The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-07-18

industry followed by half our people. processes
the equality OF all men before the law attempting
TO nx the status OF coored ctizens-the acts OF Its
Congress were oyerset by the decisions af it's courts,
1t accepts anew the duty Of leading In the work
OF progress and reform"--its caught criminals are
permitted to escape through coltrlved delays or
actual connivance in the pros scution. Honeycomb-
ed with corruption, outbieaklng exposures no
,onges 10, shock ne moral sense. ts honest ,emoers,
cessfu contest for authority In its councils or a
veto upon bad nominations. That change is
more than sioo,eoo,coo which has yearly been col.
lected from suffering people. Unnecessary tax
alton lie unjust taxation. We denounce the Kepub-
llcan party for having failed to relieve the people
from crushing war taxes, which have paralyzed
business, crippled industry, and deprived labor OF
employment and Of just reward.
1he Democracy pledges itself to purify the ad-
ministratlon from corruption, to restore economy,
to revive respect for law, and to reduce taxation to
the lowest limit consistent with due regard to the
preservation OF the faith OF the nation TO Its cred
tors and pensioners Knowing full well, however,
that legislation affecting the operations OF the
method not in advance Of public opinion, but re-
sponsive to It's demands the Democratic party is
pledged to revise the tariff In spirit OF fairness to
all interests. But in making reduction In taxes II
Is not proposed to injure any domestic industries,
but rather to promote their healthy growth. From
the foundation OF this government taxes collected
nt the custom-house have been the chief source OF
Federal revenue. Such they must continue 10 be.
Moreover many industries have come to rely upon
legislation for successful continuance, so that any
the labor and capital thus involved. The process
OF the reform must be subject In the execution to
this plain dictate OF justice. All taxation shall be
limited to the requirements of economical govern
ment The necessary reduction In taxation can
and must be effected without depriyiug American
foreign labor, and without imposing lower rates of
duty than will be ample to cover any increased cost
Of production which may exist In consequence
this country. suaiclent revenue e p''s to pay ali
the expenses of the Federal government
economically administered, including pensions, in
terest and principal of the public debt, can be got
under our present system Of taxation from Custom
house taxes on fewer imported articles, bearing
heaviest on aitlces Of luxury and bearing llghtest
the abuses of the existing tariff: and subject to the
preceding limitations, we demand that Federal tax
alton shall be exclusively for public purposes, and
nomically administered.
The system Of direct taxation known ms the "n-
terna revenue" is war tax, and so long as the law
continues the money derived therefrom should be
tacredly devoted TO the relief of the people from
the re aiming burdens Of the war, and be made
for Of worthy sSders disabled in line 'e Of paH dnty IN
the wars OF the republic, and for the payment Of
such pensions as Congress. may from time to time
having been already provided and any surplus
should be paid into the treasury.
We favor an American continental policy based
npon more intimate commercial and political rela-
lions with the fifteen sister republics OF North,
Central and South America, but entangling ALLAN.
ces with none.
We believe in honest money, the gold and silver
coinage of the Constitution, and circulating me-
dunn convertible into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality of ali men before the law,
we hold that 1t s the duty of the government In its
dealings with the people to mete out equal and ex-
act justice to all citizens of whatever nativity race
color or per- ussion, 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
Fort For,y,sixih Congresses, by which a reluctant Re.
legislation making everywhere illegal the presence
Of troops at the polls as conclusive proof that
Democratic a administration will preserve liberty
The selection of Federal officers for the Territor-
les should be restricted to citizens previously resi-
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 common schools, so
that every child In the land may be taught the
rights and duties OF citizenship.
While we favor all legislation which will tend to
the equitable distribution of property, to the pre-
vention Of monopoly, and to the strict enforcement
of individual rights against corporate abuses, we
hold that the welfare of society depends upon
scrupulous regard for the rights of property de-
fined BY law. We believe that labor is best re-
warded where 1t Is freest and most enlightened II
should therefore be fostered and cherished We
favor the repeal of all laws restricting tho
laws by which la o. organizations may be incor-
porated, and of all such legislation as will tend to
enlghten the people as to the true relations of
capital and labor.
We believe that the public land ought, as far as
possible, to be kept as homcsteads for actual set
tiers; that all unearned lands heretofore improve
IDENTIFY granted to railroad corporations by the ac-
ton OF the Republican party should be restored tn
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 ahsentees.
We are opposed to all propositions which, upon
any pretext, would convert the general government
into machine for collecting taxes to be distributed
among the States or the citizens thereof.
In reafiirming the declaration of the Democratic
platform Of 1856 that the liberal principles embod-
led by jefferson in the Declaration of Independence
and sanctioned in the Co lsttution, which make
ours the land Of liberty and the asylum of the OPP
pressed OF every nation, have ever been cardinal
principles in the Democratic faith, we nevertheless
do not sanction the importation of foreign labor or
the admission Of servile races, untitled by habits,
training religion, or k ndred, for absorption into
the great boiy of our people, or for the citizen
ton demands that against the immigration or i'm
rortaton of Mongoians to these shores gates be
closed.
The Democratic party insists that 1t is the duty
Of this government to pr4tect with equal fidelity
and vigilance the rights Of its citizens, native and
naturalized, at home and abroad, and to the end
papers Of naturalization Issued by courts of COM
petent jurisdiction must be respected by the exec
utive and legislative departments of our own gov
eminent and by all foreign p wers. 1t Is an i'm
perative duty OF this government to efficiently pro-
tect all the rights of persons and property of every
American citizen In foreign lands, and demand aud
enforce full reparation for any invasion thereof.
An American citizen is only responsible to his own
government for any act done in his own country
under her nag, and can only be tried therefor on
her own soil and according to her laws; and no
power exists In this government to expatriate an
American citizen to be tried in any foreign land for
any such act.
This country has never had a well defined and
executed foreign Iolicy save under Democratic ad-
minlstration That policy has over been In regard
to foreign ma Ions, so long as they do no act detr-
our citizens, to let them alone; that as result Of
this policy we recall the acquisition Of Louisiana
Florida, California, and of the adjacent Mexican
territory by purchase alone, and contrast these
grand acquisitions OF Democratic statesmansbip
with the purchase OF Alaska the sole fruit OF Re-
publican administration of nearlya quarter Of a
century,
The Federal government should care for and i'm
prove the Mississippi river and other great water
ways Of the republic, to for the interior
States easy and cheap transportation to tide water.
Under a long period OF democratic rule and policy
our merchant marine fast overtaking and on
the point of outstrpplng that Of Great Britain;
under twenty years OF Republican rule and policy
our commerce has been left to British bottoms and
the American flag has almost been swept of this
| high seas. Instead OF the Republican party q
British policy, we demand for the people of the
United states an American policy Under Demo
cratic rule and policy our merchants and sailors,
fully searched out market for the varied products
| Of American industry; under quarter century of
| Republican rule and policy, despite our manifest
ADVANTAGE over all other nations in high- -nnid labor