Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-07-17
The Democratic PLATFORM.

Of the Democratic Platform adopted by
the National Convention ut Chicago.
July 10, 1884, synopsis Of which was
received by telegraph aud published In
the HERALD Of July llth:
The Democratic party OF the Union, through
It's representatives In National Convention
semblod recognizes that as the nation grows
Older new issues aIo born oi time and progress
ant old issue, perish, but the fundamental p In
dples OF the Democracy, approved by the united
voice Of the people, remain, aud III ever remain
as the hest and only security for the continuance
OF iroc government, the preset yation Of persoBal
rights tho equaiity Of all citizens before the law
the reserved rights VI the States and the sn-
preniacy Of the Re enl Government with n the
limits Of the Constitution, q III ever form the
true basis Of our liberties aud can ne,er be sur
rendl red without destroying that balabee oi
ri lhts Anl poAtrs which enables continent to
he developed In peace aud social order and TO be
maint ,inCd by means Ot LEGAL self government.
bat IL 4. { ~ ipesable ior the pratt cal applics
ton and enforcement % these fundamental prin-
ciplrs that the Government should not always ne
controlled by one Jolitic.l party. Frequent
change Of adpihistratioi I. NJ necessary M con
slant recurrence u the popular viii. Othern lao
abuses graw aud the Government instf,iinentality
il used Tor imposing heavy burdens on the many
who are Y Jverned Tor the benefit ~ the few who
govern Pubii servants thus become arbitrary
rilefs, This is now the condition OF the cOnn-
try: hence u change Is demanded.
The Republican party, 50 far rs principle Is
concerned, isa "reminiscences. In practice, ID Is
an organization for unichiug those who control
lts machinery, The frauds and j1btery which
have been brought TO light In every department.
OF the Government ara sufficient TO have called
for reform within the Republican party. yet
those In authority, made reckless by the long
pos session Of power, have suecumbrd to Its cor
rupting influence and have placed In nomination
a ticset against which the Independent portion
of the party are In open revolt. Therefore n
change u demanded. sucI charge was alike
necessary In 1875, but the will u the people was
then defeated by fraud which can never be for
gotten OF conloned Again In 1880 thu change
demanded by tho people was defeated by the
lavish use Of m anry contributed by unscfu1ul 'tis
contractors aud shameless jobbers who had bar
gained for u lawful profits or Tor high oiiire,
Tho Republican party, during IT. legal, IT,
stolen and Its b iugh tenurcs Of power has stqadi
" duciyed In moral character and policicai ga.
pacity. Its platform promises are now a list o,
its past failures. II demands the ie,torstion of
our navy II has squindrred hundreds Of mil
lions to create q navy that does not exist. IL
calls upon Congress remove the burdens under
which Anne lean shipping has been depro, sed. lt
imposed and has continued those burdens. II
Processes a preference for free institutions. u
organized and tried to legal2e control Of state
elections by FEDERAL troops. II processes de-
.irc to elevate labor. II has subjected American
imported contract labor. II PROCESSES gr,titude
10 all who were dis ,blei or died In the war. lcaN
ing widows and orphans. II left to Democratic
House OF Representatives tho first effort TO
equ ilize both bounties and pensions II profer
ed pledge to correct the Irregularities IT our
tariif. It created AM has continued them. Its
own Tariff tonimis ion comics, cd the need OF
more than 70 per cent. reduction. lt4 Congress
save a reduction Of less than 4 per cent. IL pro.
fes>es the protection Of Amarican manufacturers.
II has subjected them to nh increasing flood Of
manufactured goods and a hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations, not one OF which
take, raw mltcrim l. processes to prot ct all
Am RIGA indu itries II has impoyeti he'd many
to subsdize a few. II processes The protection OF
American labor l. has depleted the returis of
Am rican agriculture, an industry followed by
half cur people. II proft sses the equality uf all
citizens before the law Attempting to FIX the
status Of col1rcd citizens, the Acts OF its Con.
sress were overset by th, decisions Of its courts
It's caught Grim mails are permitted to esctps
through contrived delays CT actual conEivance IN
the prosecution Honey conbed with corruption,
outrageous exposures no longer shock its moral
sense. Its honest members aud 1t. Independent
journals no longer maintain n successful contest
tor authority In Its eonnsels or veto on bad
nominal iona.
That change is necessary is proved by an ex
listing surplus of more than sluO, 900 no., which
has yearly been collected from a suffering PEG.
pie. Unnecessary taxation IL unjust taxation.
We denounre the Repu ,can party for having
fti cd to relieve the people from the crulhing war
taxes, which have paraiy zei business, crippled
industry and deprived labor Of employment aud
Of its just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself purity TIE Adj.
ministraiion from criuptiOD, To restore economy
to revive resp,c ct for law. and TO reduce taxation
to the lowest limit consistent with due regard
TO the preservation OF the faith Of The nation 10
its creditors and Its pensioners knowing full
we'll however. that legislation affecting the wei.
fare OF the people should be cautious aud con
serv, ti,o In method. not in advance OF public
opinion, but responsive to its demands.
