Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1884-10-09
POLITICAL.
The Democratic PLATFORM.


rights the equality OF all citizens before the Law
the reserved rights Of the States and the 81
premacy Of the Federal Government within Ii
limits OF the Constitution, will eser form III
true basis OF our liberties and can never be SUI
rendered without destroying that balaEce I
rights and powers which enables a continent
be developed In peace and social order and to
maintained by means Of local self goyeinmen
But II Is l. dispensable for the practical applc,
ton and enforcement o. these fundamental pfit
| cples that the Government should not always Il
controlled by one political party. Fre1uen
change Of administration Is AS Necessary as cor
slant recurrence to the popular will. Otherwis
abuses grew and the Governu ent iDstr1lmentalit
Is used for imposing heavy burdens on the man
who are governed for the benefit Of the few vii
govern. Public servants thus become arbtrar
rulers This Is now the condition Of the cout
try; hence n change is demanded
The Republican party so far az principle
concerned, Il "Reminiscences. In practice ID
an organization for enriching those who eontr,
It's machinery. The frauds and jobbery whic
nave been brought TO light in every department
OF the Government are sufficient to have calle
for reform within the Republican party. We
those In authority, made reckless by the Ion
possession OF power, have suCcumbed to its col
rupting lniiGence and have placed in nomination
ucset against which tho independent portio
OF the party are in open revolt. Therefore
change is demanded. Such change was alik
necessary In 1876. but the will of the people wa
then defeated by fraud which can never be for
gotten or condoned. Again in 1880 the chang
demanded by the people was defeated by tn
lavish use OF money contributed by ullscrupulou
contractors and shameless jobbers who had bar
gained Tor unlawful profits or for high office.
The Republican party, during its legal, IL
stolen and Its bought tenures OF power has steadi
| ~ decayed in moral character and policical ca
pscity. Its platform promises are now a list o
ITS past failures 1t demands the restoration o
our navy. II has squandered hundreds OF mil
Mons 10 create navy that does not exist. 4
calls upon Congress t remove the burdens unde
| which American shipping has been depress ed. 4
| imposed and has continued those burdens. Il
processes preference for free institutions. i
organized and tried to legalze control Of Stat,
elections by Federal troops. 1t processes de
sire to elevate labor. II has subjected American
workiDgmen to the competition of convict anC
| imported contract labor. 1t processes gratitude
to oil who were disabled or died IN the war. leev
| ing widows and orphans, 1t left to a Democratic
House OF Representatives the first effort /,
| equalize both bOuuties and pensions. IL proffer
| ed pledge to correct the Irregularities OF ON
| tariff. 1t created am has continued them. L.
| own Tariff Commission confessed the need o
| more than 20 per cent. reduction. Its Congress
| gave O reduction OF less than per cent ii pyo
! fesses the protection of Amarican manufacturers
| 1t has subjected them to an increasing Hood o
manufactured goods and hopeless competition
| with manufacturing nations, not one OF which
taxes raw materials It processes to protect al
| to subsidize few. 1t processes the protection o.
American labor r. has depleted the returns Of
Am rican agriculture, an industry followed b,
half our people. processes the equality Of all
cltizens before the law. Attempting to fix the
status oil colored citizens, the Acts OF its Con.
gre5s were overset by tn, decisions of its court,
It's caught criminals are permitted to escape
through contrived delays actual conniyance In
the prosecution. Hone, combed with corruption.
outrageous exposures no LONGER shock its moral
/ Its honest uup har
JOURNALS no longer maintain a successful contest
Tor authority in its conhsels or 2 veto on bad
nominations.
That change is necessary is proved by an ex
lstlng surplus OF more than 81 90 600 0On which
has yearly been collected from a suffering nee
| pie. Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxatioa
We deHouDce the Repu blican party for ha,sl,r
Jailed TO relieve the PEG lie from the crushin Wal
taxes, which have paryzed business. crippled
industry and deprived labor OF employment and
Of its Just reward
The Democracy pledges itself to purjS, the Adj.
ministraion from corruption to restors economy
TO revive respect for law and to reduce TAXATION
TO the lowest limit consistent with q dine reoa nd
10 the preservation OF the faith OF the nation to
It's creditors and its pensioness knowing fpll
well, however, that legislation affecting the woi
fare OF the people should be cautious and son.
servatlVe IN method, not in advance Of public
opinion. but responsive to its demands
The Democratic party is pledged to revise the
tarin ID spirit of fairness to all INTEREST," INT
IN making reduction in taxes II is not rrono .sd
to iDJure any domestic industries, bus rather h
promote their healthy growth From The fou, /,
dalton Of this Government taxn, ooiIao,aJ q, =, .
