Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-17
POLITICAL
The psmeer..le Plat1srn.

lis representatives in National Convention -
ssmbled, recognizes that as the nation grow
older new Issues are born Of time and progress
and old Issues perish. but the fundamental prin
cipiss Of the democracy, approved BY the unitsd
voice Of the people, remain. andwill ever remain
~ the best and only security for the continuance
of free government; the preservation Of personal
rights the equaity Of ali ctizeiIs before the law
the reserved rights Of the States and the su
premacy Of the FEDERAL Government within ths
limits of the Constitution, will eser form the
true basis OF our liberties and can never be sur
rendered without destroying that baiasee o
rights and powers which enables q continent x
he developed In peace and social order and TO bt
maintained by means OF LEGAL self government
But II Is Indispensable for the practical applica
tion and enforcement Of these fundamental prin
cples that the Government should not always Dt
controlled by one political party. Frequent
change Of administration Is as necessary as con
slant recurrence 10 the popular will. Otherwise
abuses grow and the Government instr'imentality
Is used Tor imposing heavy burdens on the many
who arc governed for the benefit Of the Few VINO
govern. Public servants thus become arbitrary
rulers. This Is nov the condition OF the coun'
try; hence change is demanded.
The Republican party, so Tar as principle "a
concerned, Is "Reminiscences. In practiee, u Il
an organisation for enriohing those who control
It's machinery. The frauds and jobbery which
have been brought 70 light In every department
Of the Government are sufficient to have called
for reform within the Republican party, yet
those In authority, made reckless BY the long
possession OF power, hsve succumbed to Its cor
ruptlng influence and have placed in nsuination
a ticset against which the independent portion
Of the party are In open revolt. Therefore q
change Is demanded Such change was alike
necessary In 1875, but the will OF the people was
then defeated by a fraud which can never be for
gotten or condoned. Again In 1880 the change
demanded by tho people was defeated by the
lavish use of nancy contributed by unscrupuloui
contractors and shameless jobbers, who had bar
gained for unlawful profits or Tor high office.
The Republican party, during its legal, It's
ly decayed in moral character and poiicical ca
pacity. Its platform promises are now list o.
its past failures. II demands the restoration o.
our navy. II has squandered hundreds Of mil
lions TO create a navy that does not exist. II
calls upon Congress ! remove the burdens undel
which American shipping has been depressed. Il
imposed and has continued those burdens. u
processes a preference for free institutions. II
organized aid tried to legslize control Of Stat
elections by Federal troops. 1t Processes q de
sire to elevate labor. 1t has subjected American
workingnen TO the competition OF convict ant
imported contract labor, 1t processes gratitude
to all who were disabled or died In the war. leav
ing widows and orphans IL left to Democrati,
House Of Representatives the first effort Il
equalize both bounties and pensions. 1t proffer
~
tarih. 1t created am has continued them. IL
own Tariff Commission confessed the need o
more than 20 per cent. reduction. Its Congress
gave reduction OF less than per cent. 1t pro
fes-es the protection OF Amarcan manufacturers
II has subjected them to an increasing flood o
manufactured good, and hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations. not one oil which
taxes raw materials. Ii processes to prot ct al
American Industries. 1t has impoverished man,
to subsidize few. It processes the protection Q
American labor IL has depicted the returns q
American agriculture, an industry followed b,
half our people. II processes the equality Of al
citizens before the law. Attempting to fix the
status Of colored citizens, the Acts OF its Con
gress were oversst by tn, decisions OF its courts
Its caught criminals are permitted TO escape
through contrived delays or actual connivance il
the prosecution. Honeyeombed with corruption
outrageous exposures no longer shock its mora
sense. Its honest members and its independent
journals no longer maintain successful confess
Tor authority in its connsels or veto on bat
nominations.
That change Is necessary Is proved by an ex
listing surplus Of more than 500, 600 00ii, which
has yearly been collected from o suffering peo
pie. Unnecessary taxation Is unjust taxation
We denounce the Republican party for having
failed 10 relieve the people from the crushing wal
taxes, which have pataiyzed business, crippled
industry and deprived labor Of employment ant
Of its Just reward.
The Democracy pledges Itself to purify the Ad
ministraiion from corruDtion, to restore economy
to revive respect for law. and to reduce taxation
to the lowest limit consistent with q due regarc
to the preservation Of tho faith Of the nation tt
Its creditors and its pensioners, knowing full
we'll, however, that Legislation affecting the wei
fare Of the people should be cautious and con
servative in method, not in advance Of public
opinion but responsive TO Its demands.
The Democratic party is pledged to revise the
tariff In spirit Of fairness to all interests, but
In making reduction in taxes 1t is not propo sec
to injure any domestic industries, hut rather tt
promote their healthy growth From the foun
dation Of this Government, taxes collected at the
custom-house have been the chief source Of Fed
eral revet ue. and such they must continue to be
Moreover. many industries have come to rely up
on legislation for their successful continuance, SC
that any change OF the law must be at every step
regardful Of the labor and capital thus involved
The process Of reform must be subject to the exc.
cution OF this plain dictate Of Justice, All taxa
tion shall belimited to the requirements Of an
economical Government. The necessary reduc-
tion In taxation can and must be effected with
out depriving American labor Of the ability to
ccinpete successfully with foreign labor, and
be ample to cover any increased cost Of produc-
tion which may exist In consequence OF the
higher rate Of wages prevailing in this country.
Sufficient revenue to pay all the expenses OF the
Federal Government, economically administered,
including pensions and interest and principal Of
the pbblic debt, can be got under our present
system Of taxation from custom-house taxes on
fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest on ar
ticles Of luxury and bearing lightest on articles
Of necessity. We therefore denounce the abuses
OF the existing tariff, and, subject to these lim-
tations, 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 taxation known as the
internal revenue is q war tax and so long as the
law continues the duty derived therefrom should
be sacredly devoted to the relief Of the people
from the remaining burdens 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 sucn pensions as Congress may
from time to time grant 10 such soldiers, q like
fund for the sailors having been already provid-
ed, and any surplus should be paid into the
Treasury
We favor an American continental policy,
based on more intimate commercial and political
relations with the fifteen sister republics OF
North, Central and South America, but entanging
alliance with none.
We believe in honest money, the gold and sill.
yer coinage, and Of the cultivation and circula.
tion Of m, dunn convertible into such money,
without loss.
Asserting tho equality OF all men before the
law, we hold that 1t is the duty Of the Govern.
ment in its dealings with the people to mete out
equal and exact justice to all citizens, Of what.
ever nativity, race, color or persuason religious
or political,
We believe in 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 y-sixth Congresses, by which re.
luctant Republican opposition was compelled ia
assent TO legislation making everywhere illegal
the presence Of troops at the polls, IS the con.
elusive proof that q Democratic administration
will preserve liberty with order.
The election Of Federal officers for the Terri
resident therein.
We oppo-e sumptuary laws, which vex the citi-
zen and interfere with individual liberty.
We favor honest civil service reform. the com.
alau Id