Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-08-15
POLITICAL.
The pemeern,ie platrerm.

Its representatives in National Convention as
seInbied, recognizes that as the nation grows
older new issues are born Of time and progress
and old issues perish, but the fundamental prin
ciples OF the Democracy, approved by the united
voice OF the people, main, and will ever remain,
as the best and only security for the continuance
OF free government: the preservation OF personal
rights the equality OF all citizens before the law
the reserved rights OF the States and the SUI
premacy OF the FeIerai Government within the
limits Of the Constitution, will ever form the
true basis of our liberties and can never be sur
rendered without destroying that balaRce Of
fights and powers which enables a continent to
pe developed In peace and social order and to be
maintained by means OF LEGAL self government
But II Is L. dispensabe for the practical applica
tion and enforcement o. these fundamental prin-
ciples that the Government should not always be
controlled by one political party. Frequent
change OF administrator Is as necessary as con-
slant recurrence to the popular will Otherwise
abuses grew and the Government tinstrumentalty
Is used Tor imposing heavy burdens on the many
who are governed for the beneft Of the few who
govern. Public servants thus become arbitrary
rulers. This IL now the condition OF the coui-
try; hence a change Is demanded.
The Republican party, so far as principle 10
concerned, Is . reminiscence. In practice, 1t ~
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 tho Republican party, yet
those In authority, msde reckless by the long
possession Of power, have succumbed to Its cor
rupting Influence and have placed In nomination
tickct against which the independent portion
OF the party are in open revolt. Therefore a
change is demanded. Such change was alike
necessary in 1873, but the will Of the people was
then defeated by fraud which can never be TOR.
gotten or condoi,ed Again in 1880 the change
demanded by the people was defeated by the
lavish use Of money contributed By unscru rulous
contractors and shameless jobbers, who had bar
gained for unlawful profits or for high office.
The Republican party, during it's legal, its
stolen and its bought tenures Of power, has steadi
| ly decsyed In moral character and policical ca.
pacity. Its platform promises are now list OF
Its past failures. II demands the restoration OF
our navy. 1t has squandered hundreds Of mil
| lions to create navy that does not exist. 1t
| calls upon Congress t remove the burdens under
which Anne lean shipping has been depressed. 1t
| imposed and has continued those Burdens. 1t
| processes preference for free institutions. 1t
organized and tried to legalize control Of State
| elections by Federal troops. 1t Processes de-
sire to elevate labor. 1t has subjected American
workngmen to the competition OF convict and
imported contract labor. 1t processes gratitude
| to all who were disabled or died In the war leav
| ing widows and orphans. II left TO Democratic
House of Representatives the first effort to
~1s.--ii-s botn bountics aud pe'isioiis II proHer
| ed pledge TO correct the Irregularities OF our
| tariff II created am has continued them. Its
more than 20 per cent reduction. Its Congress
gave a reduction Of less than per cent 1t pro-
fes-es the protection of Amarican manufacturers.
1t has subjected 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. II has impoverished many
to subsidize few. Ii processes the protection OF
American labor 1t has depleted the returns Of
American agriculture, an industry followed by
half our people. II professes 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 tn, decisions of its courts
Its caught criminals are permitted TO escape
through tontrived delays CT actual connvance In
the prosecution. Honeycombed with corruption,
outrageous exposures no longer shock Its moral
sense. Its honest members and its Independent
journals no longer maintain a successful contest
Tor authority In Its connsels or n veto on bad
nominations.
That change Is necessary Is proved by an ex
isting surplus OF more than 500, 900, ,00', 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 paraiyzed business, crippled
industry and deprived labor Of employment and
Of its just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purity tie Ad
ministraiion from corruption, to restore economy
to revive respect for law, and to reduce taxation
to the lowest limit consistent with due regard
10 the preservation of tho faith Of the nation to
its creditors and its pensioners, knowing full
we'll, however, that Legislation affecting the well
fare of the people should be cautious and con-
serystive In method, not in advance Of public
opinion. but responsive to its demands.
The Democratic party Is pledged to revise the
tariff In spirit OF fairness to all interests, but
In making reduction in taxes 1t Is not propo 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 house ha, 0 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 so
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-
tion In taxation can and must be effected with
| out depriving 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 produc-
tion which may exist In consequence OF the
higher rate Of wages prevailing In this country.
Sufficient revenue TO pay all tine expenses Of the
Federal Government, economically administered, /,
including pensions and interest and principal OF
the pbblic debt, can be got under our present
system OF taxation from custom house taxes on
fower imported articles, bearing heaviest on ar
ticles Of luxury and bearing lightest on articles
Of the eyis ing tariff and subject to these limi
tations, we demand that Federal taxation shall
he exclusively for public purposes and shall not
exceed the needs Of the Government econom.
cally administered
The system OF direct taxation known as the
Internal revenue Is q war tax and so 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 he
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 for
the payment OF sucn pei sions Congress may
from time TO time grant 10 such soldiers, a like
fund for the sailors having been already proyid-
ed, and any surplus should be paid into the
Treasury.
We favor an American continental policy,
based on more intimate commercial and political
reistions with the fifteen sister republics OF
North, Central and South America but entanging
| alliance with none.
We believe in honest money, the gold and sill.
yer coinage, and OF the cultivation and circula-
tion of a m, dium convertible into such money,
without loss.
Asserting the equality OF all men before the
law, we hold that IL is the duty OF the Govern
ment in Its 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 helieve in free ballot and q fair count.
aud 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, g 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 yeN tho citi-
zen aud interfere with individual liberty.
We favor honest civil.seryice reform, the com.
pensation Of all United States officers by fixed