The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-10-12


the day ofits adoption, bring healing on
its wings to all our harrassed industries,
and set in motion the wheels of COM
merce, manufactures and the mechanic
arts restore employment to labor, and in
all its natural sources the prosperity OF the
people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF FREE TRADE.
Reform is necessary in the sum and
modes of federal taxation, to ihe end that
capital may be set free from dstrust and
labor lightly burdened. nina
We denounce the present tariff, levied
upon nearly four thousand articles, as a
masterpiece of injustice, inequality and
false pretense. 1t yields dwindling,
not yearly rising, revenue 1t has i'm
poverished many industries to subsidize
few. 1t prohibits imports that might
purchase the products of American labor.
1t has degraded American commerce
from the first to an inferior rank upon
the high seas. 1t has cut down the sales
of American manufactures at home and
abroad, and depleted the returns of
American agriculture, and industry fol-
lowed by half our people.
1t costs the people five times more
than it produces to the treasury, obstructs
the process of production, and wastes the
fruits of labor. 1t promotes fraud, fos-
tiers smuggling, enriches dishonest off
cials, and bankrupts honest merchants.
We demand that all custom house tax
alton shall be only for revenue.
REFoRM-EcoNoMY IN THE PUBLIC Ex-
PENSE.
Reform is necessary in the scale of
public expense, federal state and muni-
cipal. Our federal taxation has swollen
from 60, 1000, 600 gold, in 1860 to 45o, ,ooo,-
900 currency, in 1870. Our aggregate
taxation, from SI54ooo, 900 gold, in 1860,
to $73o, 100000 currency in 1870, or in
one decade from less than S. per head to
more than $I8 per head. Since the peace
the people have paid to their tax gather
ers more than twice that sum for the
Federal government alone. We demand
rigorous frugality in every department,
and from every officer ofthe government
REFoRM-PUBMo LANDS TO ACTIVE sETT-
LERs.
Reform is necessary to put stop to
the proAigate waste Of pubic lands, and
their diversion from actual settlers by the
party in power, which has squandered
200. .ooo, 900 acres upon railroads alone,
and out of more than thrice that aggre-
gate has disposed of less than sixth di.
rectly to tillers Of the soil.
CITIZENS, REJECTED MON
COILS.
Reform is necessary to correct the omis-
sion of Republican Congress, and the
errors of our treaties and our diplomacy,
which have stripped our fellow citizens
of foreign birth and kindred races re eros
sing the Atlantic of the shield of Ameri-
can citizenship, and exposed our brethren
of the Pacific coast to the incursions of
race not sprung from the same great
parent stock, and, in fact, now by law
denied citizenship through naturalization
as being neither accustomed to The ira
ditions of progressive civilization nor
exercised in liberty under equal laws.
We denounce the policy which thus dis
cards the liberty loving German and
.olerates a revival of the Coolie trade in
women imported for immoral
purposes, and Mongolian men held to
SerVlle labor contracts
THE FALSE sECTARIAN IssUE-THE FALSE
SECTIONAL ISSUE.
Reform is necessary and can never be
affected but by making it the controlling
ssue of the election and lifting it above |
he two false issues with which the office
holding classes and the party in power
,eek to smother it.
FirSt-The false issue with which they
would enkindle sectarian strife in respect
o public schools, of which the establish.
nent and support belong exclusively to
he several states, and which the Demo
ratio party has cherished from their
and is resolved to maintain
Without partiality or preference for any
lass, sect or creed and without contri-
buttons from the treasury to any.
SecOnd-The false issue by which they
eek to light anew the dying embers Of
sectional hate between kindred people
nee unnaturally estranged, but now re-
lnited in one indivisible Republic and
ommon destiny.
REFORM-THE CIVIL, SERVICE.
Reform is necessary in the civil service.
Experience proves that efficient econo
nical conduct ofthe government business
S not possible if its civil service be sub
ect to change at every election, be
,rize fought for at the ballot box, be
,rief reward of party zeal instead ofposts
# honor assigned for proved competence
md held for fidelity in the public employ
hat the dispensing ofpatronage should
neither be tax upon the time of our
public men nor the instrument of their
Imbition. Here, again, professions falls
led in the performance attest that the
,arty in power can work out no practical
" salutary reform.
sEPoRA-CoRRUPTIoN OF HIGH PUBLIC Of
FICES.
Reform is necessary, even more in the
higher grades of public service. Presi.
lent, vice president, Judges, senators.
representatives, cabinet oficers-these
md all others in authority are the peoples
servants Their Offices are not private
oerquisite; they are public trust.
When the annals of this Republic show
he disgrace and censure Of vice presi-
dent; a late Speaker Of the House Of Rep
resentatives marketing his rulings as a
officer; three senators profting |
secretly by their votes as lawmakers.
FIVE chairmen ofthe leading committees
Of the late House of Representatives ex-
posed in jobbery; late Secretary of the |
Treasury forcing balances in the public |