Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-07-17

fesses the protection CT American labor 1t
has depleted the returns Of American Rgri-
culture-an industry followed by half our
people. 1t processes the equality Of men
before the law, attempting TO fix the status
Of colored citizens tho acts OF its Congress
were oyerBet by the decisions OF its court. It
"accopts anew the duty OF leading in the
work OF progress and reform = its caught
criminals are permitted to escape through
contrived delays or actual conniyance in the
prosecution. Honeycombed with corruption,
outbrealdng exposures no longer shock its
moral sense. Its honest members, its indie
pendent journals, no longer maintain sue
cessful contest for authority in its counsels
or veto upon bad nominations.
That change il necessary is proved by an
existing surplus OF more than $100, 000, 900,
which has yearly been collected from suf-
fering people. Unnecessary taxation IL un-
Just taxation. We denounce the Republican
party for having failed to relieve the people
from crushing war taxes, which have paral-
yzed business, crippled industry, and de-
prived labor OF employment and Of Just
reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify the
administration from corruption, TO restore
economy, to revive respect for law and TO re-
duoe taxation to the lowest limit consistent
with due regard to the preservation Of the
faith of the nation to its creditors and PEN
sioners. Knowing full we'll, however, that
legislation affecting the occupations OF the
people should be cautious and conservative
In method, not in advance of public opinion
but responsive to its demands, the Demo-
cratic party is pledged to revise the tariff in a
spirit Of fairness to all interests. But in
making reduction in taxes it is not proposed
TO injure any domestic industries; but rather
to promote their healthy growth. From the
foundation of this government taxes col
daft no hos no
chief source Of Federal revenue. Such they
must continue to be. Moreover, many in
dnstries have come to rely upon legislation
for successful continuance, 80 that any change
OF law must be at every stop regardful Of the
labor and capital thus involved. The process
| OF reform must be subject in the execution
to this plain dictate Of Justice. ALI taxation
| shall be limited to the requirements Of eco
| nomical government.
The necessary reduction in taxation can
and must be effected without depriving Amer
lean labor Of the ability to compete success.
| fully with foreign labor, and without impos-
ing lower rates Of duty than will be ample to
cover any increased cost Of production which
| may exist In consequence of the higher rate
i of wages prevailing in this country. Sufficient
revenue to pay all the expenses Of the
Federal government economically admins
| tered, including pensions, interest and prin-
oipal Of the public debt, can be got, under
our present system Of taxation, from custom
house taxes on fewer imported articles, bear
| ing heaviest on articles OF luxury and bearing
ightest on articles OF necessity. We there
| fore denounce the abuses Of the existing
tariff, and, subject to the preceding limita-
i tions, we demand that Federal taxation shall
be exclusively for public purposes, and shall
not exceed the needs of the government
economically administered.
The system of dIrect taxation known as the
"inSernal revenue" is a war tax, and SO long as
the law continues the money derived there
from should be sacredly devoted to the relief
| OF the people from the remaining burdens Of
| the war, aud 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 to such soldiers, a like fund for the
| sailors having been already provided, and any
surplus should be paid into the treasury.
We favor an American continental policy,
| based upon more intimate commercial and
| political relations with the fifteen sister re-
/ publics Of North, Central and South America,
but entaDgling alliances with none.
| We believe in honest money, the gold and
/ silver coinage Of the Constitution and cirou-
lating medium convertible into such money
without loss. Asserting the equality Of all
| men before the law.
We hold that 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 free ballot and q fair count,
and we recall to the memory OF the people
| the noble struggle Of the Democrats in the
Forty.fiflh and Forty sixth Congresses by
which reluctant Republican opposition was
| compelled to assent to Legislation making
everywhere illegal the presence of troops at
| the polls, as the conclusive proof that a DEM
ocratic administration will preserve liberty
/ with order.
The selection OF Federal officers for the
territories should be restricted to citizens pre-
viously resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which vex tho
citizen and interfere with individual liberty
we favor honest Civil Service reforms and
| the compensation OF the United States officers
by fixed salaries the separation OF church
i and state and the diffusion OF free education
by common schools, 80 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 prevention 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 as defined by
law.
We believe that labor is best rewarded
where it is freest and most enlightened. 1t
should therefore be fostered and cherished.
We favor the repeating OF all laws restricting
the free action OF labor, and the enactment OF
laws by which labor organizations may be IN
corporated, and all such legislation as will
tend to enlighten the people as to the true
relation OF capital and labor.
We believe that the public lands ought, as
far as possible to be kept as homesteads for
actual settlers that all unearned lands here
tofore improvidently granted to railroad cor
porations by the action of the Republican
party should be restored to the public domain,
and that grants OF land shall be
made to corporations or be allowed to fall
into the ownership Of alien absentees.
We are opposed to all propositions which
upon any pretext would convert the general
government into a machine for collecting
taxes to be distributed among the states or
the citizens thereof.
In reaflirming the declarations Of the
Democratic platform Of 1856 that "the
liberal principles embodied by Jefferson in
the Declaration OF Independence and sane
toned in the Constitution, which makes ours
land of liberty and the asylum OF the op-
pressed Of every nation, have ever been
cardinal principles in the Democratic faith,
we nevertheless do not sanction the importa-
tion of foreign labor or the admission OF ser
vile races untitled by habits, training, religion
or kindred, for absorption into the great body
| of our people or for the citizenship which
our laws confer. American civilization de-
mands that against the immigration or i'm
portation Of Mongollans to these shores our
gates be closed.
The Democratic party insists that it is the
duty OF the government to protect with equal
fidelity and vigilance tie rights OF its citizens,
native and naturalized, at home and abroad,
and to the end that this protection may be
assured United States papers OF naturaliza-
, | ton issued by courts of competent jurisdic-
I ton must be respected by the executive and
Legislative departments of our own govern
} ment and l,y all foreign powers. 1t is an i'm
perative duty Of this government to efficiently
} protect all the rights of persons and property
Of every American citizen in foreign lands,
and demand and enforce full reparation for
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 and according to her laws, and no
I | power exists in this government TO expatriate
I | an American citizen to be tried in any foreign
! land for any such act.
i This country has never had well-defned
a and executed foreign policy save under
4 Democratic administration. That policy has
ever been in regard to foreign nations, 30 long
as they do not act detrimental to the interests
|. of the country or hurtful to our citizens, tc
o let them alone. As the result OF this policy
I we recall the acquisition OF Louisiana, Florida
: California and Of the adjacent Mexican terri
tory by purchase alone, and contrast these
b grand acquisitions of Democratic statesman
|, ship with the purchase OF Alaska, the sole fruit
r of Republican administration Of nearly /
quarter Of century.
o The Federal government should care fol
Is and improve the Mississippi river and othel
l. great waterways Of the republic, 30 a. to Sc
y cure for the interior states easy and cheal
% | fra tiNn IN tidauatar