custom-house have been tho ., ,os ,.,,,rcs ~ y
eral rovetue, and such tho, mat continue
moreover. many Indulge .: have come to RS
th,t 80 oia,,' ~ ~ II successful contnus.s
ra',.r,Iiri ~ Il the Law must be at e. ~ ~,
The prooo,,> labor and capital thus, y ,olye
cntidn ., Il reform must be subjecite the ex
=. Na.H.a Ia. q ra=fH
com IA be limited to the requirpI MS 81
til .inieal Government. The nsseJ arv redu
"a in taxation can and must L.; 4 ,ected Wit
out depriving American labor Ut .be ability
| ccmpete successfully with foh1 IN Iab,r a,
| without imposing lower rates "a duty than "
| he ample TO cover any increased col ~ mod,
| ton which may exist in co t-eauence Of ii
higher rate OF wages prevaiip = in this coun,r
Sufficient revenue 10 pay all the expenses OF HI
Federal Government, ecoiio .nioallv administers
including pensions sn', wv crest and principal
the pbblic debt, can ~ got under our prese
system Of taxation fror custom.hous taxes.
fewer imported srOcle hearing heaviest on a
ticles 81 luxury and caring lghtest on articl
of necessity We th ereiore denounce the abu-
of the existing tariff and. subject to these lin
tations, We demand that Federal taxation shi
he exclusively for I,ublic purposes and shall n
exceed the needs 'ot The Government econou
cally administered.
The system OF direct taxation known as Il
|
law continues tie duty derived therefrom shou
be sacredly devoted TO the r. lief Of the peop
from the reina ming burdens Of the war and
made a fund to dnfray the expense Of the ca
and comfort of worthy soldiers disabled Ia Il
line OF duty ia tho wars OF the republic and Il
the payment Of sucn potsons AS Congress ma
from time TO time grant 10 such soldiers, a III
fund for the sailors having been already prov
ed, and any surplus should be paid into d
Treasury.
| We favor an Ap,aric.n co,+FnantaI ,,ni;o,
based on more intimate commercial and politics
relations with the fifteen sister republics
North, Central and South America, but entangin
alliance with uone.
We believe in honest money. the gold and 81
yer coinage, and OF the cultivation and circul
ton Of a IN dium convertible into such none!
without loss.
Asserting che equality Of all mon before m
law, We hold that it is the duty OF the Cover
ment in its dealings with the people to metc OF
equal and exact Justice TO all citizens, OF wha
ever nativity, race, color or persuasion religion
or political
We believe in free ballot and fair ooun
and We recall TO the memory Of the people III
noble struggle Of the Democrats in the Fort
fifth and torty.siNth Congresses. by which a II
luctant Republican opposition was compelled !
assent to legislation making everywhere ilegi
the presence OF troops at the polls, $ the COZ
elusive proof that Democratic administratio
aill preserve liberty with order.
The election Of Federal officers for the Teri
ories should be restricted to citizens previousl
resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws, which rex the cit
zen and interfere with indi, idual liberty.
We favor honest oiyilseryice reform, the con
pensstion Of all United States officers BY hNe
salaries, the separation Of Church and State al
tho diffusion of free education by common scho !
50 that every child in the laud may be taught ii
ri.hts and duties OF citizenship
While We favor sll legislation which will ten
10 the equitable distribution OF property, to u
prevention of monopoly and 10 the strict q
forcement of individual rights against corporal
abuses, we hold that the welfare Of society d
ponds on scrupnlOus regard for the rights
property as defined by law We believe that L
Dor Is best rewarded whore 10 Is freest ana mo
esiightened, L should be fOstered and cherisl
ed' We favor the repeal of all laws restoring III
free action OF labor and the enactment OF Law
by which labor organizations may he ipcrea =,
and OF all such legislation as will tend Ia .,
tighten the people as to the true relations ,
capital and labor.
We believe that the public lands ought ~ o,
rs possible, To be kept AS hOniesteatl- Tor actn,
settlers; that all unearned lands heretofsre IL,
providently granted 10 railroad corpsraflons n
the action Of the Repub lean party. should h
restored to the public domain and ms NOR
! grants shall be made to corporations or be allow
ed TO fall into the Ownership OF alien absentee,
We are opposed TO all propositions which uf
on any pretext, would convert the general 90,
ernmeHt into a machine for the collection OF tax
es TO he distributed amoug the States or the cit
zens thereof
In effect the declaration Of the Democratic plat
form Of 1856 that The liberal principle en-
bodied by Jefferson In the Declaration Of Indc
pendence and sanctioned in the Constitution
which make ours the land Of liberty and the asy
lum Of the oppressed of every nation" have eve
been the cardinal principles in the Democu,ti
faith We, nevertheless, do not sanction the In
por;ation Of foreign labor or the admis ion .
servie races untitled by habits, training. relii.i
on or kindred, for absorption into the great q.
of our people. OF for the citizenship which on
laws confer. American civilization demand
; that against the immigration or Importation
Mongolians to these shores our gates be clo.ci
The Democratic party insists that II Is th
duty Of the Government 20 protect with equt