Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-20
DUTIES OF DEMOCRATS.
Senator Jones, of FIOrids. on the
Lesson Taught by the Recent EIec-
tIOns.
Ne10 York World.

Senator Jones, of Florida, who is stay
| ing at the New York Hotel, was called
upon yesterday by a reporter of the
World who asked him what he
thought Of the result of the recent cleo
tiOns and what ought to be the course of
the Democratic party in order to take ad.
vantage of its victory.
In my judgment, said Senator
Jones, ''all that the Democratic party
has to do to retain the confidence of the
people so unequivocally expressed at. the
late elections is to give effect in practical
legislation to its time honored principles.
What is required at this time, more than
ever before, is to impress upon the pub
lie mind the teachings of Jefferson.
Madison and jackson. Our admirable
system of popular government, under
which tie rights Of localities and the in
terests of the nation are so wisely Sc
cured, affords the only safe guarantee
for the continuance of free principles on
this continent. All power in this coun-
try emanates from the people, and they
have delegated to their public servants
the precise measure of authority they
shall exercise. The Democratic party
has always been the peoples party, for
the reason that it never advocated the
exercise of any power which the people
did not give to their official servants.
Still this party has been denounced as
the enemy of free government because it
has ever contended for the rights of the
people and their supremacy against the
usurpations of the men they placed in
power. If the principles of the Demo.
cratic party are honestly enforced there
will be no necessity in this country for
labor parties or other independent
organizations in the interest of particular
classes. The true province of govern
ment is to give protection and security,
but no favor to any class of men. This
is government of equality. The me
ohanic and farm labOrer has the same
but no greater rights than the man who
works in factory.
''In raising money for the support of
the government, continued Senator
Jones, 81 contend that there is no power
given anywhere in the Constitution.
which is the expression of the peoples
will, to pay the least regard to any
classes of industrial interests. Taxes
should be made as nearly equal and uni
form as possible. The indirect eystem
of taxation will always continue, but it
is the essence of this system that re-
venue should be its object and not its
incident, and in raising revenue no more
money ought TO be collected than is
necessary to meet the expenses of the
government in exercising the power
of protection over all interests and
all classes of men. ] know
very well that many people imag- |
inc that the revenues ought to he |
raised and then distributed to support
special interests. There is no authority |
for this under our government. When |
the government attempts to distribute |
the public money for objects not nation |
al but special and local, there is no rule |
possible to be adopted that can make |
such expenditures either constitutional |
or just. The tariff must be reformed. |
The greatest benefit to the greatest num- |
Der, is a vital principle of popular rule |
No one expects absolute free trade; but
the principle which a majority of the |
people OF this country viii insist upon |
is that our tariff must be so framed that |
it will produce the largest sum of money
possible of collection under the indirect |
system, without regard to special or in- /
dlVlduaI interests. With respect to re. |
form in the civil service of the countrv
l think the time has arrived when the
people will not submit to be bribed
by their own money or their own
offices. The abominable practice of
using the public offices of the govern.
ment and money enforced from employees
necessary to conduct the public business
in order to carry elections must be re-
pudiated by the Democratic party. If
that party will honestly advocate a re-
form of the tariff, reduction of internal
revenue, civil service reform and the
reduction OF public expenses to the
smallest sum necessary to carry on the
government, it will succeed. 1t should
be its duty to separate as far as possible
he interests of individuals and CORPORA
ions from the affairs OF government
Going before the people with a deteF,o;.
nation to bring back the government tn
he economy, simplicity and nuritv
which marked the earlier administrators
If the Republic, it will be ineyitable If
t relies upon the support of iobbers and
peciaf interests who have nothing In
common with the great body of the
'eople, it viii fail, and ought to fail"