Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-12
POLITICAL.
The Denocratic Plasrerm.


the Democratic party OF the Union. through
Its representatives In National Convention as
ssmbled, recognizes that rs the nation grows
older new issues are born Of time and progress
and old issues perish. but the fundamental prin
ciplss Of the democracy, approved by the united
voice Of the people, remain, and will ever remain,
rs the best and only security for the continuance
Of free government; the preservation Of personal
rights the equality Of all cltixens before the law
the reserved rights Of the States and the s,'-
premacy Of the FeierHl Government within the
limits Of the Constitution. Will sser iosln sns
rendered without destroying that balaRce Of
rirhts and powers which enables contirent 70
be developed In peace and social order and 70 DC
maintained hy means Of LEGAL sen eoyeann snt
ton and sniofcsment 0i these fundamental prin-
cipIes that the Government should not always DO
controlled by Que political party. Frequent
change Of administration 4 is - necessary as con-
abuses grew and the 0overnr ent fundamentally
Is used for imposing heavy burdens on the many
who are governed for the benefit a the few who
govern. Public servants thus become arbitrary
rulers This Ia now the condition Of the ooun-
try; hence change 10 demanded.
The Republican party, 90 far As principle 70
concerned, is remiDiscence In practice, IL 10
an organization for enriching those who control
its machinery, The frauds and jobbery which
have been brought 70 light in every department.
OF the Government are SUFFICIENT TO have called
for reform within the Republican party. yet
those In authority, msde reckless BY the long
possession OF power, h,.ve succumbed to Its cor.
Fuptlng influence and have placed In nsmination
. ticset against which the independent portion
chan ,e i demanded. Such : change was alike
n cessary In 1875, but the will of the people was
then defeated by q fraud which can never be for
gotten or condoned. Again In 1880 the change
demanded BY the people was defeated BY the
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
ly decayed In moral character and poficical ca
pacity. Its platform promises are now list o.
IL past failures. II demands the restorxtion Of
our navy. II has squandered hundreds Of mil.
lions 10 create . navy that does not exist. II
cslls upon Congress 81 remove the burdens undss
which American shipping has been depressed II
imposed and has continred those burdens. u
processes preference for free institutions. II
organized aud tried to legalze control OF State
elections by FEDERAL troops. 1t processes de-
sire 10 elevate labor. 1t hes subjected American
workingmen to the competition Of convict and
imported contract labor. It proieses gratitude
to all who were disabled or died in the war. ieav.
ing widows and orphans. It left TO Democratic
House Of Representatives the frst effort "a
equslize both bounties and pensions II proffer
ed pledge 70 correct the irregularities of ouI
tariff. II created ana has continued them. ltz
own Tariff Commission confessed the need oi
NOR than 20 per cent. reduction. Its Congress
We reduction OF less than per cent II pro
fes-es the protection OF Amarican manufacturers.
II has subjected them 70 an increasing food Of
manufactured goods and hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations. not one Of which
taxes raw materials Il processes to protect oil
American indu5tries 1t has impoverished many
to subsdize . few. It Processes the protection Of
American labor II has depleted the returns oi
half our people. IL profeDes the equality Of al
citizous before the law. Attempting TO hx the
status Of colored citizens, the Acts Of it, Con
gress were overst BY th. decisions Of It's courts.
It's caught criminals are permitted 70 escape
through contrived delays CT actual connivance Il
tho prosecution, Honeycombed with corruption
outrageous exposures no longer shock Its mora
sense. Its honest members and it, indepenien
journals no longer maintain . successful contes
TOR authority In it, connseis or veto on baf
nominations.
That chssge is necessary is proved BY an ex
isting surplus OF more than S1tU, 900 00', which
has yearly been collected from suffering peo
pie. Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation
We denounce the Republican party for having
failed 70 relieve the people from the crushing wal
taxes, which have parafy xed business, crippled
industry and deprived labor Of employment and
OF It's Just reward.
Aut Ari2uIfaGy titNAkc1 it9ou 70 purify tfo ho
ministrAiion from corruption, to restore economy
70 revive respect for law. and TO reduce taxation
TO the lowest limit consistent with due regard
TO the preservation Of tho faith Of the nation "a
Its creditors and its pensioners. knowing full
well. however. that legislhtion affecting the vel
fare Of tho people should be cautious and COP
servative In method, not In advance Of public
opinion. but responsive TO its demands
The Democr.tic party Is pledged 10 revise the
tArih In spirit Of fairness 10 all interests, but
In l.
injure any domestic industries. but rather u
promote their healthy growth From the foun-
dztion OF this G0verninent. taxes collected ct the
c1stom house ha, Q been the chief source Of Fed.
eral revet ue, and such they must continue to be.
Moreover. many Industries have come TO rely up
on legislation for their successful continuance, 20
that any change Of tho law must be at every step
rexardful Of the labor and capital thus involved.
The process Of reform must be su bjeet to tho
cufion Of this plain dictate Of justice, All 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 dephying American labor Of the ability TO
crmpete successfully with foreign labor, and
without Imposing lower rates Of duty than will
be smpis to cover any increased cost Of produc-
tion which may exist In consequences Of the
higher rate Of wages prevailing In this country.
Sufficient revenue to pay all the expenses Of tho
Federal Government. economically administered,
including pensions and interest and principal Of
system Of taxation from custom house taxes on
fewer importcd articles, bearing heaviest on ar
ticies 81 luxury and bearing hghfest on articles
OF necessity. We therefore denounce the abuses
OF the exls ing tariff and subject to these limi-
tstions. we demand that Fedora taxation shall
be exclusively for public purposes and shall not
exce-d the needs Of the Government, economi.
CO ly administered.
The system Of direct taxation known Is the
internal revenue Is war tax and 80 long as the
Law continues the duty derived therefrom should
be sacredly devoted to the relief Of the people
from the remaining burdens OF the war and be
made a fund 70 defrAy the expense Of the care
aud comfort OF worthy soldiers disabled In the
line Of duty in the wars Of the republic and for
the payment Of sucn pensions as Congress may
from time TO time grant 10 such soldiers, q like
FUND for the sailors having been already provid-
ed, and any surplus should be paid into tho
Treasury.
We favor an American continental policy.
based on more intimate commercial and politiosi
relations with the fifteen sister republics Of
North. Central and South America, but entanginQ
alliance with nome
We believe In honest money, the gold and sill
yer coinage, and Of the cultivation and circula-
ton Of . M dium convertible into such money,
without loss.
Asserting the equality Of all men before the
law. We hold that It is the duty Of the Govern
ment in Its dealings with the people to metc out
ever nativity. race, color or persuasion religious
or political
We believe In free ballot and q fair count
and we recall TO the memory OF the people the
noble struggle OF the Democrats In the Forty
ifth and torty.sixth Congresses. by which q re.
luctAnt Republican opposition was compelled 10
Aasent TO legislation making everywhere illegal