Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1884-10-07
POLITICAL.
The Democratic PLATFORM.

The Democratic party Of the Union, through
its representatives IN National Convention as
sembled. recognizes that ~ the nation grows
older new issues are horn q time and progress
and old issues perish, but the fundamental pfin
cipies Of the Democracy. approved By the uniiod
voice Of the people. remain, and will ever remain.
as the best aud only security for the continuance
Of free government; the preservation 81 personal
rights, the equality Of ali citizens bsfore the Law
the reserved rights Of the States and tho m.
preiuary Of the Feieral Government within thu
limits Of the Consultation, viii ever form the
true basis Of our liberties and can never be sur
rendered without destroying that bala-co Of
rights and poScra which enthiel a continent n
be developed In peace aud social orlur and 70 be
maintained by means Of local stlf pOsenment
But il Is T. dispensabe for the praet cal applies
| tlon and enforcement OF these fundamental pm
| cipies that the Government should not always d.
| controlled by one political party. Frequent
| change Of administrator is a. necessary o. con
slant recurrence 70 the popular viii. Otherwise
abuses grow and the CoVornm ent instruinentality
| Is used Tor imposing heavy burdens on the many
/ who are governed for tho beneiit u tha lev WI"
/ govern Public servants thus become arbitrary
/ rulers. This Is nov tho condition Of the eo1h
Try. hence a change Il demanded. d.,
The Republican party, 70 Tar as Pfinrpe y
| concerned. h reIninisconoe IN pfnetler, u ~
an organization for onneAlng those VINO ooh,ryl
IL machinery, The frauds and iObberY which
have been brought TO light In every departmenl
| Of the Government arc sufficient 70 have called
Tor reform within tho Republican party, yet
those In authority, made reckless ~ the long
| nnssegaion of power have succumbod 20 us cor
nir,tiog inAu onoe and have placed In nomination
| a ticsct against which the independent portion
Of the party are In open revolt. Therefore a
change II demanded. such change was alike
] necessary In 1870 hut tho Viii OF the people was
| - i.v n which "a lac
gotten or oondoned. Again In 1880 the change
demanded by the people was defeated by the
! lavish use OF m lney contributed by unscu pulous
| contraction and shameless JobbeTs who had bar
gained for unlawful profits or for high office
The Republican party, during ita legal, IL
stolen and It's bought tenufos Of power, hassteadi
| Iy decayed Ia moral character and POLITICAL ca.
| pacity. Its platform promises are now list ol
It's past failures, II demands the restoration o.
| our navy IL has squandored hundreds OF mil
| lions TO create a navy that doe8 not exist, IL
| calls upon Congress remove the burdens under
| which American shipping has been dcpros sed II
| imposed and has continued those burdens. u
| Processes profcronce for free institutions. II
organized and tried to lcgalize control Of STATE
elections by Federal troops II PROPOSES de
| sire 10 elevate labor II has subjected American
| workingmon to the competition OF convict ana
imported contract labor. II processes gratitude
TO all who were disabled or died In the war. leay
ing widows and orphans, II lett TO a Democratic
| House of Representatives the first effort "
equ,lize both bounties aud pensions. II profcr
ed pledge 10 correct the iuegulafittoa OF our
tariff. IL created AM has continued them. us
| own Tariff Commiasion confessed the need OF
| more than 20 per cent reduction. Its Congress
gave reduction OF less than per ceht. II pro
fes-ea the protection Of Amarican manufacturers,
Il has subjected thum TO an Increasing Hood OIL
manufactured goods and a hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations, not one OF which
taxes raw materials " processes TO prot ct an
American indu .trios. II has impoverished many
to substitute few. II processes the protection oil
American labor y has depleted the returns OF
Am riean agriculture, an industry followed by
half our people. Processes the equality Of all
citizens before the law. Attempting TO FIX the
status Of colored citizens, the Acts of It's Con
grcss vera oyereot BY thu decisions OF It's courts.
Its caught criminals are permitted TO escape
through contriyod delays CT actual connlFance IL
the prosecution. iI0noycombed with corruption
outrageous exposures no longer shock its mora
sense. Its honest members and its independent
journals no longer maintain a successful confess
for authority In its counsels or veto on bat
| nominations.
That q change IL necessary is proved by an ex
istlng surplus Of more than sl0O,00000, which
has yearly been collected from suffering peo
pIe Unnecessary taxation Is unjust taxation
We denounce tho Republican party for havlnl
failed to relieve the people from the crushing wa
taxes, which have parayzed business, crippe'
industry and deprived labor OF employment ant
Of It's just reward.
| Inc Denlptlatl VltukNH lhHtit u tuihN VIZ az
ininistraiion FROM corruption, to restore economy
TO revive respect for law, and TO reduce taxation
TO the lowest limit consistent with due regar
TO the preservation OF the faith OF the nation y
its creditors and Its pensioners, knowing ful
we'll however that legislation affecting tho wei
fare OF the people should be cautious and con
sentative in method not In advance OF publ
opinion, but responsive TO Its demands.
