The Dickinson press., 1884-07-19

seas. II processes a preference for free ii1stitu-
tons; 1t organized and tried to control state
to elevate labor; it has subjected American
working men to the competition of convict and
imported contract labor. It processes gratitude
ing widows and orphans; 1t left to- Democratic
house of representatives the first effort to eaual-
is both h bonnties sn and pensions: II proffers q
1t creates and has continued them. Its own tariff
commission confessed the need of more than 20
tion Of less than 4 per cent. It processes the
protection of American manufacturers; it
has subjected them to an unnecessary flood Of
manufacturing nations, not one of which taxes
raw materials. 1t proposes to protect all Amer
lean industries; 1t has impoverished many to sub
sidize a few. 1t processes the protection Of Amer
lean labor; it has depleted the returns of Ameri-
can agriculture, an industry followed by half
our people; 1t processes the equality of all men
before the law. Attempting to fix the status of
colored citizens, the acts Of its congress were re-
versed by the decisions Of its courts. It accepts
anew the duty of leading in the work of progress
and REFORM; its criminals. are permitted
actual connivance in the prosecution. 1t is reek-
ing with corruption. .Outbreaking exposures no
beers. its journals, no longer maintain a success
full contest for authority in its counsels or a veto
upon bad nominations. That a change is neces-
than 100000 DOC, which has yearly been col
lected from a suffering people. Unnecessary
taxation is unjust taxation. We denounce the
people from the crushing war taxes which have
paralyzed business, crippled industry, and de-
prived labor of employment and just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify the ad-
m1nistration from corruption. to restore econo-
my, to restore respect for law and to reduce tax
alton to the lowest limit consistent with due re-
gard to the preservation of the faith Of the
nation to its creditors and pensioners, knowing
full well, however, that legislation affecting the
nnnnn m hons of rho 1NnnyIn ChNp,l 1n = q
and conservative in method and not in advance
of public opinion but responsive to its demands.
The Democratic party is pledged to revise the
tariff in a spirit OF fairness to all interests.
But in making q reduction in taxes it is not
proposed to injure any domestic industries, but
rather to promote their healthy growth. From
the foundation of the government taxes collected
at the custom house have been the source of
federal revenue. Such they must continue to
upon legislation for successful continuance. SO
that any change of law must be at every step
rregardful of the labor and capital thus involved.
The process of reform must be subject in the
execution to this plain dictate of justice. All
taxation shall be limited to the requirements of
economical government. The necessary reduction
In taxation can and must be effected without de-
prlvlng American labor of the ability to compete
successfully with foreign labor, and without i'm
posing lower rates of duty than will be ample to
cover any increased cost of production which
may exist in consequence Of the higher rate of
wages prevailing in this country. Sufficient
revenue 10 pay expenses Of the federal govern
lCA-
sions, interest and principal of the public debt,
can be, under our present system of taxation
articles, bearing heaviest on articles of luxury,
and bearing lightest on articles of necessity,
We therefore denounce the
ABUSES OF THE EXISTING TARIFF,
and subject to the preceding limitations. we
demand that federal taxation shall be eXcius-
lively for public purposes and shall not exceed
ministered. The system Of direct taxation
known as the internal revenue is . war tax; so
long as the law continues the money derived
therefrom should be devoted to the relief of the
people from the remaining burdens of the war
and be made q fund to defray the expense OF the
care and comfort fo Of worthy soldiers disabled in
the payment of such pensions as congress may
from time to time grant to such soldiers, q like
fund for the sailors having been already pro-
vlded, and any surplus should be paid into the
treasury.
We favor an American continentalp policy based
upon more intimate commercial and political re-
lation with the fifteen sister republics of North,
Central and South America, but entangling al
liances with none.
yer coinage of the constitution, and a circulate
ing medium convertible into such money with
out loss. Asserting the equality of all men be-
fore the law, we hold that 1t is in the duty of
the government in its dealings with the people
to mete out equal and exact Justice to ali citi-
z zfns OF r fMhaseye or n na5itia5Hi' race Ws e Soliav or il pc y .,so
ballot and a fair count, and we recall to
the memory Of the people that noble
oCIuSSlC L ULC DcluuCTuUS Ill UQe tOcCy-uftna and
Forty.siXth congresses, by which a Republican
opposition was compelled to assent to legisla-
lion making everywhere illegal the presence Of
troops at the polls, as the conclusive proof that
democratic administration will present liberty
with order.
THE TERRITORIES.
The selection of federal officers for the terri
tories should be reverted to citizens previously
resident therein. We oppose sumptuary laws
which vex the citizen and interfere with individ-
We favor honest civil service reform and the
compensation of all United States officers by
iixed salaries, the separation of church and
state, and the diffusion of free education by
common schools, SO that every child in the land
may be taught the rights and duties of citizen
ship.
While we favor legislation which will tend to
the equitable distribution of property to the
prevention of monopoly and to the strict en-
forcement OF individuality against corporate
abuses, we hold that the welfare of society de-
ponds upon a scrupulous regard for the rights of
property as defined by law. We believe that the
most enlightened, it should therefore be fos-
tered and cherished. We favor the repeal of all
laws restricting the free action of labor, and the
enactment of laws by which labor organizations
may be incorporated, 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 lands ought. as far
as possible, to be kept as homesteads for actual
settlers; that all uneained lands heretofore
granted to railroad corporations by the act of
the republican party should be restored to the
public domain, and that no more grants of lands
shall be made to corporations or be allowed to
fall into the ownership IF a lien absentees. We
are opposed to all proportions which upon any
pretense would convert the general government
into a machine for collecting taxes to be dis
tributed among the states or the citizens
thereof.
In rcahirming the declaration of the Demo-
cratic platform OF 1856 that the liberal princi-
pies embodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of
Independence and sanctioned in the constitu-
ton, which makes ours the land of liberty and
the asylum of the oppressed of every nation,
which have ever been cardinal principles in the
Democratic faith, we nevertheless do not sanc-
ton the
IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN LABOR
or the admission Of a servile race untitled bv
habits. training religion or kindred for absorption
into the great body of our people, or for the siti-
Zcnship which our laws confer. American CIV
%ilization demands that against the immigration
or importation of Mongolians to these shores
our gates be closed. The Democratic
party insists that the duty Of this
government is to protect with equal
fidelity and vigilance the rights Of its
citizens, native and naturaliZed, home and
abroad, and to the end that this protection may
be assured in the United States, papers of natur-
a%lization issued by courts Of competent jurisdic-
ton must be respected by the executive and
legislative departments of our own government,
and by all foreign powers. 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