The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-08-23
following principles as essential to just

following principles as essential to just
government:
1. We recognize the equality of all
men before the law, and hold that it Is
the duty of government, in it's dealings
with the people, to mete out equal and
exact justice to all, of whatever nativ-
ity, race, color, or persuasion, religious
or political.
2. We pledge ourselves to maintain
the union of these States, emancipation,
and enfranchisement, and to oppose
any re opening of the questions settled
by the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fif-
teenth amendments of the Constitu-
tiOn.
g. We demand the immediate and
absolute removal of all disabilities i'm
posed on account of the Rebellion,
which was fully subdued over seven
years ago, believing that universal
amnesty will result in complete pacifi-
cation in all sections of the country.
4. Local self government, with i'm
partial suffrage, will guard the rights
of all citizens more securely than any
centralized power. The public welfare
requires hesuprem acy of the civil over
the military authority, and thefreedom
of person under the protection of the
hGbeGS corpus. We demand for the
individual the largest liberty consist
ent with public order, for the State
self government, and for the nation
return to the methods of peace and the
constitutional limitations of power.
5. The civil service of the govern
ment has become mere instrument
of partisan tyranny and personal am
bition, and an object of selfish greed.
1t is a scandal and reprOach upon free
institutions, and breeds demoraliza-
tion dangerous to the perpetuity of re-
publican government. We, therefore,
regard a thorough reform of the civil
service as one of thu most pressing
necessities of the hour; that honesty,
capacity, and fidelity constitute the
only valid claims to public employ
ment; that the Offices of the govern
ment cease to be a matter of arbitrary
favoritism and patronage, and that
public station shall become again post
of hoT or. To this end it is simperatively
required that no president shall be a
candidate for re election.
6. We demand a system of federal
taxation which shall not necessarily
interfere with the industry of the pe0-
pie, and which shall provide the means
4iOCCoScS1 W pay O-4O VI OA4C
government, economically admins
tered, the pensions, the interest on the
public debt, and moderate reduction
annually of the principal thereof; and
recognizing that there are in our midst
honest but irreconcilable differences of
opinion with regard to the respective
sy1tc111e of prUtUOtiicIz cszz3 -ts-e-ae,-
we remit the discussion of the subject
to the people in their congressional
districts and the decision of Congress
thereon, wholly free from executive
interference or dictation.
Z. The public credit must be sacredly
maintained, and we denounce repudia-
ton in every form and guise.
s. A speedy return to specie pay
ment is demanded alike by the highest
considerations of commercial morality
and honest government.
g.. We remember with gratitude the
heroism and sacrifices of the soldiers
and sailors of the Republic and no act
of ours shall ever detract from their
Justly earned fame or the full rewards
of their patriotism.
10. We are opposed to all further
grants of lands to railroads or other
corporations. The public domain
should be sacred to actual settlers.