The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-08-27
VIEWS OF MIR. THOMAS, INDEPEN
DENT.

Franklin Thomas, Esq, of Franklin
parish, has gone to the trouble of form
ulating his views and requests US to
illuminate them, which we do, of
course, it being in our line of business
to extend sympathy in every direction,
and more particularly to those who are
Independent.
Mr.. Thomas, in separate note, in
forms us that he does ssnot think the
Republicans intend to run a candi-
date" and he proceeds to add, hope
fully we presume, that ttin that event
the Republican vote will decide the
contest between King and myself"
But, suppose the Republicans do run a
candidate, where will Mr.. Thomas get
his support? Or, supposing they
don't, can minority of Republicans
elect candidate over a large majority
of Democrats
But let US hear Mr.. Thomas, Inde-
pendent, on the Declaration of Inde-
pendence aud the affairs of the Union
TO the Voters of the FTtIh Congressional
District:
Having consented to become a Dem
ocratic candidate to represent this dis
trict in congress, I deem it due to the
people whose suffrages solicit to ex-
plain my position upon the leading
political topics in which they are di-
rectly interested.
My general political opinions are
embodied in the declaration of indie
pendence; the constitution of the
United States, and the amendments,
securing equal civil, political and relig-
ious rights to all and providing among
other things ssthat no person shall be
deprived of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law ;" and the
expositions given to the constitution
by that august tribunal the Supreme
Court of the United States.
And "let us reflect" says the illus
trious author of the declaration of in
dependence, "that having banished
from our land that religious intoler-
ance under which mankind so long
bled and suffered, we have gained lit
tie if we countenance a political intol-
erance as despotic and wicked and
capable of as bitter and bloody perse-
cutions."
In regard to our material interests,
the Improvement of the Mississippi,
Ouachita, and the mouth of Red river
are measures of great importance to
US, and if am elected they shall re-
ceive my earnest support. But the
improvement of the rivers and harbors,
| on6 tho lpy,AQs tho Micciccir,ri oro
not the only questions which demand
the consideration of the people of this
district in common With the laboring
} and agricultural classes Of tho whole
country.
During the late war the government
created great national debt for which
it issued bonds bearing interest paya-
BILE in gold and silver, and exempted
these bonds from taxation in the hands
Of the holders. A large amount OF
this debt is now due and payable and
it is proposed to refund the public debt
by taking up the old bonds and issuing
new ones, notwithstanding large sums
of money are lying idle in the treasury
maintain that the policy of refund.
ing is unjust and oppressive, and favors
the capitalist who is able to invest his
means in United States bonds an6
/ banking institutions at the expense O.
every other industry.
, 1t is sometimes said that the labor
ing classes who own little or no prop
erty pay little or no taxes. But this is
a mistake. The people are silently
, and insensibly paying a heavy tax OF
duty upon nearly every article of daily
use, such as coarse wooden and cotton
, goods, hats, shoes, leather, iron, trace
l chains, harness, coffee and sugar, to-
, bacco and whisky, and even medicine
r These duties are collected in the frs
instance from the importer, and the
, tax from the manufacturer, which the
importer and manufacturer add to the
8 price of the articles they sell, and thu:
} recover back the duty and tax directly
3 paid by them from the consumer, who
D thus indirectly pays the tax or duty
. Thus it will be seen that great funded
public debt creates on the one hand s
privileged class of luxurious affluence
, exempt from taxation, and on the Other
3 imposes heavy burdens upon the labor
, and industry of the country. l an
opposed to refunding the public debt
1 am in favor of paying the existing
bonds as they mature, principal and
, ! infaroSf aecor6fro tho for,rS IF ,,