The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-09-13
DEMoURATIO PLATFORM.

Inc DS.1ocTarlc party Gf tne Union, through It's
representatives in National Convention assembled.
recognizes thats the nation grows older
born Of time and progress and old issues perish, but
the fundamental principles of Democracy, approved
b. the united voice of the people, remain and will
remain, is the hest and only security for the
inuance offee g0yeTnaer.t The preservation Of
personal rights the equality o al citizens before the
law the reserved rights OF the states, and the supre
macy Of the Federal Government within the limits os
the Constitution will form the true basis of
liberties, and never be surrendered without de-
stroyng that balance OF rights and powers which
ab,es continent be developed in peace and social
order TO be maintained BY means Oh local elg0ycrn
fnent
Bat it is Indispensable for the practical appiica-
ton and enforcement OF these fundamental prin-
oiples, that the Government should not always be
ftroled By one political party. frequent change
OF administration is eaessary the constant
to the popular viii; otherwise, abuses grow,
and the Government, instead of being carried on for
the general welfare, becomes an nstrumensalt5 fofim
posing heavy burdens on the inany who governed
Tor the benefit of the few who govern. Public
wants thus become arbitrary rulers.
This is the condition of the country
Hence change is demanded. The Republican
party, far prin ipe is concerned, is
Renaissance; in practice, it is organiza-
ton for enriching those who control its
chnerg-. The frauds and jobbery which Lave been
brought to light in every department Of the Govern
nlen are sufficient to have called Tor reform within
the Republican party; yet those III authoritv, made
reckless by the long ssessi0u of power have sue
cDmbed to It's coriu uptng influence and have placed
1
portion Of the party are in open revolt Therefore
| change is demanded Such change was alike
siSy III 1876 but the will of the people then de-
fa;tted by fraud, which neyet be forgotten
| condoned. Again in 1880 the cha nge demanded by
the people defeated by the lavish Of money,
contributed by unscrapuluus contractors and shame
less job5ers who had barganed for unlawful profits
| or for high Office.
| The Re publican party during it's legal, its
stolen, aid its bought tenures of power, has
steadily decayed in moral character and political
capacity It's platform promises are now list of its
| past failures. 1t demands the restoration of our
navy; it has squandered hundreds OF millions to ere
ate navy that does not exist 1t calls upon Congress
to remove the burdens under which American shipping
has been depressed; it imposed and ha; continued
those bardens,
1t processes the policy of rese,ying she public lands
FOR small holding by actual settlers. 1t has given
away the peoples heritage till now few railroads.
and nonresident aliens, individual and corporate pos
larger area than that OF all farms between
the 1t processes preference for free institu
tons, it or 1anlZed and tried to Iegalize control of
State elections by federal troops 1t processes de-
sire to elevate labor; ithas subjected American work
ingmcu TO the competition of convict aud imported
contract labor. 1t Processes gratitude to all who
were disabled or died i'll toe war, leaving widows and
orphans; it lett to Democratic House of Represen-
t,tves the first effort to equalize both bountes ~
pensions 1t proffers pleige to correct the irrcg-
arites of tariff; it created and has continued
them. It's own tariff commission c'nfesSed the need
ot more than 20 per cent reducton It's Congress
reduction of less than per cent 1t processes the
protection of American manufacturers it has sub
jected them to an increasing food Of manufactured
ng nations not one of which taxes raw material. It
processes to protect all American industries it has
| impoverished many TO subsidize few. It processes
the protection of American labor; it has depleted the
returns of American agriculture, anindustry followed
by half our people 1t processes the equality of all
~'an before the law. Attempting to fix the atus of
eoor, .l1ans the acts of lis Congress were overset
}; the decisions "a its courts 1t accepts the
duty OF ic.,,o in the work o. progress and reform
it's caught crmina- &c permitted to es22nA through
contriyed delays actual colaiyance IN the prose
cution. Honeycombcd with corruption, odsbEe.kr G
exposures no longer shock its neral sense It's hon
est members its iudepeden Journals, no longer main
tain successful contest FOR authority in its counsels
a veto upon bad nominations. That change is
essarily proved by an existing surplus of more than
500 600 coo, which has yearly been collected from
suffering people Unnecessary taxation is unjust
taxation.
