Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-08-03

their authority Is delegated by the
people. The people are the masters,
the office holders are the servants. |
There should be no place outside a
prison for venaI official. Compared
with him who uses his political power
for dishonest ends, the common thief
Is almost a respectable citizen. The
rule should be-PIaces Of trust for
honest mon, prison stripes for graft.
ers. The higher the position Of the Of.
fender the greater the need of pun.
ishine him. The certainty that II
prisonment would follow the corrupt
use of power would purge the state
of degrading practices
II is especially incumbent upon
Pennsylvania to take vigorous action
along these lines. This state was the
pioneer in the anti-discrlmination
movement. 1t was my privilege more
than a quarter of a century ago to
assist in wringing from the politice,
powers at Harrisburg an anti-dissrim!
nation law. The fight was long, haro
and bitter. The people OF the oil re-
sions were being reduced to poverty
and their property was being confis-
Gated by a conspiracy between tho
Standard Oil company. the Pennsyl.
vania railroad and the bosses. The
act was not all that could be desired.
The striking out of the Imprisonment
clause destroyed its effect. and the re-
lations existing between the political
machine and the corporations nulli-
fed the law in a great degree.
To Pennsylvania belongs also the
credit for having taken the first step
toward the enactment of the inter.
state commerce law. The idea was
born out of the travail of the people
who were oppressed by the corpora
tions and robbed by the transportation
companies. | had the honor, in 1872,
to be member of a committee to car
ry to Washington the draft of the bill
upon which, 13 years later. the inter-
state commerce law was modelled
1t Is worthy of note that the same
influences which killed the penal
clause Of the Pennsylvania anti.dis-
elimination bill, also caused the penal
clause to be stricken from the inter
state commerce act.
For "a years, therefore, have I, and
others who are associated with us,
fought along the same lines upon
which President Roosevelt has taken
his stand. Pennsylvanians were first
to feel the crushing effects of rebates
and determinations. Pennsylvanians
were early victims of the Standard Oil
company. whose methods. gradually
extending throughout the country,
have borne fruitage in the creation
of the many trusts which oppress the
public. But Pennsylvanians, the
shackles will, next fall, be stricken
from the state, and the message car.
ried to President Roosevelt that we
have struck mighty blow to aid him
in his warfare for pure politics, for
the rights of the public and for the
cause of good government.
In this fight of the people it is note
worthy that among our leaders are
found no grafters, none with necks
SCARED by collar of boss, no franchise
grabber, no political contract manipu-
lator, none whose names are associat-
ed with political pollution or public
infamy. The horde of ballot-box stuff
fers. macers, camp followers of the
army of pillage, are against us to a
man. This fact cannot fail to have
a powerful moral effect upon the intel
ligent citizens Of the commonwealth.
OF equal significance is the fact that
against us, and our most active foe, is
the corporation which more than any
other has amassed colossal fortunes
at the cost, and in violation Of the
rights, of the people of this state, and
by means of advantages seized and en-
joyed in defiance of both the moral
and the statute law.
AS a means of carrying into effect
the principles of good government. ad-
ditional legislation is needed along the
lines of the merit system in the public
service, revision of the revenue laws
with a view to equalizing taxation,
granting to electric railroads the right
to carry freight and express, effective
pure food laws. prohibition of the own
ing by railroads of the products they
transport fixing maximum rate of
two cents per mile for passenger traf-
fic, the abolition of the system Of ex-
tortion practiced in exacting so per
cent. excess of the regular rate in the
sale of mileage books, and other meas
ures needed to secure to the public
Just share of the benefits of progress
and the blessings of prosperity
The closer we get to the people In
matters of legislation, the more Sc
curely do we safeguard the state
against abuses, and the more nearly
do we approximate to an ideal repub-
lie.
The principles Of the referendum af-
ford a practical means for ascertain
Ing the popular will concerning ques-
tions Of special interest to the public.
A reference to the people of such mat
ters as the election of United States
senators, local option, the extraordl.
nary exercise of the police power Of
the state and other questions of SINH
lar general character, would resolve
doubts which unsettle the Judgment Of
legislators, and remove important 10.
sues from the sphere of pernicious In.
fluences.
The triumph of our cause will save
Pennsylvania from ever again suffer-
ing the humiliation of the taunt that
men known to be guilty Of robbing the
public cannot be punished.
In accepting the standard you have
committed to me, l dedicate to the
cause Of the people whatever talent
and energy l possess.
Thtrtxy 0f 7