The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-07-06
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
[ Continued From First Page.1

L SO'SSCfSt6CO L CHt Il II 81 L age
National debt and more than twice that
sum for the FEEDER II Government alons. =
We demand a vigorous frugality in
every department., and from every officer
OF the Government
Reform is necessary to put a stop to
the prOhigate waste to public lands and
their diversion from actual settlers by
the party in power, which has squand err
ed 100000 900 of acres upon railr Dads
alone and out of more than thrice that
aggregate has disposed of less than sixth
directly to tillers of the soil
Reform Is necessary to correct the
omissions of Republican Congress and
errors ofOur treaties and our diplomacy,
which have stripped our fellow citizens
of foreign birth and kindred race recross-
ing the Atlantic of the shield of Ameri-
can citizenship and have exposed our
brethren of the Pacific coast to the in-
cursioas of race not sprung from the
same great parent stock, and in fact no1c
by law denied citizens hip Though
naturalization, is being neither accus-
toned to the traditions of a progressive
civilization nor exercised in liberty IN
der equal laws, we denounce the policy
which thus discards the liberty-lOVing
German and tolerates the renewed of the
Coolie trade in Monaghan women i'm
ported for immoral purposes, and Mon
golian men held to perform serVile labor
contracts, and we demand such modif-
cation of the treaty with the Chinese
Empire, or such legislation by Congress,
within constitutional limits, as shall pre-
vent further importation of immigration
of the Magellan race.
Reform is necessary and can never be
effected but by making it the controlling
issue of elections and lifting it above tbs
two false issues with which the ofice-hold-
ing class and party in power seek to
smother it. The false issue with which
they would enkindle sectaPian strife in
respect to the public schools, of which
the establishment and support belong ex
clusiveiy to the several States and which
the Democratic party has cherished from
their foundation, aud is resolved to main
tain without Partially or creed, and
without contributing from the Treasury
to any false issue by which they seek to
light anew the dying embSrs of sectional
hate between kindred people once IN
naturally estranged, but now reunited in
one indiVisible republic and q common
destiny.
Reform is necessary in the civil ser
vice. Experience proves that an Efficient
and economical conduct of the govern
ment business Is not possible if its civil
service be subject to change at every
election, and be prize fought for at the
ballOt-bOZ, be brief reward of party
zeal instead Of posts of honor assigned
for proved competency and held for fdel-
ity to the public employ; that the dispens-
10 of patronage should neither be a tax
upon the time of all our public men, nor
the instrument Of their ambition. Here
again professions falsifed in the perform
ance attest that the party in power
can work out no practical or salutary
reform.
Reform is necessary even more in the
higher grades of public service. The
President, Vice-President, Judges, Sena-
tors, Representatives, Cabinet officers
these aud all others in authority are the
peoples servants; their Offices are not a
private prerequisite, they are a public
tTnst. When the annals of the public
records show the disgrace and censure
of a Vice-President, late Speaker of
the House of Representatives, is market
ing his rulings as a presiding officer;
three Senators prOfting secretly by
their votes as law-nak ers; five chairmen
of leading committees of the late house
of Representatives exposed in jObbery;
late Secretary of the Treasury for
forcing balance IN the public accounts;
late Attorney General misaFpropriat-
ing public funds; a Secretary Of the Ma
w enriched or enriching friends by per
centage levied off the profits OF cOntrac-
tors with his Department; an Embassa-
dor to Englang censured in a dishOnOr-
able speculation the Presidents private
secretary barely escaping conviction
upon trial for guilty compile ity IN frauds
upon the revenue; a Secretary Of War
impeached for high crimes and confessed
misiemeanOrs.
The demonstration is complete, that
the first step in reform must be the PEG
pies choice ofhonest men from another
party lest the disease of one political
organization infest the body polite, and
lest, by making nc change of men or
party, we can get no change Of measures
and reform. All these abuses, wrongs |
and crimes, the prod of sixteen years |
eendency of the Republican party, !
create a necessity for reform, confessed |
by Republicans themselves, but their |
re formers are voted down IN convention |
and displaced from the Cabinet The |
party's mass of honest voters is power |
less to resist the eighty thousand Office |
holders. Its leaders and guides can |
only be held by q peaceful civic reVo-
luton.
We demand a change Of the system,
a change of the administration, a change |
of parties, that we may have a change of
mem bers and of men.