Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-09-02

mentifg the value of our. circula-
ton twenty-five per cent, give a
healthy and vigorous impulee to
every department of business and
industry.
rhird-The fundamental princi-
pies Of :'ree trade. and that all taxa
ton should fall as directly as posi-
',le on. ali members of society. in
proportion to their ability to pay
have always been held by the De-
mocracy. The aim Of its legisla
ton must. therefore be as much as
possible to reduce the amount and
diminish the number of indirect
taxes, and to levy such. as, ere nee
essary for revenue, having due".re
gard to the principle that the wealth
Of nation consisting in its produc-
tive industry. whatever, favors; the
greatest amount of this in ..ae
masses is to be favored and what
ever fosters special k.nds and
classes. to its detrimert. ia to be
opposed by the Dem ocracy.
"Fourth-Deu ocracv opposes all
kinds of class legislation, refusing
to rob the rich for the benefit of the
poor, or the poor for the benefit OF
the r.ch; and views with equal alb
hrrrence the partisan Of unjust
claims and the advocate of the re-
pudiation Of just ones. But. know
ing that legal provision for the Sc
curity of private property generally
suffices for the protection OF the
rich. Democracy, without violating
individual rights, will always aim to
educate and elevate the masses OF
the people.
"Fifth-Ohices should be created
only when clearly demanded by
necessary public business, and such
salaries be paid as the nature and
importance Of the business requires,
leaving no just grounds OF COM
plant or excuse for population. A
policy that leads to or requires the
multiplication of offices is anti
Democratic, unjust and dangerous
to freedom. A policy which
changes men in office for individual
profit instead of public good. is
perversion Of the principles Of
business, anti Democratic, corrupt
ing, and perilous to the liberties OF
the people. Official power is trust
for the common good, which no
public officer has right to use for
his private benefit, and whoever
does so is a greater scoundrel than
he who misapplies funds in his
trust; because the official trust is
more sacred, and the wrong done
more difficult to detect and meas
ure. Whoever obtains votes under
false pretenses is baser kEave than
he who obtains goods under false
pretenses. and. on acco.nt OF the
greater difficulty of detecting and
measuring the evil done, deserves
severer punishment and reprobation.
Regarding all officers as servants of
the people and trustees Of power
for the common veal, Democracy
favors such modes of appointments
and tenures of office as reason and
experience show best calculated to
secure good conduct and efficiency
In the public service, without regard
to privateinterests public customs
or Individual pretensions. Reason
and experience alike condemn fire.
quent and needless changes of pub
lie officers, and the generally pre-
vailirg practice Of makingsthem for
private benefit, instead OF the public
good, is acting in great matters of
the Stateand nation ON a principle
which would ruin any private bust
ness, and. unless corrected. will
bring the administration free
government into deserved contempt.
It is essentially opposed to the prin
ciples of democratic government,
and it behooves the Democracy OF
the United States to make war on
the practice without truce or delay,
returning to the Jeffersonian stand
ard of official qualification-'Is he
honest, capable and faithful? ?
"Sixth-The immense increase Of
national Executive patronage, plac
ing upwards of one hundred thou
sand offices. besides numerous minor
positions of emolument, at his dis
posal, and the habit of changing the
incumbents to secure or reward
Executive partisanship, have be-
come dangerous to the liberties of
the country, and demand prompt
and efficacious remedy. That rem
edy, at least in part, and numerous
important national advantages may
be found by providing that no Pres
ident shall be eligible for more than
one term, without a joint resolution
of Congress passed by a two thirds
vote in each House previous to the
election declaring the same, and
further provision that the. Presiden-
tial term shall be extended to six
years.
"Seventh-The Democratic doc
trine of suffrage requires distinct
reaffirmation. Democracy has al
ways held that suffrage is not
natural right of every human being.
nor of a particular sex or race, but
a political privileges. and who
should exercise it question to he
decided by what will produce the
greatest good to the greatest mum
ber; and, therefore, as far as posi-
bic, to be determined locally. where
lies the great body of the rights of
the people. But in these local dis
cussions the Democratic idea favors
q broad rather than q narrow hasi.