The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-01-23
PATTEON'S MESSAGE.

second time. the duties of the chief exec
utive of the commonwealth, make use of
this occasion which custom has established
to declare to what end l shall take care
that the laws be faithfully executed" A
deep sense of responsibility attends the
assumption of this obligation. At such
an hour it is meet to look to him from
whom cometh every good and perfect gift,
and, with devout thanksgiving for the
blessings bestowed, to seek for a continu-
ance of his favor.
Four especially important problems con-
front us: First, constitutional enforce
ment; second, the publication of elections,
involving ballot reform, personal registra.
tion and the prevention of the misuse of
money in politics; third, taxation; fourth,
municipal government.
Constitutional Enforcement.
The present executive will zealously
strive to maintain the constitution and
the laws. Our constitution as approved
by the people is in many respects model
of organic law 1t breathes the essential
spirit of popular government through all
its members. BY it the general welfare Is
sought to be promoted. In il there is no
hostility to any interest, individual or cor
porate. 1t was drafted by convention
controlled by as noble and choice charac-
ters as ever adorned our state Many of
its important provisions are, however, un-
enforced, notably article L. That article
commands nothing but what is right and
forbds nothing but what is wrong. 1t
simply provides that corporations shall
treat all persons fairly, impartially and
justly. 1t prohibits unfair discrimination
against persons or places. 1t forbids ex.
tortion. 1t seeks to prevent monopolies
and to compel the creatures of the law,
who owe their life to the people, to be law
obedient. 1t commands that they shall
not use their granted powers to harass
and oppress. 1t also specifically directs
the legislature to enforce its provisions by
appropriate legislation. Surely an ear.
nest effort should he made to give adequate
effect to so wise and just part of the
fundamental law. Every power of the ex
ecutive shall be exercised to enforce the
constitution of the state in every article
| and section.
| When the modern state, in the exercise
of its sovereign power created that eX-
traordinary reality called, in the irony of
the law, an artificial person, it produced a
| being almost omnipotent for good and for
evil To deny the great benefits conferred
| upon society by corporate capital would
| be as futile as it would be foolish. But
| these should not blind us to the perls con.
nected Herewith in n democratic COM
munity. Many a modern charter enables
a single man to WELD powers greater than
were ever welded by medieval king,
and these powers, exercised under the
broad seal of the state, may be and have
been welded notoriously to the injury of
the state and of her people. The state,
therefore, having created these Artificial
persons and clothed them with enormous
powers, should protect herself and her
natural children against their abuse and
misuse. Before the state sanctions, either
by judicial decision or legislative act, any
extension of these powers into others still
more colossal, it is to be hoped that some
means may be found to place them under
and to prevent thei. becoming superior to
the commonwealth, the law aud the people.
| Ballot Reform.
The constitution requires that all elec-
tions shall be free and equal, but such
elections are not secured by existing laws.
Nor is our ballot secret. Fierce political
conflicts between parties have given birth
here as elsewhere to many phases of cor.
ruption, to the lavish use Of money by rich
candidates, to fraudulent registration, to
intimidation by corporations and by large
employers OF labor, to false counting and
to marked, altere d and suppressed ballots.
These political contests have revealed the
existence of a purchasable element in our
midst evolving all forms OF ballot debauch.
cry.
The sovereignty of the people depends
for its efficiency upon the cooperate intel
ligence and the incorruptible integrity Of
the sovereign. To make sure of the former
we have established our public schools; to
make sure of the latter we have adopted
the ballot box and have thrown around it
the protection of peculiar laws But the
abolition of the viva voce vote and the
adoption Of the ballot have proved to be
only step toward pure elections. Now,
at the ballot box the equality of all the
citizens must be sacredly protected the
freeman's franchise must be preserved.
But when law abiding voters are confront
ed at the polls with the corrupt hireings
of leaders who scorn the law they are de.
graded to an equality insulting and dan.
gerous. For the purchaser Of votes is a
repeater by proxy; to him the commercial
and industrial interests of millions are OF
far less moment than his hold of power
Hence his gangs of organized Ignorance
and purchased vice; hence his sneers at the
decalogue in politics, his defiance of the
law, his bold attempt to thwart the popu.
lar intelligence and to defeat the popular
will. He is the most insdious foe to oul
institutions, for he aims at the overthrow
of virtue, liberty and independence. Every
dollar used to defeat the unbought will OF
the people is an attack not only upon free
institutions, but upon every vested inter
est. When money shall be king at thu
American polls money will be king a
, American capitols.
Not Mere Locnl Agitation.
1t is not mere local agitation that under
lies the present demand for thorough re
vision of electoral methods. A great pop
ular movement for ballot reform has Sc
in, and fifteen states of the Union have al
ready responded to it. All political parties
in Pennsylvania have made open profes
sion in favor of securing the most perfec
attainable expression of the public will
and the only question that we now dea
with concerns the most expeditions anC
efficient method of its accomplishment
; The Australian ballot system is the bes
agency yet devised for purifying elections
1t is neither an untested experiment nor
questionable eXpedient Inward of eighty