St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-11

in honest money, the gold and silver coinage of
the constitution, and circulating medium con-
vertible into such money without loss, asserting
the equality of men before the law. We hold
that it is in the duty of the
government in its dealings with the
people to meet out equal and
exact justice to all citizens of whatever nativity,
race, color or persuasion, religious or political.
| We believe in free ballot and and a fair count
and we recall to the memory of the people that
noble struggle of the Democrats in the Forty
| fifth and Forty sixth congress by which Re-
| publican opposition was compelled to assent to
| legislation making every where ilegle the pres
ence of troops at the polls as the conclusive
proof that Democratic administration will pre-
! sent liberty with order. The selection OF fed
era officers for the territory should be presented
to citizens previously resident therein. We OPP
pose sumptuary laws which veX the citizens and
interfere with individual liberty We favor hon
est civil service reform and the comprehension of
all United States officers by fixed salaries.
! The separation of church and state and the diffu
sion of free education by common schools, SO
that every child in the land may be taught the
rights 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 enforcement of ind-
vidual rights against corporate abuses. We hold
| that the welfare of society depends upon a scru-
/ pulous regard for the rights of property as de-
fined by law. We believe that the labor is best
rewarded where it is freest and most enlight-
ened it should therefore be fostered and cher
ished. We favor the repeal of all laws restrict
ing the free action of labor, and the enactment
of laws by which labor or
CARNATIONS NAV 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 rned 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 allowed to fall into the ownership of
| alien absentees.
We are opposed to all propositions which upon
any pretense would convert the general govern
lnent into machine for collecting taxes to be
distributed among the states or the citizens
| thereof.
In reaffirming the declaration of the Demo-
cratic platform of 1856, that the liberal principles
embodied by jefferson in the declaration of in
dependence and sanctioned in the constitution,
which makes ours the land of liberty and the
asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have
ever been the cardinal principles in the Demo-
cratic faith, we nevertheless do not sanction the
Importation of foreign labor, the admission of a
servie race, untitled by habits, training, reli-
! gion 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 importion 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, at home and abroad, and to the end
that this protection may be assured, Uli ed
States papers of naturalization, issued by courts
of competent 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 eff
GENTLY protect all the rights of persons and prop
! erty of every American citizen in foreign lands,
! and demand and enforce full reparation for inva-
sion thereof An American citizen is only re-
sponsible to his own government for any act
| done in his own country, under her flag, and
Can only be tried there on her own soil, and ac-
cordng to her laws, and no power exists in this
| government to eXpatriate an American citizen TO
be tried in any foreign land for any such act.
This country has had well defined and executed
! foreign policy, under Democratic administration.
The policy has ever been, in regard to foreign
nations, so long as they do act detrimental to
the interest of the country, or hurtful to our
citizens, to let them alone. That, the result
of this policy, recall the acquisition of Louis-
! ana, Florida, California and of the adjacent
! Mexican territory by purchase alone, and con-
trast these grand acquisitions of Democratic
| craftsmanship with the purchase of Alaska, the
sole fruit of Republican administration of near
! ly quarter of a century.
The federal government should care for and
improve the Mississippi river, and other great
waterways of the Republic, so as to secure for
the interior states easy and cheap transportation
| to tide water.
Under long period of Democratic rule and
policy our merchant marine was fast overtaking
and on the point of outstripping that of Great
| Britain Under twenty years of Republican rule
and policy our commerce has been left to British
bottoms, and almost has the American flag been
swept of the high seas. Instead of the Repubi-
can party's British policy we demand for the peo-
| pie of the United States an American policy.
i Under Democratic rule and d policy our mer-
chants and sailors flying the stars and stripes in
| every port, successfully searched out a market
for the varied products of American industry.
| Under quarter of a century of Republican
rule and policy, despite our manifest advantage
over all other nations on high paid labor, favor
able climate and teeming soils, despite the free
dom of trade among all states, despite their
| population by the foremost races of men and the
annual immigration of young, thrifty and adven-
turous of all nations, despite our freedom here
! from the inherited burdens of life and industry
| in the old world monarchies, their costly war
navies, their vast tax consuming non producing
standing armies, despite twenty years
| of tpeace, that Republican rule
and policy have managed to surrender TO
Great Britain, along with our commerce, the
control of the markets of the world. Instead OF
the Republican party's British policy, we de-
mend on behalf of the American Democracy an
| American policy.
Instead of the Republican party's discreditcd
| scheme and false pretense of friendship for
American labor expressed by imposing taxes,
we demaud in behalf of the Democracy freedom
| for American labor by reduced taxes to the
end that those of the United States may com
pete with unhindered powers for the primary
among nations in all the arts and fruits of
| liberty.
with profound regret we have been appraised by
the venerable statesmen, through whose person
was struck that blow at the vital principle of q
Republic, the acquiescence in the win OF the
majority that he cannot permit us again to place
in his hands the leadership of the Democratic
hosts, for the reason that the achievement of re-
form in the administration of the federal govern
mentis an undertaking too heavy for his age and
failing strength. Rejoicing that his life has
been prolonged until the general judgment of
cur fellow countrymen is united in the wish that
that wrong righted in his
person, for the Democracy of the United States,
We offer to him on his withdraw
from public cares not only our respectful
sympathy and esteem, but also that best
homage of free men the pledge Of devotion
to the principles and the cause now inseperable
in the history of this Republic from the labors
and the name Of Samuel J. Tiden.
With the statement of the hopes, principles
and purposes of the Democratic party, the great
issue of reform and change in administration. is
submitted to the people in calm confidence that
the popular voice will pronounce in favor of new
men and new and more favorable conditions for
the growth Of industry, the extension of trade
and due reward Of labor and of capital, and the
general welfare of the whole country.
The reading of the platform was concluded at
10 o'clock. 1t was listened to attentively and
with very few interruptions. In fact, none of It's
paragraphs, except that referring to Mr. Tilden,
elected any marked indications of approval.
There was, however slight manifestation of
applause when the reading closed, and Mr. Nor
rison said he would yield now to Gen. Butler