Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1884-10-08

the pemocrasie PLATFORM.

TlkIltN ana ll1hfIs MuNN tNAii1t NfhHN'NhN
be developed In peace and social order and 70 be
maintained by means Of local self gofeinment.
Hui II Is L. dispeusahle for the practical Apphfa
ton and enforcement o. these fundamental phn-
clples that the Government should not always DC |
controlled by one political party. Frequent /
change Of adminlstratio Is A. necessary NJ con !
stant recurrence 10 the popular will. Otherwise |
abuses grew aud the Government fundamentally
il used Tor imposing heavy burdens on the many |
who are governed Tor the benefit Of the few who |
govern Public saryants.thus become arbitrary
rulers This is nov the condition Of the coun.
try; hence a change Ia demanded.
Tho Republican party, 50 far AZ principle 10
concarned IL "Reminiscences. In practice, IL ~
an organization for cnrichlng those who control
It's machinery, The frauds and jobbcry which
have been broHRht 70 light In every department
Of the Government are sufficient 10 have called
for reform within the Republican party, yet
those IN authority, made reckless by the long
possession Of power, have suceumbed 10 It's COT.
rupting Influence and have placed in nomination
ticket against which the independent portion
OF the party are IN open revolt Therefore a
necessary In 1879, but the will Of the people was
then defeated by fraud which can never be for
gotten OF condoned, Again In 1850 the change
demanded By the people was defeated by the
lavish use OF money contributed bi unscrupuious
contractors and shameless Iobbers, who had bar.
gained for unlawful profits or for high office.
The Republican party, during liz legal, Its
stolen and Its bought tenure- OF power has steahi
~ OtthNel IN moral tnhfitttf anu loNtiAhl I'll
pacity. It's platform promises are now list o.
Its past failures. II demands the restoration OF
our navy. II has squaDdered hundreds OF mil
Hons 10 create navy that does not exist. II
calls upon Congress O remove the burdens under
which American shipping has been depressed. IL
imposed and has continued those burdens. II
processes q preference for free institutions II
organized and tried 10 legalize control OF State
elections by Federal troops II Processes de
sire 10 elevate labor. It has sub jectod American
workingmen 10 the composition Of convict and
imported contract labor. 10 PROCESSES gratitude
TO all who were disabled OF died In the war lcay
Ing widows and orphans. IL left TO Democratic
House Of Representatives the first EFFORT TO
eQu tlize both bounties and pensions. II protfer
ed pledge to correct the irregularities Of our
tarin. II created ana has continued them. Its
own Tartf Commission confessed the need OF
| more than 90 per cent reduction. Its Congress
gave reduction Of less than por cent. II pro.
| fesses the protection OF American manufacturer
| IL has subjected them TO an increasing Hood Of
manufactured goods and hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations, not one OF which
taxes raw materials. II processes TO protect all
American industries. II has impoverished many
| to substitute few II processes the protection of
American labor T. has depleted the returns Of
Am rican agriculture, an industry followed by
half our people. Processes the equality Of all
citizens before the law Attempting 10 lx the
status Of colored citizens, the Acts OF its Con
gress were oyerset by tn decisions Of It's courts.
It's caught criminals are permitted to escape
tnloiHH AHtuhl tDillllNincH III
the prosecution. lIOnoycombei with corruption,
outrageous exposures no longer shock ts moral
sense. Its honest members and 10, independent
| journals no longer maintain a successful contest
| for authority In its cOnnsels or veto on bad
nominations.
That change Is necessary is proved by an ex
isting surplus OF more than 500 000,00n which
has yearly been collected from suffering poo.
pie. Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation.
We denounce the Republican party for having
failed TO relieve the people from the crushing
taxes, which have paraii2l business, crippled
industry and deprived labor Of employment and
| OF It's Just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify tie Ad.
ministraon from corruption, TO restore economy,
TO revive respect for law, and to reduce taxation
| TO the lowest limit consistent with a due regard
70 the preservation OF the faith OF the nation TO
Its creditors and its pensioners knowing full
well, however, that legislation affecting the wei
fare Of the people should be cautious and CON
sentative In method not In advance OF public
opinion. but responsive to its demands.
