Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-24

pcOpic 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 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, like fund for the sailors hay
ing been already provided; and any sur
plus should be paid into the treasury.
We favor an American continental
policy based upon more intimate com
mercial and political relations with the
fifteen sister republics of North, Central
aud South America, but entangling al
liances with none
We believe in honest money, the gold
and silver coinage of the Constitution,
and a circulating medium convertible
into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality of all men be-
fore the law, we hold that ii is the duty
OF The government, in its dealings with
the people, to mete out equal and exact
justice to all citizens of whatever ma
tivity, race, color, or persuasion-re-
hgious or political.
We believe in free ballot and fair
count; and we recall to the memory of
the people the noble struggle of the
Democrats in the Forty and Forty
sixth Congress, 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
Democratic administration will preserve
liberty with order
The selection of Federal officers foI
the territories should be restricted to
citizens previously resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which
vex the citizen and interfere with in
dividual 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 educa.
ton 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 prevention of mono
poly and to the strict enforcement OF
individual rights against corporate
abuses, we hold that the welfare of so.
ciety depends upon scrupulous regard
for the rights of property rs defined by
law.
We believe that labor is best reward.
ed where it is freest and most enlight.
ened. 1t should therefore be fostereo
and cherished We favor the repeal OF
all laws restricting the free action oil
labor, and the enactment of laws bv
which labor organizations may be in.
corpOrated, and of all such legislation
as will tend to enlighten 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 rs
homesteads for actual settlers; that all
unearned lands heretofore IMPROVE
IDENTIFY granted to railroad corporations
by the action of the Republican party
should be restored to the public domain
and that no more grants of land shall
be made TO corporations, or be allowed
10 fall into the ownership of alien alb
sentees.
We are opposed TO all propositions
which upon any preteXt would convert
the General Government into a ma.
chine for collecting taxes to be dis
tributcd among the states, or the citi-
zenS thereof.
In reaflirming the declaration of the
Democratic platform of 1856, that ''the
liberal principles embodied by Jef1'er-
son in the Declaration of Independence,
and sanctioned in the Constitution which
make ours the land of liberty and the
asylum of The oppressed of every ma
ton, have ever been cardinal principles
in the Democratic faith, we, never
theless, do not sanction the importa-
ton of foreign labor, or the admission
OF seryile races. untitled by habits,
training, religion or kindred for ABSORB
ton into the great body of our people,
or for the citizenship which our laws
confer. American civilization demands
that against the immigration or lmpor-
tation of Mongolians to these shores
our gates be closed.
The Democratic party insists that it
is the duty If this government to pro-
tect, with equal fidelity and vigilance,
the rights d its citizens, native and
naturalized, at home and abroad; and
to the end that this protection may be
assured, United States papers of natur-
aliZation, lssued by courts of competent
jurisdiction, must be respected by the
Executive and Legislative departments
of our own government and by all for
eign powoB.
1t is an imperative 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
any invasion thereof
An American citizen is only respon-
sible 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 sol and according 10 her laws
and no power exists in this government
to cxpatriate an American citizen to be
tried in any foreign land for such act
This country has never had we'll
defined and executed foreign policy save
under Democratic administration that
policy has ever been, in regard to for
eign nations, so long as they do not act
detrimental to the interests of the coun-
try or hur.ful to our citizens, to let
them alone; that as the result of this
policy we recall the acquisition of
Louisiana, Florida, California, and of
the adjacent Mexican territory by pur-
chase alone; and contrast these grand
acquisitions of Democratic statesman
ship with he purchase of Alaska, the
sole fruit OF n Republican administra-
ton of neatly quarter of century.
The Federal Government should care
for and improve the Mississippi River
and other great waterways of the repub-
lie, so as to secure for the interior states
easy and cheap transportation to tide
water.
Under iong period of Democratic
rule and policy our merchant marine
was fast overhking and on the point of
that OF Great Britain.
Under twenty years of Republican
rule and policy our commerce has been
left to British bottoms, and almost has
the American flag been swept off the
high seas.
Instead of the Republican party's
British policy we demand for the people
of the United States an American
policy.
Under Democratic rule and policy
our merchants and sailors, flying the
stars and stripes in every port, success
fully searched out a market for the
varied products of American industry.
Under quarter century of Republi
can rule aud policy, despite our mani
fest advantage over all other nations IN
labor. favorable climates and
teeming soils; de pite FIRE dom Of trade