The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-04-06
The STATE DEMOCRACY.
ADDRESS oFTHE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
oFTHE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION
OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES.

HARRISBURG, Pa, March ~. The
meeting of the Executive Committee
of the Democratic S SDciety Of Pennsyl.
vania, at the Bolton house this after
noon, was largely attended. 1t was
called for the purpose of more ef1ec.
lively organizing the party in the
State, and general plan was discuss
ed and adopted. A committee con
sisting of President Chauncey +.
Black, ex-Chairman James Kerr, of
Clearield; Chas. |. Baker, of Mont
gomery; Geo. ". Reynolds, Lancaster,
and B. M. Mead, Harrisburg, was ap-
pointed to confer with the congression-
al and State Central committees with
view to obtaining the best results
in the campaign soon to be inagurated.
A finance committee consisting of
Senator Green, of Berks; Geo N.
Reynolds, of Lancaster, and B. +.
Myers, of Harrisburg was named.
These committees will meet in Harris
burg soon to organize. 1t was decided
to charge each club an enrolment fee
or five dollars.
Altoona will get the general assem-.
bly, of clubs in October. The subject
of organization was the principal topic
of discussion. An address to be issued
to democratic voters was adopted and
will be scattered broad cast. This ad-
dress which points the necessity for
organization and dwells upon the i'm
portance of Democratic principles,
and also demands tariff reform, is as
follows:
FELLOW DEMO GRATIS:
We, the Executive Committee of
the Democratic Society Of Pennsyl-
vania, representing three hundred and
thirty eight Democratic Societies, re.
spectfully ask your attention to the
political situation in this State.
In November last and February
last, we presented for the suffrages of
the people candidates of unimpeach.
able character, upon platforms sound
ly Democratic But nevertheless many
thousand of Democratic voters re.
mained away from the polls. In No
vember the monopoly party achieved
an apparent majority of $4,000 in
the State. In February it was increased
to $4,000. The figures are stupen
dous. But what do they imply? Ger
tainly no permanent Republican gain,
for there was no material increase of
the Republican vote. They imply,
therefore, only Democratic default.
With all the Democratic voters of
Pennsylvania, who are sincerely at
tached to the principles of the party,
and who habitually vote its tickets,
when voting at all, aroused and at the
polls, no Republican ticket can be
carried by majority one-fourth as
large, as that permitted either in No
vember or in February.
Was there any just or reasonable
cause for this indifference on the part
of Democratic voters, the conse-
quences of which, in the form of enor-
nous Republican majorities, have
yielded SO much untimely encourage
ment to the grasping trusts and mo-
nopolies under the protection of our
political enemies2 There was none.
On the contrary the interests of the
people are the same as in 1900 and
in 1892, when they decreed a reform
of the iniquitous monopoly tariff,
reform the Importance of which is
palmer than ever, since the depression
of business and the idleness Of labor
during the last year under the Nc
Kinley law and other legislation, for
which the monopolist party is directly
responsible In this State the people
require, more than ever, honest and
frugal State and municipal govern
ments, freed from the corrupt domi-
nation of corporations and rings. Why
should the Democratic party of Penn
sylvania be less animated and less
hopefulupon State issues, at this time,
than 1t was in 1882, or in 1902 The
questions to be determined are near
ly the same, and those victories should
demonstrate that similar ones are not
beyond our reach.
What then is the pressing Demo.
cratic need and the manifest Demo
cratic duty9 1t is, as we see it, and as
we trust all will see it, fresh and
harmonious Democratic organization,
by and for the Democratic people, in
stituted, not from the top, but from the
bottom, not in aid of any man or set
of men, or any faction, but in loyal
subordlnation to constituted Demo.
cratic party authorities, in defence of
Democratic principles and support of
Democratic candidates. Such an or
ganization is presented in the system
of associated Democratic Societies
represented by this committee.
The Democratic Society is perfect
ly adapted to the needs o. the time.
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