We denonnce the Republican p,l ty for having failed
to relieve the people from crushing war taxes which
have paTalyzed business. crippled industry and de-
prived labor OF employment and OF just reward The
Democracy pledges itself to purify the admin
istration from corruption to restore econ
ony, to revive respect for law and to re-
duce taxation to the lowest limit consistent with due
regard to the preservation of the faith of the nation
to its creditors and pensioners; knowing full well
however, that legislation affecting the occupations
| of the people should be cautious and conser
! vative in method, not in advance of public
opinion, but responsive 70 its demands, the Demo
cratic party Is pledged to revise the tariff spirit
fairness all interests; but i'll making reduction in
taxes it is proposed to jure any domestic indus
tries but rather topromote their healthy growth From
the Foundation of this Government the taxes collected
at the Custom house have been the chief source o
Federal revenue. Such they MIST continue to be
Moreover, many industries have come to rely upor
legislation for successful continuance, that any
change CT law must be at step regardful of abo
and capital thus involved. The process of reform
must be subject in its execution to this plain dictate
OF justiceAl taxation shall be limited to the re
quirements of economical Government Tht
necessary reduction in taxation and must be af
fected without depriyin3 American labor of the abil
ty to compete successfully with fore;r9 labor, ant
without imposing lower rates Cf dig than VIII b.
anl.1e increased cost of Whirl
may exist D consequence OF the higher rate of wage
prevailing in this country. Sufficient revenue to pa
all the expenses of the Federal Government econom
icay administered, including pensions atcrest ant
principal of tho public debt, can be got under ou
present system OF taxation from Custom. house take
fewer imported articles, bearing the heaviest OF
articles of luxury and bearing ghtest articles
necessity We therefore denoGHce the abuses OF sh
existing tariff and subject to preceding Limitation W.
demand that Federal taxation shall be exclusively 10
public poses, and shall not eXcee the needs Of tn
government economically administered The system
direct taxation, known the ''interna revenue' j
war taX,and So long the law continues the none
received tserefrom shold he sacredv devoted to tn;
= relief of the people from remaining burdens of tn
war, and be made fund to defay the expense Of tn
care and comfort of worthy soldiers, disabled in tn
line Of duty 9n the of the Republic, and for th
payment Of such pensions Congress- may from tim
to time grant to such sodiers-a like rund for th
sailors having been already proyided-and any sur
plus should be paid into the treasury.
S We favor American continental policy, baset
upon more intimate commercial and political relation
with the fifteen sister Republics OF North Central All
South america, but entanglng alliances with none.
We believe in honest money-the god and svc
coinage of the constitution and acircuatjng medium
convertible into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality Of all men before the Law
we hold that it is the duty of the Government, il
dealings with the people, TO mete out equal and exac
justice to all citizens, of whatever nativity race col
or or persuasion, religious political.
We believe in free ballot and fair count, arC
we recall to the memory of the people the noble
struggle Of the Democrats in the Forty fifth and For
ty-sxth Congresses, by which reluctant Republican
opposition was compelled to assent legislation
making everywhere illegal the presence Of troops al
the polls the conclusive proof that Democratic
administration will preserve liberty with order The
selection OF Federal officers for the Territories should
be restricted to citizens previously resident thereof
We oppose sumptuary laws, which yex the citizens
and iateferc with Individual liberty.
We favor an honest civil service reform in compen-
sation OF all United States offices by fixed salaries the
separation of Church and State, and the diffusion OF
free education b. comm schools, So that every child
in the land may be taught the rights and duties oi
citizenship.
While We favor all legislation which win tend to
the equitable distribution OF property, to the preven
tio1 OF monopoly, and to the strict enforcement of
ndiviIua! rights against corporate abuses, hold
that the welfare of society depends a scrupulous
regard for the rights of property def ed by law.
We believe that labor is best rewarded where ii Is
freest and most enlightened. II should be fostered
| and cherished We favor the repeal of all the laws
restraining the free action Of labor and the enact
increased and of all such legislation will tend
enghten the people to The true relations of cap
l-ital and labor
| We believe that the public lands ought as far as
possible to be kept homesteads for actual settlers
that all unearned lands heretofore ir9provldenty
granted to railroad corporations by the Republican
party should be restored to the public domain and
more grants shall be made to corporations, be al
lowed to fall into the ownership of alien absentees
We opposed to all propositions which, upon any
pretext would convert the general Government into