The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-08-13
Address of the Executive Committee of the
Democratic Societies of Pennsylvania
Adopted July 25, 1896.

The eighth annual general assembly
of the Democratic societies of Penn
sylvania is hereby called to meet IN
the city Of Erie, on the 26th day OF
August, 1896. The place was deter
mined by the last general assembly at
Lancaster, and the time is fixed, as
above, by this committee.
We are entering upon one of the
most important campaigns in the his
tory of the party or the country. Our
brethren, in all parts of the Union, are
moving in the good cause of Democ-
racy, which is nothing more than gov
ernment by the people and for the
people, with hope and fervor un-
PARALLEL in the past. There is, at this
hour every promise of complete vic
tory, to be followed by sadly needed
reforms in the legislation and admin
istration Of the federal government.
This tremendous movement by the
common people of America for the
reclamation of popular rights, for re.
dress of popular grievances, for the
restoration Unpopular rule, and for the
correction of long standing and intol-
erable abuses for the benefit of the
few at the expense of the many, is
right and just, and as the wisest OBJ
servers now believe absolutely irresist-
able. In our judgment it implies no
danger to any legitimate interests. 1t
is founded upon sound republican
principles. 1t is moderate, conserva-
tive, democratic.0 OF the great and
increasing host engaged in it, the
order-loving and liberty-loving Demo
cratic citizens of the United States
are the bulk and propelling force.
1t is true that some persons and
some newspapers Of note, hitherto
protesting support Of Democratic
principles, have seen fit to sever their
late slender relations with the party
of the people. But as to most OF
them It may be said that, while they
were with us, they were not truly OF
us. In the supercilious and insolent
declarations with which they take
their leave, they almost, without ex-
ception, disclose relations with So
called "business interests" scarcely at
any time compatible with Democratic
principles and that devotion to the
common welfare of all which has been
and should be the distinguishing char.
acteristic of our party. They, with
one accord, put their desertion of the
Democratic party in this crisis and
their open proffers of their money ano
influence to the party of Capitalization
and monopoly, upon the single ground
that their personal interests or the
interests of the favored class to which
they, for the most part, individually
belong, would be injuriously affected
by the propositions for financial re-
form and for anti-monopoly Legislation
which the Democrats of this country
and the growing multitude of theil
allies advance as the issues to be de
termined in November. With gentle
men, whose patriotism is thus avowed
ly measured by private and persona
interests, we part regretfully, mainl,
because they thus make in thes,
avowals most disheartening revela
tion as TO the extent of the corruption
already wrought in American polite
by the special interests, which have 81
long thriven and fattened upon th'
wealth creating labors of the American
people.
But we shall be stronger and safe
without them. Their loss will no
weaken but strengthen US. 1t remove
those who have been with us only t.
blight our counsels and to obstruc
our efforts for truly Democratic meas
ures. With rare exceptions they g
bodily where their hearts have lon
been. Behind their shield of gol
turks every unlawful trust, every plum
dering combine, every mighty corpol
alton, transgressing constitutions ant
laws, ahu SNSiy oPSSiai HitSiSol ha'hh
or seeking special privileges, wit
their myriad fingers searching tn,
pockets Of the people for the las
remnant of the profits of their labor
But neither the CLEAN of the golde
shield nor the remarkable pretention
of the combined monopolists, VIII
propose to interpose it between ther
and the honest people of the Unite
States, will deceive any intellectua
citizen. This alignment, the peopl
on the one side and the monopolist
on the other, is a sufficient demon
stration to the popular mind of tn
proper place in this campaign fo
every man who seeks, by his vote, t
produce the greatest good to tn
greatest number.
We are not in the least disturbe
by the brutal sneers which are cas-