The Democratic party Is pledged TO revise the
tarii In spirit Of fairness 20 all interests, but
In making reduction In taxes IL is not proposes
to injure any domestic industries, but rather TO
promote their healthy growth From the foun-
dalton of this Government, taxes collected at the
custom house have been the chief source Of Fed.
ernl roveLue, aud such they must continue to be-
Moreover, many industries have come to rely up
on legislation for their successful continuance, 80
that any change Of the law must be at every step
The process OF reform must be subject 10 the exc
cution OF this plain dictate Of justice, Al 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 dcpriying 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 produce
ton 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
tho phblic debt, can be got under our present
system Of taxation from custom house taxes on
Tower imported articles, bearing heaviest on ar
ticlos 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, cconom-
cally administered.
The system Of direct taxation known as the
internal revenue is war tax and SO long as the
law continues the duty derived therefrom should
he sacredy devoted TO the relief of the people
from the remaining burdens Of the war and be
made a fund TO dcfray the expense of the care
and comfort OF worthy soldiers disabled In the
line OF duty in the wars Of the republic and for
the payment of sucn PEI sions 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 of
North, Central and South America hut entangng
alliance with none
We believe in honest money, the gold and sill.
yer coinage, and OF the cultivation and clrcula
tion OF IN dium convertible into such money,
without loss.
Asserting the equality OF all men before the
law, we hold that ii is the duty OF the Govern
mont in its dealings with the people 10 mote out
equal and exact justice to all citizens, Of what.
ever nativity, race, color or persuasion, religious
OF political
We believe in free ballot and fair count
and We recall to the memory OF the people the
noble struggle of the Democrats in the Forty
NTH and Forty sixth Congresses, by which a re
luctant Republican opposition was compelled to
assent to legislation making everywhere illegal
the presence OF troops at the polls, 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 oppose sumptuary laws which vex 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
so that every child in the land may be tau ut the
-hts and duties Of citizenship.
While We favor all legislation which will tend
Va
prevention OF monopoly and TO the strict en-
forcement Of individual r. ,hts against corporate
abuses, We mold that the welfare OF society de
ponds on a scrupnlous regard for the rights OF
property rs defined by law. We believe that Ia.
Dor is best rewarded whore it is freest and 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 be increased
and of all such legislation will tend to en-
tighten the people as to the true relations OF
capital and labor
Webelieve that the public lands ought. as far
rs possible, to be kept AS homesteads tor actual
settlers; that all uncarned lands heretofore i'm
proyidently granted 10 railroad corporations by
the action OF the Repub lean party should be
restored to the public domain and no more
grants shall be made to corporations, or be allow
ed to fall into the ownership Of alien absentees |
We are opposed to all propositions which, up.
on any preteNt, would convert the general Coy |
eminent into a machine foI the collection OF tax |
es to be distributed amoug the States or the cit
thereof
In effect the declaration of the Democratic plat
form of 1856 that "1ht liberal principle am-
bodied by jefferson in the Declaration Of indie |
pendence and sanctioned in the Constitution.
which make ours the land OF liberty and the asy-
lum of the oppressed OF every nation, have ever
been the cardinal principles in the Democratic !
faith. We, nevertheless, do not sanction the i'm !
portation Of foreign labor the admission Of !
ser'le races, untitled by habits training, reig |
on or kindred for absorption into the great d, !
OF our people. or for the citizenship which our |
laws confer. American civilization demands |
that against the immigration or importation OF
Mongolians TO these shores our gates be closed |
The Democratic party insists that II is the
duty Of the Government 20 protect with equal
fidelity and vigilance the rights OF its citizens
native and naturalizetl-at home and abroad |
and TO the end that this protection may be as
sured the United States papers OF naturalization,
issued by courts OF competent jurisdiction must
be respected by the eNccu i've and legislative de
partments of our own Government and by all
foreign Powers.
II is the imperative duty Of this government
to efficiently protect all the rights OF her sons
and the property OF every American citizen in
foreign lands and demand aud enforce full repar-
alton for any invasion thereof An American
citizen is only responsible 10 his own govern
mcnt for any act done In his county or under
her flag and laws, and can only he tried therefor
on her own soil and according to her laws. and |
M. III.