Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-01

I
itself, and always in the same way. hiding
behind the personal respectability of candi-
dates it has ridden into place on the shoul-
| ders of great political organization.
| He who has not read this lesson in the fate
| of the reformed movements in Philadelphia
| has been dull student of politics.
| Thus in Pennsylvania has government by
| the people and for the people been sub
| yerted. Thus it has come about that while
| you are assembled here to-day as represent
atives of the Democratic clubs of the State,
the purpose OF your assembling is not par
| tisan or political.
great crisis has called the people of the.
State to the solution of new problems; to
the decision of questions which involve the
honor of Pennsylvania These questions i'm
ply no issue of Federal politics. They in
volve no principle that has heretofore di-
vided the people of the country into politi,
cal parties; they concern men of all political
| beliefs and transcend all party creeds: They
| touch the conscience OF every voter and the
manhood of every citizen. They concern the
honor of your State.
For years the better influences of all par
ties have resisted the encroachment of this
boss power and fought its demoralizing ten
denotes.
No overt acts of positive dishonesty in of
fee had been clearly shown, but the people
felt from the character of this domination
that somewhere there must be hidden well
OF corruption that would inevitably burst
forth. And now it has come as a mantle of
shame upon your commonwealth. And what
a spectacle.
| their instances of dishonest officials. Men
have been faithlesS and have been punished,
| but to the credit of the country be it said
| these instances have been isolated and gen
orally single. But in Pennsylvania it would
| seem that the entire machinery of State fl
nances is involved in fagrant violation or
| disregard of law, or in positive corruption
| and dishonesty.
Will not weary you with the details. The
| detection of thieving city treasurer has
been followed by exposure after exposure
hn lifNor Nff1ifN
from high State officials on the one hand to
the petty constable who serves the process
OF the State on the other. The entire ma
ch1nerV for the collection and disbursement
of public funds is entangled in network of
fraud created by and paying tribute to the
corrupt domination that rules the State. By
it offices have been created and filled, laws
nave been enacted, systems of public reve-
nue. have been devised and changed, de-
signedly to wiring from the public and from
the State the means to continue and perpet-
uate its power and support its dependents.
need but refer to the delinquent tax bills
to the Recorders bills, to the notifications
OF the mercantile appraisement laws. and
the perpetuation of extrayagantfee systems
to illustrate how the legislative power of the
State has become willing adjunct to the
machinery of boss rule.
SOME OF THE FRUITS
Now we are reaping the harvest. The
State robbed of $1,O0O,000 and Philadelphia
losing $1,000 900 more-the State and the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania robbed of hundreds of
thousands of dollars year by dishonest and
corrupt practices in tax assessments and
collections; the committing magistrates of
Philadelphia in trying small offenders while
the Governor of the Commonwealth con-
venes its Senate in extraordinary session to
inquire into the more important question of
State concern.
1t is in the face of this spectacle that the
people of Pennsylvania are now about to
assemble at the polling places to pass their
Judgment upon those who are responsible
for her dishonor. Let each citizen for him
self be sure that it is an honest, lust judg-
ment. Let him not be swayed by considera
tiOns foreign to the ISSUE
AS citizens, not partisans, you are to de-
eide this question-as jurors, not as advo-
Gates.
No question of Federal politics, no uues-
tion of tariff, of currency or foreign policy.
No controversies to be settled on Il broader
f1eld by the people of the whole country
next year should be permitted to warp your
Judgment and your consciences now.
The State Of Pennsylvania in this junct-
ure has right to demand that each one of
her citizens shall consider her interests first
and subordinate all other considerations to
the one issue of her homer and her reputa-
t1on. Verify her reputation and influence
have suffered at the hands of these men
verify she has suffered from the blight of
Quayism. In all the elements of greatness
she should be the peer of any State.
With natural advantages unexcelled any
unreasonable mineral wealth; with un-
equaled development in all industrial fields;
eQualed by but one State in population and
ps none IN t 5apstantlat ProsPsr1tg and de-
est and intelligent, surely Pennsylvania
should be greatest among the States OF the
Union. There was time when she was
great.
In the physical and intellectual struggle
of the Revolution it was Pennsylvania
and her men who made American freedom
fSNr.1
the perfection and adoption OF the ConsUi-
tuition it was the wisdom and conservatism
of Pennsylvania statesmen that finally
brought the States together and made that
great instrument the supreme law of the
land.
In the formation period that followed the
adoption of the Constitution, in all the con-
troversies that threatened the peace of the
Union down to and through the great Rebel
lion of 1861 Pennsylvania, speaking through
her Senators and Representatives., was po-
tential for the public veal No great ques-
tion of the Federal policy from the Reyolu-
luton to the Rebellion was solved without |
having the impress of Pennsylvania ideas |
stamped upon it. She was great then be- |
cause great men voiced her views.
Where, oh where, does she stand TODAY? |
Who ever dreams of consulting PennsyIva- |
MAS Senators or Congressman when great !
questions of national import are to be deter |
mined?
PENNSYLVANIA IS VoICELEsS.
The gentlemen from Maine from Ohio, |
from Indiana, from Kansas and Iowa die |
tate the creed and shape the policy of the |
party of the nation. Pennsylva-
mia Is voiceless in the councils and her |
are only called upon when conven-
tions are to be manipulated or patronage |
fear no contradiction when assert that |
there is no Republican State in the Union
less influential than Pennsylvania in shap-
ing national policies and legislation. And |
why? Because the depressing and repressing
of q bossism of mediocrity has |
5tit1ed the aspirations and defeated the am
bition of the bright Republicans of Pennsyl-
vania. They have been excluded or driven
from politics; at the least indication of intel
ligent independence the power of the ma
chine has been used to crush them for it is
not of such material that bosses can make
tools.
Hence it is that the machine has kept the
standard of Pennsylvania public men down
to its own level. and thus it is that she has
been dishonored.
How long will you endure it? How long
will intelligent Philadelphia and the great
State of Pennsylvania consent to be chained
to the chariot wheels of Magee, a Martin
md Quay?
THE PARTY's PLATFORM.
q