The Democratic party Is pledged TO revise tn
tariff in spirit OF fairness TO all interests, bu
In tlx 10 NOT
TO injure any domestic indu ,triea but rather d
| promote thcir healthy growth From the foun
dation OF this Goyernmtnt taxes collected at tn
| custom house have been the chief source Of Fed
| oral revci ne, and such they must continue to be
Moreover many industries have come to rely up
on legislation for their successful continuance, ~
that any change Of the law must be at every ste
regardfu OF the labor and caIital thus Involved
The process of reform must be subject to the exc
| cution OF this plain dictate of Justice, All taNg
tou shnll he limited TO the requirements Of Al
economical Government. The necessary reduc
ton in taxation can aud must be effected with
out depriying American labor OF the ability b
compete successfully with foreign labor, an,
without imposing lower rates of duty than VII
be ample to cover any increased cost OF produc
ton which may exist IN ocuicqucnoe Of th
higher rate Of wages prevailing in this country
Sufficient revenue TO pay all the expenses OF tn
Federal Government, economically administered
, including pensions and interest and principal G
: the pbblic debt, can he got under our preser
system Of taxation from custom. house taxes o
fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest on al
tlcles OF luxury and bearing lightest on article
of nccessitv We therefore deuouuce the abuse
Of the exis ing tariff, and, subject to these linn
tations, we demand that Federal taxation sha
be exclusively for public purposes and shall no
exceed the needs OF the Government, econom
cay administered.
The system OF direct taxation known as tn
, internal revenue Is a war tax and so long as tn
law continues the duty derived therefrom shoul
be sacredly devoted to tho rtlief OF the peopl
from the remaining burdens of the war aud Ii
made fund to dcfray the expense OF the car
and comfort OF worthy soldiers disabled IN Tn
line of duty In the wars OF the republic and 10
the payment of sucn PEE sons as Congress- ma
from time to time grant to such soldiers, a lik
fund fer the sailors having been already provit
ed and any surplus should be paid into tn
Treasury.
We favor an American continental policy
based on more intimate commercial and poitica
relations with the fifteen sister republics 9
North. Central and South America, but entangin
alliance with rome.
We believe IN honest money, the gold and sill
yer coinage, and OF the cultivation and crcula
ton OF IN dium convertible into such money
without loss
Asserting the equality OF all men before tn
law, We hold that IL Is the duty OF the Govern
mcnt IN its dealings with the people to mete on
equal and exact Justice to all citizens, OF what
ever nativity, race, color or persuasion, religion
or political
We believe in a free ballot and fair count
aud we recall to the memory Of the people th
noble struggle OF the Democrats in the Forty
fifth and Forty sixth Congresses by which a r,
luctant Republican opposition was compelled +
assent to legislation making everywhere illega
the presence Of troops at the POLLS, the cor
elusive proof that Democratic admini4tratio
will preserve liberty with order,
The election of Federal officers for the Terri
tories should be restricted to others prcviousl
resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws, which yeX the citi
zen and Interfere with individual liberty.
We favor honest civil service reform, the com
pensation Of all United States officers by fixe
salaries, the separation Of Church and state am
the diffusion of free education hy common scho Is
so that every child In the land may be taught tn
? hts and duties OF citizenship.
While We favor MI legislation which will ten
: to the equitable distribution OF property, to tn
, prevention Of monopoly and 20 the strict cf
!, forcement of individual rights against coiporat
! abuses, we mold that the welfare OF society dc
ponds on a scrupnlous regard Ter the rights G
property as defined by law. We believe that ID
, Dor is hest rewarded whore It Is freost ans mo
: enlightened, IL should be fostercd and CheIisl
cd. We favor the repeal OF all laws restoring tn
free action OF labor and the enactment OF law
. by which labor organizations may he increa- ~
and of all such legislation as will tend to en-
tighten the people as to tho true rotations q
; capital and labor
We believe that tho public lands ought, ~ 4,
as possible, to he kept as home4ieai4 Tor actua
settlers; that all unearned lands hcrct1 fore in
provdently granted to railroad corp rations b.
the action OF the Repub lean party, should b
. restored to the public domain and no NOR
grants shall be made TO corporations or be allow
? ed to fau into the ownership of alien absentee,
We are opposed to all propositions which, NJ
on any preteNt would convert the general Goi
eminent into a machine foI the collection OF taN
Us TO be distributed amoug the States or the cit
xens thereof.
In effect the declaration OF the Democratic pla
| form OF 1856 that "Tht liberal principle II
bodied by jefferson IN the Declaration of Iudt
, peudence and sanctioned in the Constitute.
which mike ours the Land of liberty and the asl
um OF tho oppressed of every natl N. have eve
been the cardinal principles in the Democrat
faith. We, nevertheless, do not sanction the Ia
portation OF foreign labor or the adm's ion
setvi,e races, untitled by habits. training rclig
$ on or kindred for absorption int the great b d
III our .nnIn mr. for TIM OIL him l-h.nh nm