The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-06-23

the principles OF the party as fOrmu-
lated by Jefferson and exemplified by
q long and illustrious line of his sue,
cessors in Democratic leadership from
Madison to Cleveland. We believe
the public welfare demands that these
be applied to the conduct
of the federal government, through
accession to power of the party that
advocates them, and we solemnly de-
clare that the need of return to these
principles of q free gov
ernment, based on home rule and in
dividual liberty, was never more
urgent than now, when the ten
dency to centralize all power at the
federal capital has become a menace
to the reserved rights of states that
strike at the very roots of our govern
ment under the constitution as framed
by the Republic.
Sec. 2. We warn the people of our
common country, jealous for the pre-
servation of their free institutions,
that the policy of federal control of
elections to which the Republican
party has committed itself is fraught
with the gravest dangers, scarcely
less momentous than would result
from revolution, practically estab-
fishing monarchy on the ruins of
the republic. 1t strikes at the North
as we'll as the South and. Injuries the
colored citizens even more than the
whites. 1t means horde of deputy
marshals at every polling place
armed with federal power, returning
boards appointed and controlled by
federal authority, an outrage to the
electoral rights of the people in the
several states, the subjugation of
the colored people to the control of
the party in lower, and the reviving
of race antagOnism now happily abat-
ed of the utmost permit to the safety
and happiness of all measure deliber-
ately and justly described by leading
Republican senators las the most in
famous bill that ever crossed the
threshold of the senate" Such policy,
if sanctioned by law, would mean the
dominance of self perpetuating obli-
garchy of office holders, and the party
first entrusted with its machinery
could be dislocated from power only
by an appeal to the reserved rights OF
the people to resist oppression which
is inherent in all sell
governing communities. Two years
ago this revolutionary policy was en-
phatically condemned by the people
at The polls, but in contempt of that
verdict the Republican party has de.
family declared in its latest authori
tative utterances that its success in
the coming elections will mean the
enactment Of force bill and the
usurpation of despotic control ovel
elections in all the states. Believing
in the preservation of a republican
government in the United States de-
pendent upon the defeat of legalizeo
force and fraud, we invite the support
of all citizens who desire to see the
CONSTITUTION maintained in its in
'tegrity with laws pursuant there
to which have given our countr.
a hundred years of unexamplet
prosperity and we pledge the Demo
cratic party II IL be entrusted wifi
power, not only to defeat force oil
but also to relentlessly oppose tn,
Republican policy of profligate expen
diture which in the short space of TIVE
years squandered the enormous sur
plus and emptied an overflowins
treasury after piling new burdens o
taxation upon the already overtaxet
labor of the country.
Sec. 3. We reiterate the oft repeated
doctrines of the Democratic party
that the necessity of the governmen
is the only Justification for taxation
and whenever a tax is unnecessary 1
is unjustified; that when [
custom house taxation is leviet
upon acticles of any kind produced II
this country the difference between
the cost of labor here and abroad
when such difference exists, full,
measures any possible benefits tt
labor and the enormous additional i'm
positions of the existing tariff fal
with crushing force upon our farmers
and working men and for the mer'
advantage of a few whom 1t enriche
exact from labor a grossly unjus
share OF the expenses Of the govern
ment; and we demand such revision
of the tariff laws as will re
move their iniquitous inequali
ties, Tighten their oppression ant
put them ON constitutions
and equitable basis. But in making
reductions in taxes it is not proposed
to injure any domestic produce, bu
rather promote their healthy growth
From the foundation of this govern
ment the taxes collected at the Gus
tom houses have been the chief sourc
of Federal revenue. Such they mus
continue to be. Moreover, many in
dustries have come to rely upon legis
lation for successful continuance, g.
that any change of law must be, a
every step, regardful of labor and cap
ital thus involved. The process G
reform must be subjected in ex
ecution to the plain dictate
of Justice. We denounce tn
Mckinley tariff law enacted b.
the Fifty-first congress as the culmi
mating atrocity of class legislation
We endorse the efforts made by tn
Democrats of the present congress I
modify its most oppressive features j
the direction of free raw material
and cheaper manufactured goods tina
enter int general consumption, ant
we promise it's repeal as one benificen
result that will follow the action {
the people in entrusting the power t
the Democratic party. Since the MI
Kinley tariff went into operation ther
have been ten reductions of wages {
laboring men to one increase. w