Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-07-16


said THAT they,had surely no desire
to force upon Indiana candidate
against its will but this was not an
Indiana convention. 1t was nation.
al convention, and the Democrats Of
the country had right to take a fl
man from any place in it.
The platform is very long one
too long to publish in these columns
The main points will be found below
One of these declares for revenue
reform and reduction of the nation.
al taxes. 1t makes the Democratic
party adopt the principle that no ma,
tional taxes shall be raised except for
the purpose Of paying the expenses
Of an economically administered gov.
ernmcnt. II proposes to reduce the
tariff taxes so that large sums will
not accumulate in the treasury, to
breed corruption and extravaganza,
but it recognizes the plain fact that
the work of reduction must not be re-
evolutionary, and it must not be done
in such q manner rs to prevent the
workmen of this country from COM
peting successfully with foreign labor.
That is, there has got to be a tariff
to pay pensions, the expenses of gov
eminent, the national debt, etc., and
the levying of this necessary revenue
must be placed where it will do the
most good to the laboring people, and
make their burdens as light as posi-
bic. 1t opposes n tariff placed mere
ly for protective purposes; it is for a
revenue tariff, and advocates placing
the heaviest duties OH articles of lux
ury, and the lightest, if any, on those
of necessity. The tariff plank is as
follows
That change is necessary is proven by
an existing surplus of more than 100000
600 which has yearly been collected from a
suffering people. Unnecessary taxation is
unjust taxation.
We denounce the republican party for
having failed to relieve the people from
crushing war taxes, which have paralyzed
business and crippled industry and depriv-
ed labor OF employment and its Just re-
ward
The democracy pledges itself to purify
the administration of corruption, to restore
economy, to revive respect for the law and
to reduce taxation to the lowest limit con-
sistent with due regard to the preservation
Of the faith of the nation TO its creditors
and pensioners. Knowing full we'll, how
ever, that legislation affecting the occupa-
tions of the people should be cautious and
conservative in method, not in advance of
public opinion, but responsible to its de-
mands, the democratic party is pledged to
revise the tariff in q spirit of fairness to all
interests. But in making a reduction in
taxes it is not proposed to iniure any do |
nestle industries, but rather TO promote
their healthy growth. From the founda-
ton of this government, taxes collected |
through the custom house have been the |
chief source of federal revenue. Such thew |
must continue. Moreover, many industries |
have come to rely upon legislation for sue
cessiul continuance, So that any change of |
law must at every step be made with regard |
to the labor and capital thus involved. The
necessary reduction i'm taxation can and
must be effected without depriving Ameri-
can labor of the attempt TO compete success
fully with foreign labor and without i'm
posing lower rates of duty than will be
ample TO cover any increase of cost of pro-
duction which may exist in consequence Of
the higher rate of wages existing i'll tins
Sufficient revenue to pay all the
expenses Of the federal government, econ
omically administered, including pensions.
interest and principal of the public debt,
can be got under our present system of tax
alton from custom house taxes on fewer i'm
ported articles, bearing the heaviest on ar
tcles of luxury and bearing lightest on ar
tcles Of necessity. We therefore denouncc
the abuses Of the existing tariff and, sub
iect to the preceding limitations, we de.
mand that federal taxation shall be exclus-
lively for public purposes, and shall not ex-
coed the needs of the government economi-
cally administered.
Other important planks in the plat ,
form are as follows: ,
The selection of federal officers for the ,
territories should be restricted to citizens ,
resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which vex {
The citizen and interfere with individual {
liberty, the compensation of all United
States officers by fixed salaries, the separa-
ion of church and state and diffusion of ]
rec education by common schools, so that .
very child in the land be taught the rights
md duties Of citizenship.
While we favor all legislation which will s
end TO the equitable distribution of proper ,
y to the prevention of monopoly and to
he strict enforcement Of individual rights /
against corporate abuses, We hold that the
Welfare of society depends upon a scrupu-
Gus regard for the rights of property, as
lefned by law. ,
We believe that labor is best rewarded
where il is freest and most enlightened.
L should, therefore, he fostered and cher ,
shed.
We favor the repeal of all laws restrict
ng the free action of labor and the enact 1,
nent Of laws by which labor organizations
nay be incorporated, and of all such legis-
alton as will tend to enlighten the people
Is to the true relations of capital and labor.
We believe that the public lands ought,
is far as possible, to be Kept us homesteads
ior actual settlers that all unearned lands
heretofore improvidcntly granted TO rail
road corporations by the action of the Re-
publican party should be restored to the
public domains, and that no more grants of
and shall be made to corporations or be
allowed to fall into the ownership of alien
lbsentees.
1t opposes the bringing in of i'm
ported labor, such rs the Chinese and
similar people that, while America
S free country, yet it was never in
tended to be bazaar house for the
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