The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-09-10
TIE PLATFORM.
Adopted BY The Democratic State Convention
in Harrisburg.

ton last week.
The organized Democracy of Penn
sylvania, addressing Pennsylvanians Of
all political parties, again calls upon
them to unite with it IN a supreme
effort to nd our Commonwealth Of
that selfish, corrupt eX,tayagant and
debasing rul: which sul controls its
affairs.
We repeat the charges elaborated
in the platform of our last State con-
vention aud reattirm with the empha.
sis OF recent demonstration, that to
the pledges and to the candidates Of
the Democratic party alone can the
people Of our State turn for dely-
erance from the evils under which they
suffer.
THE LIBEL Law
Not pledge made by the Repub-
lican Machine as a condition of its
CONTINUANCE in power has been kept,
but in reckless disregard of public
opinion the last Legislature was but
repetition of its disgraceful pre-
decessors. The hope and assurance
held out by the so called "Better
Class" Of Republicans, that in the
personal character, independence and
integrity of their candidate for Gov
ernor, the people might safely rest for
protection from Machine msrule, have
proven a delusion ahd a snare.
To-day we witness the astonishing
spectacle of almost the entire Repub-
hcan press of the State and country
denouncing him for his approval of the
Gray.Salus libel law, the product as
they declare, OF the worst motives and
purposes Of the Republican Machine
This law, they charge, was deliberate
ly intended by its authors, and pro-
motors as an assault upon the freedom
OF the press, and yet was eagerly ap-
proved by the Executive. As if to
emphasize Its disregard OF public
opinion as reflected in their party
newspapers, the recent Republican
State convention not only failed to
denounce the measure, but proclaim
ed its defiance by unanimously nom
mating for Auditor General a State
Senator who had been a most active
and prominent advocate Of the law.
REPEAL URGED.
20 the repeal OF this measure the
STAT can safely count upon the vote
and Effort OF every Democratic men,
Der of the next Legislature. To the
defeat of the candidate who stands for
the purpose behind Ii and the methods
of It's adoption, We pledge the best
efforts OF our party and invite the aid
of Republican voters.
We had hoped for the support of
the Republican newspapers of the
State which so recently and so fercely
denounced the law and its authors, but
nearly all of them have bowed to the
mandate of the machine, leaving now
as heretofore the Democratic organ
izaton as the sole defender of the
peoples rights against Machine out
rage.
BALLOT LEGISLATION.
We denounce the Republican Or
ganIzation for its repeated and persis-
tent disregard of its pledges to give
the State fair ballot law. In party
platform, by the promises of its lead
ers, and in every form in which it
could speak, the Republican party of
the State had pledged itself to the en-
actment of law that would purity our
elections, protect the secrecy of the
ballot and facilitate independent voting
So clear were these pledges that the
senior United States Senator from
Pennsylvania declared in writing that
il the Republican organization failed
to discharge this obligation it would
sink into merited infamy. Yet in dis
regard TO constitutional mandate, and
at the dictation of those who control
our great cities through the prostitu-
ton of the ballot, all effective legisla-
ton has been throttled.
The legislation of last Winter on
this subject is the veriest pretense and
sham, and exaggerates rather than
remedies the evils of the present law
On behalf of the people OF the State
we demand the enactment of ballot
law which shall provide for personal
registration of voters in the cities of
the State, insure free, equal, secret
ballot, afford the greatest facility for
Independent voting and make the ap-
pointnenl Of overseers aud the open
ing of ballot boxes obligatory when de-
manded by citizens charging contem-
plated or accomplished frauds.
LABOR TROUBLES.
We deplore the continued exstance
of labor troubles affecting important
industries and vast numbers of people,