The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-07-23

to fix the status of colorcd citizens
the acts of its Congress.
were overruled by the decis
| ions of its courts. 1t "accepts anew
the duty of leading in the work OF
progress and reform )" its caught
criminals are permitted to escape
through contrlved delays or actual
connivance in the prosecution.
Honeycombed with corruption, out
breaking exposures no longer shock
! its morals sense; its honest members,
its independent journals, no longer
maintain successful contest for au>
thority in its councils or a vote up
on ban nominations. That change
is necessary is proved by an existing
surplus of more than $11, 100000,
which has yearly been collected
from suffering people. Unnecessary
taxation is unjust taxation.
TARIFF REFORM.
We denounce the Republican party
for having failed to relieve the peo-
pie from the rushing war taxes,
which have deprived labor of en-
ployment and of just reward. The
Democracy pledges itself to purify
the administration from corruption,
to restore economy, to revive respect
for law and to reduce taxation to
the lowest limit consistent with due
regard to the preservation of the
faith of the nation to its creditors
and pensioners. Knowing full we'll,
however, that legislation affecting
the operations of and the people |
should be cautious, conservative in |
method, not in advance of public
opinion, but responsive to its de-
mands. The Democrrtic party is
pledged to revise the tariff in spirit |
Of fairness to all interests. But in
making reductions in takes it is not
proposed to injure any domestic in
dustries, but rather to promote the:1
healthy growth. From the founda-
ton of this government taxes col
lected at the custom house been the
chief source offederal revenue such
they must continue to be. More
over, many industries have come to
rely upon legislation for successful
continuance, SO that any change of
law must be at every step regardful
of the labor and capital thus inyolv
ed. The process Of reform must be
subject in the execution to this plain
dictate of justice-all taxation shall
be limited to the requirements of
economical government. The nee
essary reduction in taxation can and
must be effected without depriving
American labor of the ability to COM
pete successfully with foreign labor
and without imposing lower rates
of duty than will be ample to cover
any increased cost Of production
which may existin consequence ofthe
higher rate of wages prevailing in
this country. Sufficient revenue to
pay all the expenses of the federal
economically admins
tered, including pensions, interest
and of the public debt, can be got
under our present system of taxation
from custom houses taxes on fewer
imported articles, bearing heaviest
OH articles of luxury and bearing
lightest on articles of necessity.
WHAT Is DEMANDED.
We therefore denounce the abuses
OF the existing tariff and subject to
the proceeding limitations. We de-
mand that federal taxation shall be
exclusively for public purposes and
shall not exceed the needs of the
economically admins
tered. The system ofdIrect taxation
known as the "intermal revenue" is
a war tax, and so long as the law
continues the money lowed there
from should sacredly devoted to the
relief of the people from the remain
ing burdens of the war and be made
a fund to defray the expense of the
care and comfort of worthy soldiers
disabled in line of duty in the wars
of the Republic and tor the payment
of such pensions as Congress may
from time to time grant to such
soldiers, like fund for the sailors
having been already provided and
any surplus should be paid into the
Treasury. We favor an American
continental policy based upon more
intimate commercial and political
relations with the fifteen sisters re-
publics of Nerth, Central and South
but entangling alliances
with none. We believe in honest ,
money, the gold and silver coinages
of the constitution and circulating
medium convertible into such money
without loss.
Asserting the equality all mon be-
fore the law, we hold that it is the
duty of the government in its deal
ings with the people, to mete out
equal and exaeting justice to all eiti-
zens, ofwhatever nativity, race, color
or persuation, religions or political.
We believe in free ballot and a
fair count, and we recall to the MEM
ory of the people the noble struggle
of the Democrats in the Forty>fifth
by which a reluctant
opposition was compell-
ed to assent to legislation making
vsry-where illegal the presence of
troops at the polls, as the conclusive
proof that Democratic administra-
ton will preserve liberty with order
Tho selection of federal officers
for the Territories should be restrict
ed to citizens previously resident
We oppose sumptuary
laws, which vex the citizen and in
terfere with individual liberty we
faver honest civil service reform,
and the compensation of all United
States Offices by fixed salaries, the
of Church and State and
the diffusion of free education by
common schools, so that every child
in the land may be taught tho rights
and duties of citizenship.