The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-07-19


as Will tend to enlighten the people as to the
true relation of capital and labor
LAND GRANTS
We believe that the public land ought as far as
possible TO be kept as homesteads for actual set
tiers that all unearned lands heretofore i'm
provdently granted TO railroad corporations by
the action of the Republican party should be re-
stored to the public domain, and that no more
grants of land shall be made to corporations or
to be allowed to fall into the ownership of alien
Absentees. HiNraa
We are opposed to all propositions which, up
ON any preteXt would convert the General Gov
ernment into machine for collecting taxes to
be distributed among the States or tho citizens
thereof. WT g
In reafIiming the declarations of the Demo-
cratic platform OF 1856, that "the liberal prnci-
Piles embodied by Jefferson In the Declaration of
| Independence and sanctioned in the COnstitu-
/ tion, which make ours the land of liberty and
have ever been cardinafprineip Demo-
| cratic 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
Mongolians to these shores our gates be closed.
FOREIGN POLICY.
| The Democratic party insists that it is the du-
ty of the government to protect with equal tidel-
tive and naturalzed, at home and abroad, and
| to the end that this protection may be assured
| United States papers of naturalization issued by
courts Of competent jurisdiction must be res
| pected by the executive and legislative depart
ments of our own government and by all foreign
powers. 1t is an imperative duty OF this govern
inent to efficiently protect all the rights of per
sons and property OF every American citizen in
! foreign lands and demand and enforce full
reparation for any Invasion thereof. An Ameri-
can citizen is only responsible to his own gov
ernment for any act done in his own country
or under her flag, and can only be tried therefor
ON her own soil and according to her laws, aud
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 never hada well-defined and
| executed foreign policy save under Democratic
administration That policy has ever been in
regard to foreign nations, so long as they do not
act detrimental to the interests the country or
hurtful to our citizens, to let them alone that as
the result of this policy we recall the acquisition
| of Louisiana Florida California and of the ada
| cent Mexican territory by purchase alone and
contrast these grand acquisitions OF Democratic
statesmanship with the purchase of Alaska, the
| sole fruit of Republican administration OF
nearly a quarter of century. H..
Z The Federal Government should care for and
improve the Mississippi river and other. great
waterways of the Republic SO Us TO secure for the
interior States easy and cheap transportation "a
| tidewater, 4aft.ln 4H ~ 4s.s
l..
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 off the high seas. Instead of the Republi
can party's British policy we demand for the
people of the United States an American policy
Under Democratic rule and policy our merchants
and sailors flying the stars and stripes i'll every
| searched n
varied products Of American industry; under q
quarter of II century of Republican rule and pol
| icy, despite our manifest advantages over al
other nations in high paid labor, favorable eli
mates and teeming soils, despite freedom oi
trade among all these United States, despite
their population by the foremost races of men
and an annual immigration Of the Young, thrifty
and adventurous of all nations despite our free
dom here from the inherited burdens of life and
industry in old world monarChics, then costly
war navics, their vast taX-cOnsunlng, non-pro
\ duoing standing armies, despite twenty years o.
peace that Republican rule and policy have
managed to surrender to Great Britain along
with our commerce the control of the market:
of the world.
instead of the Republican party'S British poll
cy we demand in behalf OF the American Dc
mocracy, an American policy. Instead of the
| Republican paTty'S diScrcditcd scheme and false
pretense of friendship for American labor, ex
| pressed by imposing taxes we demand, i'll be
| half of the Democracy freedom for American
United States may compete with unhindcred
/ powers for the primacy among nations In all th'
arts OF peace and fruits of liberty.
TILBEN.
With profound regret We have been appriset
by the venerable statesman through whose per
son was struck that blow ut the vital principle
of Rcpublcs-acquicscenc in the will of tht
majority--that he cannot permit us again t
place in his hands the leadership Of the Demo
cratic hosts for the reason that the achievement
of reform in the administration Of the Fedora
Government is IN undertaking now too heav.
for his age and failing strength. Rejoicing tha
his life has been prolonged until the genera
judgment of our fellow-countrymen is united il
the wish that wrong were righted in his person
for the Democracy of the United States we otte
to him in his withdrawal from public cares no
, only our respectful sympathy and esteem, bu
II also that best homage OF freemen--the pledge 0
our devotion to the principles and the caus
now inseparablo in the history OF the Republi,
, from the labors and the name OF Samuel j. Til
III den. iff l. tf
With this statement of the hopes principle
and purposes of the Democratic party, the grea
, issue of reform and change in administration
submitted to the people in calm confidenc
that the popular voice will pronounce in favo
/ of new men and new and more favorable condi
tions for the growth Of industry the eXtcnsiol
. of trade the employment and due reward of ID
boz and OF capital and the general welfare of tn
whole country.