The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-08-25

ably avoid this vice some of the
State constitutions provide for the
election of State officers at different
times from the election of Federal
officers. Toward like purpose the
Constitution of Pennsylvania wisely
provides that the chief executive
officers of the State, all the Repre-
sentatives and one-half of the Sena-
tors shall be elected two years after
the last preceding Presidential cleo
ton.
The wisdom of this evident intent
to keep State issues and Federal
issues separate finds ample illustra-
ton in the present situation and
condition of the State politics of
Pennsylvania. The citizens of the
Commonwealth have a right not
only to be informed as to the gener-
al conduct of its public servants,
but to be answered explicitly on
specific acts of legislation and ad-
ministration.
Have the laws enacted by their
agents been just and equal laws
Have they been honestly admins
tered for the welfare of the people ?
What motive or influence governed
the Legislature of 1897 in passing
400 bills of which 81 were finally
vetoed by the Chief Executive ?
Were those bills diligently consid-
cred and intelligently enacted so as
to subserve the benefcent public
purpose for which they purposed to
be passed, or were they by negi1-
gence or intent so framed that while
ostensibly designed to serve such
purpose they were either unintelli-
gible or in violation of the provi-
sions of the constitution, so that the
burden shall be cast on the Chief
Executive or the court to declare
them void ? Have salaried officers
without substantial duties been
created to pay political debts and
pension off the plant instruments of
misrule OH the treasury of the State ?
Have nonresident mercenaries been
sent into every voting precinct of
the State to battle efforts at reform
and control the primaries of the
dominant party, and how and by
whom were they paid ? Wat did
the late Legislature appropriate
funds for the payment of supplies
to the State in sums vastly in ex-
cess of the admitted cost of such
supplies ? Why has millions .!
dollars of the common school fund
of the State been withheld from the
schools for long periods OF time,
while the teachers have gone TN
paid or the local officials driven to
the expedient of loans ?
Why for period of nearly 20
years have favored banks had on
deposit from three to nine million
dollars Of the funds of the State
without a farthing of interest being
paid to the State? Why does every
department of the State government
show increased prodigality of ex-
penditure, for which increase the
citizen only realizes the increased
burden it entails? From these and
kindred questions so vital to the
citizenship of Pennsylvania, regard
less of party, are the benehciaries of
misgovernment in the State to find
sanctuary in a war to the prosecu-
ton of which all parties stood unre-
servedly committed? From these
questions touching the systematic
debauchery of the public service of
the State are the malefactors and
their agents to find refuge in vehe-
ment declamations on questions of
federal taxation?
Confronted by the issue, between
reckless prohigacy or careful scru-
tiny and judicious economy in State
expenditures, shall the agents of
misrule escape accountability in the
fog and dust of a simulated anxiety
on the subject of federal coinage ?
Are the national bias and predilec-
tions of the voter on national ques-
tions to be used as a means of secur-
ing his support of methods in State
administration at which he would
revolt if attempted in the prosecu-
ton of any private business in the
community?
Mr.. jerks speech was loudly ap-
plauded. Hon. w. H. Sowden
then addressed the meeting as fol-
lows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE NoTIFIcA-