Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-31

In the course oil nature, tnuSh, eie many
years have pissed, cease to tread the soil of
Virginia, which is forever consecrated oy
their dauntless valor and devotion.
Reafirming the traditional opposition of
the democratic party to all sumptuary laws,
or laws upduly interfering with individual
liberty, we recommend the General Assem-
bly, to pass such laws as will permit eacn
county or district at special elections, held
for that purpose, under proper regulations,
decide for itself whether the sale of spirit
uous liquors shall be legally permitted with
in its limits
The internal revenue system brought into
existence by the republican party, and per-
petuated by it when there was no necessity
for or reasonable apology for the continu
ance of this relic of the war, is foreign to The
spirit of our institutions, and is obnoxious
to the interests and convictions of our peo-
ple We favor its complete and uncondi-
tional abolition.
Public policy requires that convict labor
should not be brought in competition with
free labor. 1t is due to honest mechanics
and wcrkingmen of the country that convict
labor be employed on country roads and in
ternal improvements, or otherwise in ways
not conflicting with the full wages of honest
aboring men, and we advocate legislation
that will carefully guard against such con-
aict. Government contracts should be per-
formed only by free labor, and We favor pas.
sage of laws that shall require it to be
deemed condition in all contracts with the
government that convict labor be not EN-.
ployed in their execution,
Eight hours per day for labor upon public
works; opposition to all determinations un-
justly bearing upon labor or capital enforc
ed payment Of money wages by corporations
and the first lien to employees upon their
assets; the establishment Of labor bureaus
for the collection Of statistics and investiga-
ton Of questions connected with the eleva-
ton of the laboring classes; the preserva
ton Of the public lands as the heritage Of
the people revision of the laws to secure
simple and speedy administration of justice
and the incorporation of labor societies are
matters which have had in the past, and
shall have in the future, the favor Of the
ment Of existing laws as will reconcile con-
aicting interests, and to that end suggest a
convention, to be composed of representa-
tive men from counties interested, who will
recommend to the General Assembly such
legislation npon thu subject as may be
proper.
We favor such changes in existing laws as may
be necessary to relieve the people of the Com
lnonwealth, as far as possible, Of the burden of
too frequent elections, but are unalterably OPP
posed to mixing State with federal elections,
whereby such interference as has been expericn-
ccd in the past under an ill-advised or corrupt
administration might be feasible.
In the distribution Of public patronage within
the State, we favor equality among ali sections
whereby those sections without democratic re-
presentation may have a Just and equal share of
such patronage, and we recommend tho men,
bers of the General Assembly and all represen
tatvcs of the democratic party to duly consider
this subject and to provide some mode by which
this result may be obtained.
We reatfrm the declarations of the national
democratic party at its last convention on the
subject of tariff, and especially do we maintain
that the necessary reduction in taxatioH can and
must be effected without depriving American
labor of the ability to compete successfully with
foreign labor, and without imposing lower rates
Of duty than will BIO ample to cover any lncreas-
cd cost Of production which may exist in conSc-
i quence Of the higher rate of wages existing in
this country. And we favor rs in 1883 and in
1884, tariff for revenue, limited to the npcessi-
ties of the government economically admins
tered, and so adjusted in its application us to pre-
vent unequal burdens, encourage productive in
dgstries at home. and afford just compensation
to labor, but not to create or foster monopolies.
In the necessary reforms to remedy abuses of
the existing tariil, schedule rates should bear
articles of necessity.
| We reiterate our advocacy of sgch civilscr-
| vice reform as will make character and fitness
tests Of official preference, and exclude the
loathsome systems of the republican party,
! which have become the scandal of the country;
but we hold at the same time that an admins
| traton charged with the solemn responsibilities
of government and needing the relations Of con-
lidencc and harmony between it and its subordi-
mates to secure efficiency, should not he unduiy
| l., h,.h t1p, ,Hi
| into or continued in its service. No eff cacous
| system can be established that does not work in
accord with tho will and aspirations OF the peo-
pie under an executive head untrammeled in the
exercise of official positions, and the fundamental
principles of free government exact that the
powers of the executive shall not be shacked by
the usurpation of n commission or other official
power unknown TO the constitution.
We rejoice that in the administration ofGrover
! Cleveland rs President of the United States sec
tional lines have been obllter9ted, honorable and
| upright men have been appointed to Office. and
that The work of reform has been initiated By
dispensing with needless Offices, cutting down
| expenses in various departments, refusing the
| acceptance of contract work not fulfilling the
| specifications, and in securing to the people Il
vast area of public domain unjustly held by
| large corporations We congratulate the people
| of Virginia that he has removed in many in
stances obnoxious partisans who have neglected
public duties for party work, and have confidence
| that the blessings OF good government already
secured will be amplilieda and extended under an
administration which has set its face sternly
against corruption, and has so speedily entered
upon the great work Of reform.
We spurn the charges brought against the
democratic party set forth in the document pur-
porting to be the republican platform. 1t says.
for instance, that the democrats of the last Legis
lature unseated II republican members and
seated democrats, whereas the records show that
out of q cases of contests over election, in ten
cases only were democrats awarded seats, and in
only six of these were republicans unseated 1t |
says that the democrats passed over seventy acts
relieving deaulting collecting officers, whereas
with single exception, no such acts were pass
ed. The acts referred to were less than twenty |
in number, were concerning, suretes and were
supported by republicans and approved by. n re-
publican Governor. Again, it is charged that |
the democrats squandcred the surplus they found |
in the State treasury whereas larger surplus |
now exists than when the democrats came into
power, about one million of which has been in
vested in Riddeberger bonds Ofsuch eXtrava-
gance, contradiction and disqualification is this
republican platform made. The democratic