Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-10-04
POLITICAL.
The Democratic PLATFORM.

OF Tree government the pressffhtioh " PEs"hai
rights, the equality OF all citizens before the law
the reserved rights OF the States and the su-
premacy of the Federal Government within the
limits Of the Constitution, VIII ever form tine
true basis OF our liberties and can never be sur.
rendered without destroying that balsHee OF
rights and powers which enables continent to
be developed In peace and social order and to be
maintained by means OF local sell government.
But it is IL dispensable for the practical applica
ton and enforcement Of these fundamental pnn.
ciples that the Government should not always be
controlled by Que political party. Frequent
change OF administration Is as necessary as con-
slant recurrence TO the popular will. Otherwise
abuses grew and the Government fundamentally
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 change Is demanded.
The Republican party, 30 far as principle is
concerned, Is reminiscehce. In practice IL 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 vet
those in authority, made reckless by the long
possession OF power, have succumbed to its cor.
ruptng influence and have placed in nomination
ticxet against which the Independent portion
Of the party are In open revolt Therefore q
change Is demanded. Such 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, Its
stolen and Its bought tenures Of power, has stsadi
y decsyed in moral character and policical ca
pacity. Its platform promises are now q list OF
its past failures. 1t demands the restoration Of
our navy. 1t has squandered hundreds Of mil
lions TO create a navy that does not exist. II
calls upon Congress remove the burdens under
which American shipping has been depressed 1t
imposed and has continued those burdens. IL
processes preference for free Institutions. II
organized and tried to legalize control OF State
elections by Federal troops 1t processes . Do
sire to elevate labor. 1t has subjected American
workiDymen to the competition OF convict and
imported contract labor. 1t processes gratitude
10 all who were disabled or died In the war. leay
Ing widows and orphans. 1t LETT 10 Deinocfauc
House Of Representatives the first effort to
equalize both bountes and pensions. IL profer
ed pledge to correct the irregularities OF our
tariff II created am has continued them. Its
own Tariff Commission confessed the need OF
more than 20 per cent. reduction. Its Congress
gave a reduction OF less than per cent. IL pro-
fesscs the protection Of American manufacturers
It has bjected 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 has depleted the returns OF
Am -rican sgricultur.. an industry followed by
half our people. processes the equality Of all
citizens before the law. Attempting to fix the
status Of colored citizens, the Acts OF its Con.
gress were overset BY thu decisions Of its courts.
Its caught criminals are permitted to escape
through contrived delays CT actual connvance In
the prosecution. Honeycombed with corruption
outrageous exposures no longer shock its moral
sense. lts honest members and its independent
journals no longer maintain successful contest
Tor authority in its connsels or veto on bad
nominations.
That a change Is necessary is proved by an ek.
listing surplus Of more than 500, 00O, 00u, 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 parayzed business. crippled
industry and deprived labor OF employment and
OF its Just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify tie Ad-
minisraiion 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 the faith Of the nation to
its creditors and its pensioners, knowing full
well, however, that legislation affecting the vel.
fare Of the people should be cautious and con-
sentative In method, not in advance OF public
opinion. but responsive to its demands.
The Democr. tic party is pledged to revise the
tariff in spirit of fairness TO all interests. but
In making reduction in taxes 1t Is not 3ed
to injure any domestic industries, but rather to
promote their healthy growth From the foun-
dation OF this Government, taxes collected at the
custom-h house have been the chief source Of Fed
eral reyet ue, 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-
ton 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 produo-
ton which may exist la 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 present
system OF taxation from custom house taxes on
fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest
ticles Of luxury and bearing lightest articles
OF necessity. We therefore denounce the abuses
Of the exs ing tariff. and, subject to these lim-
tations, we demand that Federal taxation shall
be exclusively for public purposes and shall not
exceed the needs OF the Government economi-
cslly administered.
The system Of direct taxation known as the
internal revenue is war tax and so long the
law continues the duty derived therefrom should
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 the
line OF duty In the wars OF the republic and fer
the payment Of sucn PEI sions as Congress may
from time TO time grant to such soldiers, q like
fund for the sailors having been already proyid-
cd, 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 OF
North. Central and South America, but ENHANCING
alliance with lone.
We believe In honest money, the gold and sill
yer coinage, and OF the cultivation and circuls-
ton Of a M dium convertible into such money,
without loss.
Asserting the equality Of all rnen before the
law, We hold that IL is the duty OF the Govern
ment in It's dealings with the people to mete out
equal and exact justice TO all citizens, Of what
ever nativity race. color or persuasion, religious
or political
We believe in a free ballot and a fair count
and we recall to the memory OF the people the
noble struggle Of the Democrats in the Forty
fifth and forty sixth Congresses, by which re-
luctant Republican opposition was compelled to
assent to legislation making everywhere Illegal
the presence Of troops at the polls. S the con-
elusive proof that Democratic administration
will preserve liberty with order.
The election OF Federal officers for the Terri
tories should be restricted to citizens previously
resident therein.
we Oppoft runlpSuArN laws, WHICH NeA the Clti-
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 schools,
so that every child in the land may be taught the
ri. hts and duties OF citizenship.
While We favor all legislation which will tend
TO the equitable distribution OF property, to the
prevention OF monopoly and to the strict en-
forcement OF individual ri ,hts against corporate
hat he uAtf Of .pfsfN do
penis on scrupnlous regard for the rights OF
property as defined by law. We believe that la
Dor Is best rewarded who're it is freest and most
enlightened. IL 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 NAV be increa ed
and OF all such legislation a will tend 10 en-
hghten ire people AS 70 the true relations Of
capital and labor.
We believe that the public lands ought. AZ far
as possible, TO be kept as homesteads for actual
settlers. that all unearned lands heretofore i'm
providently granted 70 railroad corporations nv
the action OF the Repub loan party, should be
restored To the public domain and no more
grants shall be made to corporations or be allow.
cd TO fall into the Ownership OF alien absenteos
We are opposed to all proportions which, up
M any pretext, would convert the general Gov.
eminent into a machine for the collection of tax.
Is to be distributed smoug the States or the cti.
zens thereof.
In effect the declaration of the Democratic plat
form OF 1855 that The liberal principle en-.
bodied by jefferson in the Declaration OF hide
pendence and sanctioned in the Constitution,
which make ours the land Of liberty and the asy.
lum OF the oppressed Of every natl 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
setviIe races, untitled by habits. training religi.
on or kindred, for absorption into the great body
OF our people. or for the citizenship which our
laws confer American civilization demands
that atruinat tha mn imnOrtaffOu NJ
Mongolians TO these shores cur gates be closed.
The Democratic party insists that it Is the
duty OF the Government to protect with equal
fidelity and vigilance the rights Of its citizens-
native and naturaliKcd-at home and abroad.
aud to the end that this protection may be as.
sured, the United States papers OF naturalization,
issued by courts OF COM etent jurisdiction, must
he respected by the executive and legislative de
partments OF our own Government and by all
foreign Powers
IL Ia tho tIxc dIitr ni thia