The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-07-06
The Neutrality-suspicious..

pressing patriotic duty of the democracy
OF the whole country. We do here re-at-
firm our faith in the presence Of the fed
eral union; our devotion to the consti-
tuition OF the United States, with its
amendments, universally accepted as
final settlement Of the controversies that
engendered the civil war, and do here
record our steadfast confidence in the
purity OF republican self-government; in
absolute acquiscence in the will Of the
majority, the vital principle OF the re-
publ c, IN the supremacy Of the civil over
the military authorities; the total sep
Grafton Of church and state, tor the sake
alike OF civil and religious freedom lin the
equality OF all citizens before just laws
OF their own enactment; in the liberty OF
individual conduct, unyexed by sumpt-
uary laws; in the faithful education Of
the rising generation, that they may pre-
serve, enjoy and transmit their best con-
ditions OF human happiness and hope.
We behold the noblest products Of a
hundred years Of changeful history, but
while unfolding the bondiof our union
aud the great charter of these our Ii ghts
it bahooyes a tree people Of practice also
that eternal vigilance which is the price
of liberty. Reform is necessary to re-
build and establish in the hearts OF the
whole people OF the union, eleven years
ago happily rescued from the dangers OF
4 corrupt centralism, which, after in
t1icting upon ten states the rapacity OF
carpet-bag tyranies, has honeycombed
the offices OF the federal government it
self with incapacity, waste and fraud,
infected states ana municipalities with
the contagion of misrule, and locked fast
the property OF an Industrious people III
the paralysis Of hard times.
THE CURREECY QUESTION.
Reform is necessary to establish a
sound currency, restore the public cred
it and maintain the national honor. We
denounce the failure tor all these eleven
years to make good the promise OF the
legal-tender notes, which are a chang
ing standard OF value in the hands OF the
people and the non-payment OF which is
in disregard to the plighted faith of the
union; we denounce the improvidence
which in eleven years OF peace has taken
from the people in federal taxes thirteen
times the whole amount OF the legal
tenders, or squandered four times this
sum in useless expenses. without accu-
mulating any reserve for their redemp>
! ton we denounce the financial imbe-
cility and immortality OF that party which,
during eleven years of peace has made
no advance toward resumption-no
preparation for resumption-outi instead
has INSTRUCTED resumption by wasting
our resources and exhausting all our
! lac: Ia
tossing to intend a speedy return to spe-
Gle payments. has annually enacted fresh
hindrlnce thereto. AS such hindrance,
we denounce the resumption clause OF
the act OF 1875, and we here demand its
appeal. We demand judicious system
OF preparation by public economies, by
official retrenchments, and by the IL
nances which shall enable the nation
soon to assure the whole world OF its
perfect ability and its perfect readiness to
meet any its promises at the call Of the
creditor entitled to payment. We believe
such system, well devised, and above
all entrusted to competent hands tor ex>
ecution, creating at no time an artificial
scarcity OF currency, oand at no time
alarming the public mind into with
drawal OF that vaster machinery OF credit
by which % per cent. OF all the business
transactions are performed; system
open. public, and inspiring general conf
dcnce would, from the day OF its adoption,
brig healing on it's wings to all our
harassed industries, set in motion the
wheels OF commerce, manufactures and
the mechanical arts, restore employing nj
to labor. and renew in all its national
sources the prosperity OF the people.
THE TAR1F ANDTAXATIoN.
Reform is necessary in the sum and
mode OF federal taxation, to the end thai
capitol may be set tree from dstrust
labor lightly burdened. We denounce
the present tariff levied upon nearl,
tour thousand articles. as masterpiece
OF injustice, inequality and false practise
1t yields dwindling. not yearly ris
ing revenue; it has impoverished man,
: industries to the subsidize q few; il
prohibits imports that might parchas,
the products of American labor; it las
degraded American commerce from the
) first to an inferior rank upon the higi
, seas; it has cut down the sales OF Ameri
can agriculture, and industry folio wed
by halt our people it costs the people
i've times more than it produces to tn
e treasurery. o5structs the process OF pro
: duction. and wastes the fruits OF labor
, i. promotes fraud, fosters smuggling, en-
, riches dishonest officials. and bankrupt
s honest merchants. We demand that al
/ custom house taxes shall be only fo
revenue. Reform is necessary in III,
! scale of public expenses. federal. stat
: and municipal. Our federal taxation
. has swollen from sixty millions gold i
e 1860 to four hundred millions currenc,
e in 1870; our aggregate taxation froI
e one hundred and fifty four millions gol
il ia 1860 TO three hundred and sevent
O millions currency in 1870, or in one de
}. cade from less than f5 per head to NOR
II than s1s per head. Since the peace tn
e people have paid to their tax gatherer
:. more than twice that sum for the feeders
government alone. We demand
d vigorous frugality 10 every departmer
/ and from every officer OF the governmen