The Democratic party is pledged to revise the
taIin IN spirit of fairness to all interests hut
in making reduction in taxes IL is not propu sd
to injure any domestic indu,trie', but rather to
promote their healthy growth from the FUN.
ation Of this G0verumt Mt taxes collected at the
custom house ha been the chef source OF Ed.
oral reve ne, and such they must continue to be.
Moreover, many industries have come to rely up
ON legislation Tor their successful continuance, 20
that aHy change Of the law must be at every step
regar,lfu 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
ton shall be limited to the requirements # an
economical Government. The necessary reduc
ti0n In tsxltion can and must he effected with
out depryinI American labor of the ability u
compete successfully with foreign lab z, and
without imposing lower rates of duty than will
bs ample to cover any increased cost q produc-
ton which may exist IN cou 'equenCe OF the
higher rate OF w,res prevailing In this country
sufficient revenue to ply all the expenses Of the
Federal Government, economic lilly adminstsrnl
including pensions AMI interest and principal Of
the pbbic debt can he got under our present
system Of taxation from custonlh house taxes on
fewer i'm ,orte articles, bearing heaviest on ar
tic es Of luxury and bearing lghtest on article.
OF necessity. We therefore denounce the abuse.
OF the eXis ing tariff AMI subject to these limi
titons, we demand that Federal taxation shall
be eNelusiyely for public purposes sni shah not
exceed the needs of the Government, economi.
caly administered.
The system OF direct taxation known as tho
internal revenue Is a war tax and = long as the
law continues the duty derived therefrom should
be sacredly devoted to the lief Of the people
from the remaining burdens of the war and Ia
made a fund to 'efray the expense 81 the care
aud comfort OF worthy ,oldiers disabled in the
tine of duty in the wars OF the republic and for
che payment OF su1n pc sions ss Congress may
from time TO time grant to such soldiers, n like
fund for the sailors having been already proyid-
ed, and any surplus should be paid into the
Treasury
We favor an American continental policy,
based on more intimate commercial AMI political
relations with the fifteen sister republics OF
North. Central and South America, but ENHANCING
alliance with hone.
We believe in honest money, the goll and sil.
yer coinage, and Of the cultivation and rcull.
ton of M dium convertible into such money,
without loss
Asserting the equality Of all men before the
law, We HOlu tuNt " u tnt untN OF inc Govern.
ment in its dealings with the people to mete out
equal and exact Justice to all citizens, OF what
ever nativity, race color or persuasion, rclig iUus
or political
We believe in a free ballot and fair count
and we recall to the memory OF the people the
noble struggle Of the Democrats in the Forty.
dfth and forty-six,h Congresses, by which re-
luctant Republican opposition compelled to
assent to legislation making everywhere Illegal
the presence of troops at the lolls, the con
hat ~. Nf,.t, raNs
will preserve liberty with order
Tue election Of Federal officers for the Terri.
tories should be restricted TO citizens previously
resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which veN the citi.
zen and Interfere with individual liberty.
We favor honest civil service reform, the COM
pensation OF all United States officers by fixed
salaries, the SEPARATION Of Church and State and
the diffusion of free education by common scho Is,
that every child in the land may be tau hit the
ri. hts and duties Of citizenship
While we favor all legislation which will tend
to the equitable distribution OF property, to tho
prevention of monopoly and to the strict en-.
t0rcemant of iniiVidual rights against corporate
abuses, We hold that the welfare Of society de.
ponds on a tcrupulous regard f,r the rights Of
property as defined by law. We believe that Ia
Dor is best rewarded whore 1t is ircest AMI most
enlightened, II should be fostered and cherish.
ed. We favor the repeal Of all laws restoring the
free action OF labor and the enactment of laws
by which labor organizations may he incress ed
and of all such legislation as will tend to en-
tighten the people as to the true rotations OF
capital and labor.
We believe that the public lands ought, as far
as possible, to be kept Ms homestesds for actual
settlers; that all unearncd lands heretofore i'm.
proyidently granted 10 railroad corp srations nv
the action OF the Repub lean party, should be
restored TO the public domain and no more
grants shall be made 10 corporations or be al ow.
ed to fall into tho Ownership Of alien ahse ntoes.
We are opposed to all propositions which, up.
on auy preteXt, would convert the general Gov.
ernmeIt into a machine ioi the collection OF tax.
es to be distributed among the States or the ciii-
zens thereof.
In sffect the declaration OF the Democratic plat
form of 1856 that The liberal principles en-
bodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of Indie.
pcndenco and sanctioned in tue Constitution
which make ours the land OF liberty and the asy-
lnm OF the oppressed Of every natl m, have ever
been the cardinal principles In the Democratic
| faith We, nevertheless, do not sanction the i'm.
| portation OF foreign labor or the admission Of
serNle races, untitled by habits training. religi-
on or kindred, for absorption into the great dy
| OF our people, or for the citizenship which our
laws confer. American civilization demand.
| that against the immigration OF importation Of
lam "a shaaa che