knowingly chose a
supremacy so naughty and so malign
except to have to declare that they meek
: ly submitted to its continuance. As tC
the first statement | have already eX
pressed my dissent, and l have a sure
confidence that no man after the election
in November will be able to justly to cas-
the latter censure in the face of the ser
: ling yeomanry of this Commonwealth.
OPPRESSIVE TAXATION.
, With absolute control of the Legisla,
ture for almost Il quarter of a century,
the bosses have steadily defeated all laws
proposed to relieve land of its unequal
burden of taxation; to exact of corpora
tions full compliance with their chartered
duties; to prevent unlawful and unjust
discrimination, and to prune off all need
less offices and stipendiaries as so many
leeches upon the substance of the people.
No nti-Discrimination law was passed
until 1888, the first year of Democratic
executive control, and then it was emas-
culated in its passage by boss dictation.
In 1888 and 1885 more useless and eX-
travagant offices were abolished than in
the entire generation preceding. For the
first time during the same years the
Executive invoked the power of the
courts to enforce the fundamental law
and prevent its defiant violation by cor
porations; and for the first time also, spe-
cific and urgent recommendation was
! lnaue ny tne Executive Oh neaSuTe 10
equalize taxation in the interest of farm
! ing. How much was achieved during
| those four years the record attests. How
much that was attempted was thwarted
by the bosses then in command of one
branch of the Assembly, is also well
| known.
That the inequality referred to exists
| cannot be successfully denied. 1t is
| patent to every one. There is not citi-
zen in the Commonwealth paying a tax
upon his home or farm who cannot point
to some neighbor owning many times as
much in personal goods and idle capital
who yet pays an immeasurably lesi
amount of tex. 1t is useless to answer
such undeniable facts by any intricate
theory as to the ultimate distribution o.
all taxation.
Such unjust discrimination is work
ing untold evil to our people; is oppress
ing the poor; is exempting the rich; il
day by day establishing unfortunate
social distinctions that are foreign to ou
principles of government, destructive o
the happiness and energies of men, anc
blasting the hopes that we have al
prayerfully entertained of our country
becoming the home of contented and
happy people.
During the twenty years preceding
1888 the special interests favored by the
bosses thrived and expanded beyond the
most lavish expectations. Monopoies OF
all kinds feasted and fattened at the pub
lie expense, and the fair fame of ou1
State was sullied in the eyes of the ma