The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-07-19

"a my MI the expenses Of the Federal GOV.
eminent economically administered, III
Gliding pensions, interest and principal oi
the public debt, can he got, under our pres
emf system of taxation, from custom-house
taxes on fewer imported articles of luxury
and hearing heaviest on articles of luxury
and hearing liphtest on articles of neces
sitv We therefore denounce the abuses
of the existing tariff, and, subject to the
nrocedinr limitations, we demand that
Federal taxation shall be exclusively for
nublic purposes and shall not exceed the
needs Of the Government economically au'
minis,ered The system Of direct taxation
known MS the "internal revenues Is war
tax and, 50 long rs the law continues tne
money levied therefrom should be SacredlY
devoted To the relief OF the people from
the remaining burdens of the war ana De
made fund to defray the expenses OF ule
care and comfort of worthy soldiers dlsa-
bled in line of duty in the wars OF me re
public, and for the payment OF such pen
siOns as congress may IRON ulle 10 lilhe
rrant To such soldiers like iund Tor the
sailors having been already proVlded,,n,ahu
any surplus should be paid into the treas
ury. ,,;,,,
We favor an American continental policy
based upon more intimate Commerclal anu
political relations with the hiteen sister re-
publics of North, Central and South Amer
len but entangling alliances with none. we
believe in honest money, the gold ana sli'
yer coinage of the constitution, ana CIR
culating medium convertible into such
money without loss. Asserting the eIual,
ity of all men before the law, we hold tlia'
il is the duty of the Government In us
dealings with the people to mete out equil
and exact Justice TO all citizens, OF WHAT
ever nativity, race, color or persuasion, re-
licious or politiCal We believe in Tree
ballot and fair count, and we recall to the
memory of the people the noble struggle
of the Democrats in the Forty fifth ana
Forty-siy congresses by which reluctant
RepiIblcan opposition was compelled 10
assent to legislation making everywhere
ILLEGAL the presence of troops at the polls,
ms the conclusive proof that Democratic
Administration will preserve liberty with
order The selection of Federal officers
for the Territories should be restricted to
citizens previously resident therein
HONEST CIVIIrsERvICE REFORM.
We oppose sumptuary laws which VeX
the citizen and interfere with Individual
liberty; we favor honest ciVil.servlce re,
form, and the compensation OF all United
States officers by fixed salaries; the separa-
ton of church and state, and the dlfftision
of free education by common schools, So
that every child in the land may be taught
the rights and duties of citizenship Whlle
we favor all legislation which will tend toI
the equitable distribution of property, toI
the prevention of monopoly and TO the
strict enforcement of individual rights
against corporate abuses, we hold that the
welfare of society depends upon a scrupu
lous regard for the rights of property as
defined by law
PROTECTION TO LABOR.
We believe that labor is best rewarded
where il Is freest and most enlightened IT
should therefore be fostered 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
MS will tend to enlighten the people as TO
the true relations of capital and labor. We
believe that the public land ought as far
rs possible, to be kept as homesteads for
actual settlers; that all unearned lands
heretofore improvidently granted to rail
road corporations by the action of the Re
publican party should be restored to the
public domain, and that no more grants OF
land shall be made to corporations or be
allowed to fall into the ownership OF alien
absentees. We are opposed to all PROPOSE
tons which upon any preteN would con
vert the general government intoa machine
for collecting taxes to be distributed among
the states or the citizens thereof
OPPOSED TO IMPORTED PAuPER LABOR.
In reaflirming the declaration of the
Democratic platform of 1896, that the lib
eral principles embodied by Jefferson in
the Declaration of Independence and sane
toned in the constitution which makes
ours the land of liberty and the asylum OF
the oppressed of every nation, have ever
been cardinal principles in the Democratic
faith, we nevertheless do not sanction the
importation of foreign labor or the admis-
sion of servile 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 demands that against
the immigration or importation OF Mongo
| lians to these shores our gates be closed.
The Democratic party insists that it is the
duty of this Government to protect with
equal fidelity and vigilance the rights of
| its citizens, native and naturalized, at home
and abroad, and to the end that this protec-
ton may be assured, United States papers
of naturalization issued by courts of com
petent jurisdiction 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 de
mand and enforce full reparation for any
invasion thereof, An American citizen Is
only responsible to his own Government
for any act done in his own country or un
der her flag, and can only be tried therefor
on her own soil and according TO her laws
and no power exists in this Government &c
expatrate an American citizen to he tried
in any foreign land for any such act This
country has never had "a well-detined and
executed foreign policy save under Demo
cratic administration. That policy has evel
been, in regard to foreign nations, so lone
as they do not net detrimental To the inter
ests of the country or hurtful TO our citi
zens 10 let them alone; that rs the resul