Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-19
POLITICAL.
The Democratic PLATFORM.


older new issues are born OF time and progress
and old issues perish, but the fundamental prin
oples OF the Democracy, approved by the united
voice OF the people, remain, and will ever remain,
as the best and only security for the continuance
Of free government; the preservation Of personal
rights the equality Of all citizens before the law.
the reserved rights Of the States and the su.
premacy Of the Feieral Government within the
limits Of the Constitution, Will ever form the
true basis OF our liberties and can never be sur.
rendered without destroying that balakce oi
rights and powers which enables continent to
be developed in peace and social order and to be
maintained by means OF local self government.
But 1t is Indispensable for the practical applica
ton and enforcement Of these fundamental prin-
ciples that the Government should not always De
controlled by one political party. Frequent
change OF administrator IL as necessary as con.
slant recurrence to the popular will. Otherwise
abuses grew and the Government tinstrumentallty
Is used Tor imposing heavy burdens on the many
who are governed for the benefit OF the few who
govern. Public servants thus become arbitrary
rulers. This is now the condition OF the coun-
try; hence "a change Is demanded.
The Republican party, so far as principle Is
concerned, Is "reminiscences. In practice, 1t Is
an organization for enriching those who control
Its machinery, The frauds and jobbery which
have been brought to 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, have succumbed to its cor
rupting Influence and have placed in nomination
a ticKet against which the Independent portion
OF the party are in open revolt. Therefore O
change Is demanded. Such q change was alike
necessary in 1876, but the will OF the people was
then defeated by fraud which can never be for
gotten or condoned. Again in 1880 the change
demanded by the people was defeated by the
lavish use Of money contributed BY unscrupulous
contractors and shameless jobbers, who had bar
gained for unlawful profits or for high office.
The Republican party. during its legal, II
stolen and its bought enures of power has steadi
ly decayed In moral character and poliecal ca
pacity. Its platform promises are now list Of
its past failures. 1t demands the restoration ol
our navy. 1t has squandered hundreds Of mil
lions to create navy that does not exist. II
calls upon Congress II remove the burdens under
which American shipping has been depressed. II
imposed and has continued those burdens. II
processes preference for free institutions. II
organized and tried to legalize control Of State
elections by Federal troops. 1t Processes q de-
sire to elevate labor 1t has subjected American
workingmen to the competition OF convict and
imported contract labor. 1t Processes gratitude
to all who were disabled or died in the war. leav-
ing widows and orphans 1t left to Democratic
House Of Representatives the first effort to
equilize both bountes and PENSIONS 1t proifer-
ed pledge to correct the Irregularities OF our
tariff 1t created ami has continued them Its
more than 20 per cent reduction. Its Congress
gave reduction of less than per cent 1t pro-
fesses the protection OF Amarican manufacturers.
1t has subjected them to an increasing flood Of
manufactured goods and hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations, not one OF which
taxes raw materials. IL processes to protect all
American industries. 1t has impoverished many
to subsidize few. 1t processes the protection OF
American labor 1t has depleted the returns Of
American agriculture, an industry followed by
h.tf It
citizens before the law. Attempting to fix the
status Of colored citizens, the Acts OF its Con-
gress were overset by tn, decisions OF its courts
Its caught criminals are permitted to escape
through contriyed delays or actual connivance in
the prosecution, Honeycombed with corruption,
outrageous exposures no longer shock its moral
sense. Its honest members and its Independent
journals no longer maintain successful contest
for authority in its connsels or veto on bad
nominations.
That a change is necessary is proved by an ex
listing surplus OF more than 500 600, ,00, which
has yearly been collected from suffering peo-
pie. Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation.
We denounce the Republican party for having
failed to relieve the people from the crushing war
taxes, which have paraiyzed business, crippled
industry and deprived labor OF employment and
OF its Just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify tie Ad-
ministraiion 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 tho faith Of the nation TO
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 a reduction in taxes it is not proposed
to injure any domestic industries, but rather to
promote their healthy growth From the foun-
dation OF this Government, taxes collected at the
customhouse have been the chief source OF Fed
cral revenue, and such they must continue to be.
Moreover, many industries have come to rely up
on legislation for their successful continuance,
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 be limited to the requirements Of an
economical Government. The necessary reduc-
tion in taxation can and must be effected with
out depriying American labor of the ability to
compete successfully with foreign labor. and
without imposing lower rates OF duty than will
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 oil
fower 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 limi-
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 the
internal revenue Isl war tax and SO long aSpthe
law continues the duty derived therefrom should
be sacredly devoted to the relief of the peope
hp a mi rfQ 0f ba nd ha
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 foI
the payment OF sucn pensions as Congress may
from time TO time grant to such soldiers, 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 o.
North Central and South America, but entanginl
alliance with none.
We believe in honest money the gold and sill
yer coinage, and Of the cultivation and crcula
ton Of a mt dium convertible into such money
without loss.
Asserting the equality Of all men before tn,
law, we hold that it is the duty Of the Govern
ment in its dealings with the people to mete oul
equal and exact Justice TO all citizens, Of what
ever nativity, race color or persuasion, religioui
or political
We believe in a free ballot and fair count
and we recall to the memory OF the people th'
noble struggle Of the Democrats In the Forty
fifth and Forty sixth Congresses, by which a re
luctant Republican opposition was compelled tC
assent TO Legislation making everywhere illega
the presence OF troops at the polls, IS the con
elusive proof that Democratic administration
will preserve liberty~ith order
The election Of Federal officers for the Terri
tories should be restricted to citizens previousl,
resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws, which vex the citi
zen and interfere with individual liberty.
We favor honest civil service reform, the com