The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-09-13
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES MEET.
An Enthusiastic and important Convention
al Lancaster.
A STRONG PLATFORM ADOPTED.

REVISION OF PARTY RULES SUGGESTED
JUDGE MCCARTHY ENDoRsED-THE !
GOVERNOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN !
THE MANNER OF ELECTING A CHAIR !
MAN ADvoCATED-THE UNIT RULE
oPPosED-sTIRRINGs SPEECH BY PREsI-
DENT BLACK.
Lancaster, Sept. 5.-When the sew
enth annual general assembly of the
Democratic societies of Pennsylvania
was called to order at eleven O'Clock
by President Chauncey F. Black over
six hundred delegates from all parts
of the state answered to their names.
President Black used a gavel made Of
wood from trees which shade the
graves of Thomas Jefferson and An.
drew Jackson.
President Black spoke at length as
to the prospects of success for the
Democratic ticket in this state in the
coming Fall election. "Never did we
assemble" said Mr.. Black, "under cir
cumstances more encouraging. 1t has
become plain to thousands of con-
scientious citizens who have heretofore
adhered to the other party or to no
party that the only hope of honest or
even moderately decent government
in this state depends upon restoration
to power OF the Democratic party.
The spectacle presented to-day by our
disgraceful and turbulent opponents
is the most scandalous in our history"
Mr.. Black quoted at length from his
speech of last year at the Altoona
meeting of Democratic societies, in
which he had warned the people against
the consequences which would result
from the election of governor and
members of the legislature put for
ward by conspirlng bosses and corrupt
state and municipal rings. This warn
ing, he said, was unheeded and the
Democratic ticket went down in the
general wreck occasioned by the " bad
times under the Mckinley bill, and
before the relief afforded by the vii
son bill had been realized. The
calamity howlers elected Hastings
governor on the false issue of tariff.
Consequences have been felt, how.
ever. No legislature could have sent
to the governor more odious meas
ures than the report Of the pipe line
law, the religious garb bill or the bill
formally authorizing consolidation o
street car companies, and no governor
could have signed those or similar in
iquitous measures with greater alacrity
than Hastings has shown. Had Della
mater been elected on the "tariff " in
1890 he could not have been more
reckless in serving corporations anC
monopolies than has Governor Hast
ings The chief sponsor of Mr.. Della
mater (Mr. Quay is again in supreme
personal control of the Republican
organization, though it is true tha'
some Of the distinguished sponsors o
Mr.. Hastings, the municipal bosses
who promptly took advantage Of tht
new law to consolidate traction com
panies, are nowhere. Times, how
ever, have changed. Those bad time
were Republican. These good time
are Democratic. Those were Harri
son, Foster, Mckinley times. Thes,
are Cleveland, Carlisle, Wilson times
This country has entered upon an er;
of unexampled prosperity and the da,
is not far distant when Pennsylvani
will be settled Democratic state.
In closing Mr.. Black said: "Wi
the people sanction the scandalou
juggling with the judiciary of whic
the administration, defeated an
Inundated in the Republican stat
convention, was guilty in the appoint
ment of the six Republican cand
dates for superior court judges2 Whe
the bench becomes not merely part
san, but factional, when judges ar
created to serve the necessities c
political bosses and judicial nomins
lions are huckstered for delegates in
rough and tumble war of factions, tn
last degradation of the commonwealt
has been reached. Bosses, rings an
great corporations have ruled u
Legislatures and administrations hav
deliberately betrayed the people t
serve the monopolies. Cities hav
been turned over to combines. Th
public funds have been squanderet
Taxes have been unequal. A fre
secret ballot has been denied, bl
through all this the bench has r
manned uncorrupted and has retaine
the respect and confidence Of the pc,
pie. The question now is: Shall Il
bench be sacrificed also"
Hon. James Kerr presented Il
name of d. F. Magee, of Lancaste
for temporary chairman, and he W
unanimously elected, being escort,
to the chair by Mr.. Kerr and Senat
Green, of Berks county.
When the convention met in Il