The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-10-23
Communications


TO MEssRs. JAMES B. Eek. p. j. DIEI
RICK. j. V. MAUCHER, and others. signeI
oI the communication given below:
DEAR SIRs:-We have received a cop
of your Communication. dated at Carroll
town. Pa, October 18th, 1896, which is a
follows:
| To THE CANDIDATES FOR LEGIsLATURE
| OF THE SEVERAL PARTIES. NOW SEEK
TIE VOTES OF TIE PEOPLE OF CAN
| BIiIA COUNTY:
| WHEREAS, The people of Pennsylvania
| while existing under enforced idleness,
TOO low wage scale or want of employ
| ment. have been suffering the rigorS o.
want and starvation AID the horrors o
poverty and heIplesSaess caused by unjust
legislation and reprehensible acts of form
er assem- bymen. aud
WHEREAS. irrespective of party af1ii-
at he undersigned (for themselves. tC
give surance TO To the voters arc deter
mined 70 scrGtinize aud investigate the
past public conduct and their present
position on questions of vital Importance,
mot Included in the platforms of their
partiesl affecting the public veal and to
better determine their fitness, and
WHEREAS, Some of the candidates for
the assembly in Cambria county have up
on public platforms and elsewhere declared
where they stand in reference to certain
reforms inttma telY connected with public
welfare. and
WHEREAS. Other candidates for the as
sembiy have kept silent on these points,
therefore. in order to obtain for ourselves
and the people of Cambria county. the posi-
tlon OF all the candidates as To these queS-
tiOnS embracing needed reforms we here
With submit them the following, request
ing direct answers to each:
do YOU favor proportional represen-
tatlOn, and II elected. will you support
measures intended to accomplish it?
2:-Have you eyer accepted or used a
railroad pass or free transportation while
in the public service?
3.-If elected. will Won use your influence
Ia enforce that article of the constitution
Of PennSylvOnIa prohibiting the use of
railroad passes by public officers? ?
4.-Nill yon support a measure that will
eHecIuaily prohibit municipalities from
granting special privileges 10 individuals
O- corporations for the monopoliZatiOn of
street railways, telephone or telegraph
Ines, light, wafer, heat, or any other pub
iic function without first submitting il TO
direct vote Of the people?
5.-Will you use your efforts to establish
a Just aud eqn:tab.eS tax system, which
Wilt III some measure relieve the heavy
burdens now Expressing and enSlaving the
producing classes?
The above letter is signed by James Il.
Eek, a. Eckenrode. J. V. Mancher. p J.
Huber, =. J. Dietrich. j. y Foley. j. J
Hauk. Fred Hauk, ChaS. A. Langbein.
Joseph FarabaUgh. John Lindsey. VIM.
Luther VIM. McDermOtI. j j. Mctirugef
IT. J. Behe, Felix Bertram. Matthew Behe.
O. H. Sloan, Julius Hager, VIM. Il. Fagan,
IL ) Waltz, otto Chaser and a. ID. SIich,
OF CAIRO itown; W. e. COmerfOrd, of Lo-
reJt, and +. r. Williams. of Patton.
The above questions refer to matters of
such general public importance that any
answers we have to make should be known
10 the peOwle Of Cambria county at large
and therefore we take the liberty OF re-
plying through the public press, furnish
inG copy OF this letter to every regular
newspaper in the county.
Proportional representation is one of
the very hrSt great reforms TO be secured.
IN order 10 enable the people To govern
themselves "a they wish TO be governed:
the present SS en- often enables those
who make the - to defy the will of the
people. Many laws passed by the last
legislature are examples. To answer
v"ur first question directly, we, therefore,
say, yes.
mo
although the present constitution
has been in force since January l. 1874.
and at the close of article XVII there is a
section which says; The general assem-
bly, shal! enforce by appropriate legSla-
ton the provisions of this UrIicIe." there
mas never been a single law passed to en-
force the article in question or any part of
II. Section Of the said article says: No
railroad. railway, or other transportation
company snail grant fret passes. or passes
At discount to any person except TO of
lcerS or employees OF the company" This
section is repeatedly violated by the
issuing OF passes 10 many public officers.
including such members of the legislature
aS will accept them, such officers thus be-
coming parties 10 the violation of the con-
stitugiOu they bind themselves to support
OJhtr sections Of this article are repeated
ly Violated because of the failure of the
assembly TO pass the legislation required
Of, among them being the section relating
70 anti discrimination. II is the belief of
those who have studied this matter that
~li raas ..I.s
means OF defeating legislation on the pro-
visions OF article NNIl, and we therefore
pledge ourselves, if elected. to refuse TO ac-
cept free passes, and further THAI we shall
use our best endeaVOTS to assist in enact
ing laws to enforce the provisions of the
article referred TO.
4.-NO franchises should be exclusive so
dS TO prevent competition and foster monop-
oily. They derive their value from the
presence OF co operation of the members
al the community, and to grant away such
special privileges as are spoken of i'm your
question. in any manEer calculated to
shut out competition and TO make the mo-
nopOly thus obtained the means of private
gain. Is to DO a fundamental wrong to
society, the effect of which wrong Is TO
corrupt legislative bodies and to impose on
Individuals, the burdens of sustaining the
local or municipal governments that
should oe sustained largely. if not entirely
by the revenues from the public functions
YOU mention. Directly. we answer yOur
fourth question in the affirmative.
5.-lt is extremely difficult. if not pos
Sibie- under our present system, TO levy
taxes so that they will not eventually be
shifted until they fall with accumulated
force upon the producing classes. How
ever, while the present system i in force
taxes Shonld be levied equjtably as pos
sible. Imposing on each kind Of property
its just share of the public burdens.
All of which is respectfully submitted. ..
THOMAS r TELL.