Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-19
Work of the Convention.

cratic party of Pennsylvania finished its
work on Thursday, after sessions last
ing two days, and the nominees and the
platform are now before the voters of
the state for their endorsement or re-
lection next November.
The nominee of the party for supreme |
court Judge is Stephen L. Mestrezat, of |
Fayette county; for superior court judge
Charles ]. Reilly, of Lycomng county. |
was chosen, and for state treasurer |
William T. Greasy, of Columbia county,
has been selected.
There is not q blemish nor a stain
upon any of the three names given |
above. The candidates were chosen |
by the representatives OF the Democrats,
not by any boss or clique, and they go
before the people free and untrammel-
ed.
Their records of public service on the
bench and in the state legislature will
be given the publicity deserved as the
campaign progresses. For the present,
it is sufficient to state that their peers
in honesty, ability and integrity do not
exist in Pennsylvania today.
The platform is one of the best that
has been given to the voters for
their consideration in many years.
The first plank renews the pledges OF
fidelity to the sacred rights of the
people, endorses the platforms of past
national conventions, eulogizes our
matchless leader, William Jennings
Bryan, then gives notice that the issues
involved in the coming contest are
honest government, clean politics and
the redemption of the state from Repub
lican misrue and corruption.
The second denounces the unneces-
clerkships at the state capitol, and the
unwarranted increase of officials sala-
ries, which has already created deficit
of three and one-half millions of dollars
in the state treasury.
The third demands more careful pro-
vision for the insane, the poor and the
allicted-a matter that has been sadly
neglected by the plunderers who rule
this state
In the fourth plank the indecen t
haste displayed by the governor in APP
pointing Matt Quay as United States
senator is denounced, and the governor
is condemned for his unnecessary re-
duction of the school appropriation and
his veto of the constitutional amend
ment resolution, by which he violated
the mandates of the constitution.
The fifth commends the stand for
purity and honesty made by the Demo
cratic members of the last Legislature.
The sixth promises that the party, il
entrusted with the power to administer
the state treasury, will conduct that
Office on clean, business principles, pay
ing promptly to the schools and charit-
able institutions the amounts due them,
instead of allowing the money to be
withheld in banks controlled by politi
clans.
In the seventh the party commi is
itself to thorough purging of the
official lists and the reduction of salaries
and expenses, which have so enormous
ly increased since the the term OF Gov.
ernor Pattison.
The eighth and ninth planks are very
important to every taxpayer in the
state. They demand that corporate
property shall be assessed and taxed
and shall pay its due share of the state.
expenditures, that statutes shall be
adopted which will prevent the grant oi
municipal and other franchises in per
petuity and will enable the municipali
ties to derive just benefit and income
from the use OF this form OF public
property.
A revision Of the ballot law is de
manded in the tenth section, and Gov
ernor Stone is again condemned for this
unwarranted interference with the act.
of the legislature tending to correc
abuses in this respect.
The eleventh demands the immediate
prosecution and punishment of ths
bribers whose notorious work during
the contest for United States senator
was exposed by legislative committee
The twelfth plank places the party on