The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-07-29

euecteO without 0epfVtn8 American iAOOt Ot
the ability IN compete successfully with foreign
labor, aud without impoeine lower rates of duty
than will be ample to cover any increased cost
OF production which may exist in consequence
of the higher rate Of wages prevailing in this
country. Sufficient revenue Ia pay all expenses
ministered, including pensions, interest and prin-
cipal of the public debt. can be got under our
present system Of taxation from the custom
house taxes on fewer imported articles, bearing
heaviest on articles Of luxury and bearing the
lightest on articles of necessity.
We therefore denOunce the abuses Of the ex-
isting tariff and. subject to the preceding limita-
tons, we demand that Federal taxation shall be
exclusively for public purposes, and shall not
exceed the needs of the government, economi-
cally administered. The system of direct taxa
ton known as internal revenue" ia a war tax,
and 81 as long as the law continues the money
levied iherefrom should be sacredly devoted to
the relief of the people from the remaining bur-
dens OF the war, and be made fund TO defray
the expense Of the care and comfort Of worthy
soldiers disabled in the line of duty in the wars
Of the Republic, and for the payment Of such
pensions as Congress may from time To- time
grant t" such soldiers, like fund for sailors
having been already provid. d. and any surplus
should he paid into the Treasury.
We favor an American continental policy
based upon more intimate commercial and pc
liticAl relations with the fifteen sister Republics
ling alliances with none
We believe in honest money, the gold and
silver coinage Of the Constitution, and n circu-
lating medium convertible into such money
without loss.
Asserting the equality of all men before the
law, We hold that il is the duty of the govern
ment, IN its dealings with the people, To mete
out equal and exact justice to all citizens, of
whatever nativity, race, color or persuasion,
religious or political.
We believe in a free ballot and a fair count,
and we recall TO the memory Of the people the
noble struggle OF the Democrats in the Forty fifth
and Forty sixth Congresses, by which a reluc-
liant Republican opposition was compelled Ia
assent to legislation making everywhere illegal
the presence OF troops AT the polls conclusive
proof that Democratic administration will pre-
serve liberty with order.
The selection of Federal officers for the Terri
tories should be restricted to citizens previously
resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which vex the
citizen and interfere with individual liberty
We favor honest Civil Service Reform and
the compensation of all United States officers by
fixed salaries the separation of Church and
State and the diffusion of free education by com
mon schools, that every child in the land may
be taught the rights and duties of citizenship.
While we favor all legislation which will tend
to equaze the equitable distribution of property,
to the prevention of monopoly and to the strict en-
torcement OF individual rights against corporate
abuses, we hold that the welfare OF society de
| ponds upon scrupulOus regard for the rights
| OF property as defined by law. We believe that
labor is best rewarded where it is reest and most
enlightened. 1t should therefore be tostered and
| cherished
We favor repeal of all laws restricting the
| Tree action OF labor, and the enactment OF laws
by which labor organizations may be incorpo-
rated. and of all such legislation rs will tend to
pnliOhtPn the nAOnlp n the relations Oi
capital and labor
We believe that the public land ought as for
as possible TO he kept as homesieads for actual
| settlers; that all unearned lands heretofore i'm
| providently granted to railroad corporations by
| the action OF the Republican party should be re-
stored to the public domain, and that no more
grants of land shall be made to corporations, or
be allowed to fall into the ownership of alien
| absenlres
We are opposed to all propositions which,
upon any pretext, would convert the general
| Government into a machine tor collecting taxes
| To be distributed among the States or the cit-
Zens thereof
In reatrming the declaration of the Demo-
cratic platform of 1856, that the liberal prnci-
| pies embodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of
| Independence and sanctioned in The Cnnslitu.
| ton, which makes ours the land of liberty and
| the asylum of the oppressed at every nation,
| have ever been cardinal principles in the Demo
cratic faith. we nevertheless do not sanction
the importation of foreign labor, or The ad,nis-
SION of seIvIle races untitled by hablts, training,
religion or kindred for absorption into the
great body of our people, or tor the citizen
| ship which our laws confer. American civiliZl
| ton demands that against The immigration or
! importation OF MOngOlians To these shores our
gates he closed The Democratic party insists
| thai il is the duly OF the Government to protect
with equal fidelity AMI vigilance the rights of its
| citizens, native and naturaliZed, at home and
.lAy
assured, United States papers of naiurallZ lion
| issued by the courts must br respected iy The.
| executive ami Legislative department of our
own Government and by all foreign powers 1t
| is AN imperative duty of this Government
to efficiently protect all the rights of per
sons and property OF every American cti-
zen in foreign lan.ls and demand and enforce
| full reparaiion for any invasion thereof An
American citizen is only responsible to his own
| Government for any ACT done in his own country
or under her flag, and can only be tried therefor
on her own soil aud according TO her laws and
| no power exists in this Government u expatr-
ale an American citizen to be tried in any for
| egn land tor any act This country has
| never had ll-defined and executed foreign
policy except under a Democratic adminstra-
lion. That policy has ever been in regard To
| foreign nations so long they do not act detr-
mental to the interests OF This country or hurt
| ful to our citizens, 10 let them alone; that as
the result of This policy we recall the acquisition
OF Louisiana, Florida, California and TO the ada-
cent Mexican territory, by purchase alone, and
contrast these grand acquisitions of Democratic
craftsmanship with the purchase of Alaska, the
the sole fruit of Republican administration of
nearly quarter of "A century.
The Federal Government should care for and
improve the Mississippi river and other great
water ways of the Republic, so rs to secure. for
the interior States easy and cheap transportation
to tide water.
Under the long period Of Democratic rule and
policy our merchant marine WAS last 0veriaking
and on the point of Ontslrippny thai of Great
Britain Under twenty years of Republican
rule and policy our commerce has been left
British bottoms aud the American flag has been
almost swept of the high seas. Instead of the
Republican party's British policy VIZ demand
tor the people "f The United States AN American
policy. Under the Democratic rule and policy
our merchants and sailors flying the stars and
stripes IN every port successfully Sc lrched OUT
markets for the varied products Of American in
dustry. Under quarter Ot n CENTURY OF Repub
lican rule and policy, despite our manifest
advantage over all other nations in high paid
labor, favorable climates and meming soils
despite freednm of trade among all these
United States; despite their population by the
foremost RACES at men and annual immi-
grafton OF the young, thrifty and adventurous of
all nations; despite freedom here from The
inherited burdens Of life and industry in the
Old World mnnarchies, their costly war mn
vies. their vast tax-cOnsumng non producing
standing armies; despite twenty years of peace
Republican rule and policy have managed To
surrender In Gre IBsiiainy al6ng with Nllr com