The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-07-26

We demand that all custom house taxa
ton shall be only for revenue. Reform is
necessary in the scale of public expenses,
Federal, State and municipal.
FEDERAL TAXATION HAS SWOLLEN
from Sl6,000000 gold in 1860 to $3.50, o0O,-
900 currency in 1870; our aggregate taxa
ton from 1884, O0oO 900 gold in 1860 to
$3.50 900, 900 currency in 1870, or in one de-
cade from less than five dollars per head
to more than eighteen dollars per head
Since the peace the people have paid to
their tax gatherels more than thrice the
sum of the national debt, and more than
twice that sum for the Federal Govern
ment alone We demand a vigorous fru-
gality in every department and from every
officer of the Government. Reform is ne
cessary to pRt q stop to the prOtilgate
waste of public lands and their diversion
from actual settlers by the party in power,
which has sQuandered two hundred mil
lions of acres upon railroads alone, and
out of more than twice 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 the errors of Onr treaties and our d.
plomacy which have stripped our fellow
citizens of foreign birth and kindred race
| recrossing the Atlantic of the shield of
American citizenship, and have exposed
our brethren of the Pacific slope to the i'll
cnrsions of a race not sprung from the
same great parent stock-in fact now de-
MED by law citizenship through naturali-
| cation, as being neither accustomed to the
tradition of a progressive civilization, or
exercised in liberty under equal laws
We denounce the policy which thus dis
cards the liberty loving German, and toll
crates the revival of the coolie trade in
Mongolan women imported for immoral
purposes, and Monaghan men hired to
perform servile labor contracts, and de-
mand such modification of the treaty with
the Chinese Empire, or such legislation
by Congress within a constitutional limi
tation, as shall prevent the further impor.
tation or immigration Of the Monaghan
race. Reform is necessary, and can never
be effected but by making it the control
ling issue Of the elections, and lifting il
above the two false issues with which the
I office-hoiding class and the party i'll power
seek to smother it. The false issues will
which they would enkndle sectariar
strife in respect to the public schools, o.
which the establishment and support be
long exclusively to the several States, ant
which the Democratic party has cherished
from their foundation and resolved tt
maintain without partiality or preference
for any class. sect or creed, and without
contributing from the treasury to any
! The false issue by which they seek t,
light anew the dying embers of sectiona
hate between two kindred peoples ono,
unnaturally estranged, but now reunited
J in one indivisible Republic and a common
destiny.
REFORM IN CIVIL SERVICE.
a Reform is necessary in the civil service
r Experience proves that efficient, economi
cal conduct Of tue governmental busiucs
, is not possible if it's civil service be sub
, iectcd to change at every election, and b
!. parse offered at the ballot-hox as a brie
, reward of party zeal, instead of posts 9
: honor assigned for proved competency an,
t held for fidelity in the public employ
e That the dispensing of patronage SHOULD
neither be tax upon the time of ali on
e public men. nor the instrument of thei
A ambition. Here again professions, falsi
= fed in the performance, attest that tn
I party in power can work out 10 practice
f or salutary reform. 81. ,
REFORM IN HIGH PLACES.
Reform is necessary even more in til
f higher grades of public service. Prcsi
n dent, Vicepresident, Judges, Senators
= Representatives. Cabinet officers - thes
r and all others in authority are the pet
# ple's servants. Their offices are not
d private perquisite; they are a publ
!. trust. When the annals of this Republi
4. proclaim the disgrace and censure of
e Vice-President; a late Speaker Of tn
&c House of Representatives marketing hi
10 ruling as a presiding officer; three Sen,
S. tors protiting secretly by their votes 6
e lawmakers; five chairmen of the leadin
l. committees of the late House of Represe,
e tatives exposed in jobhery; late Secrets
&c ry Of the Treasury forcing balances in til
h public accounts; a late Attorney-Gener;
e misappropriating public funds; Secret
It ry of the Navy enriches or enrichin
d friends by percentages levied off the profit
le of contractors with his department.; a
If Ambassador to England concerned
g. dishonorable speculation; the President
le private Secretary barely escaping convi
d ton, upon trial, for guilty completely
IS frauds upon the revenue; q Secretary
G. War lmpeached for high crimes and col
e tessed misdemeanors; the demonstration
" complete that the first step must be I'll
rs public choice of honest men from anoth'
d party lest the disease of one polite
ii organization upset the whole body politi
ID and thereby making no change of men
ID party, we can get no change of measur,
and no reform.
Is All these abuses, wrongs and crime
G. the product of sixteen years of ascendau,
&c of tho Republican party, creote pecesSi
5, for reform confessed by the Republica
themselves. But their reformers are v
ted down in convention and displact
from the Cabinet The party's mass
a. honest votes is powerlcss to resist ii
e eighty thousand office-holders, Its leade
III and guides. Reform can only be had by
ne peaceful civic revolution. We demand
Us change Of system, change of administI
a. tration, n change of parties, that we m;
TO have change of men.
H. GRANT has revived the old En-
Id fish custom of beheading men f
10 treason. 1t was treason once
IS speak disrespeetfully of the kin
IN n and the traitor lost his head. Pos
On master General jewell remarked Il
I W. other day that he "did not conc
nd with some of the presidents friend