The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-06-25

prosperity, and we pledge the Democratic
party, if it be entrusted with power, not only
to the defeat of the Force bill, but also to re-
leEtless opposition to the Republican policy
of profigate expenditure, which, in the short
space of two years, has squandered an enor,
nous surplus, emptied an overlooking treas
ury, after piling new burdens of taxation
upon the already overtaxed labor of the
country.
Section g. We reiterate the oft-repeated
doctrines of the Democratic party that the
necessity of the government is the only justi-
fication for taxation, and, whenever a tax is
unnecessary, it is unjustihable; that when
customs house taxation is levied upon articles
of any kind produced in this country, the diff
ferences between the cost of labor here and
labor abroad, when such difference exists,
fully measures any possible benefits to labor,
and the enormous additional imposltions of
the existing tariff fall with crushing force
upon our farmers and workingmen, and, for
the mere advantage of the few whom it en-
riches, exact from labor a grossly unjust
share of the expenses of the government, and
we demand such revision of the tariff laws
as will remove their iniquitous inequalities,
tighten their expressions and put them on a
constitutional and equitable basis.
But in making reduction in taxes it is not
proposed to injure any domestic industries,
but rather to promote their healthy growth.
From the foundation of this government
taxes collected at the custom house have been
the chief source of federal revenue. Such
they must continue to be. Moreover, many
industries have come to rely upon legislation
for successful continuance, so that any
changes of law must be at every step regardful
of the labor and capital thus involved. The
process of reform must be subject in the eX
ecution of this plain dictate of justice.
We denounce the Mckinley Tariff law en-
acted by the Fifty first Congress as the ealt
minating atrocity of class legislation; we en-
dorse the efforts made by the Democrats of
the present Congress to modify its most OPP
pressive features in the direction of free raw
materials and cheaper manufactured goods
that enter into general consumption, and we
promise its repeal as one of the benefccnt
results that will follow the action of the peo-
ple in entrusting power to the Democratic
party Since the Mckinley tariff went into
operation there have been ten reductions OF
the wages of laboring men to one increase.
We deny that there has been any increase OF
prosperity to the country since that tariff went
into operation, and we point to the dizziness
and distress, the wage reductions and strikes
in the iron trade, as the best possible evidence
that 10 such prosperity has resulted from the
Mckinley act.
We call the attention of thoughtful Amer
leans to the fact that, after thirty years OF
restrictive taxes against the importation OF
foreign wealth in exchange for our agricultu-
raj surplus, the homes and farms of the com
try have become burdened with a real estate
mortgage debt of over 81, 500, 000, 900, excu-
siye Of all other forms of Indebtedness; that
in one of the chief agricultural states of the
West there appears Il real estate mortgage
debt averaging $l65 per capita of the total
population, and that similar conditions and
tendencies are shown to exist in the other
agricultural exporting states. We denonnce
a policy which fosters no industry so much
as it does of the sheriff.
Section 4. Trade interchange on the basis
of reciprocal advantages to the countries par
ticipating is time -honored doctrine Of the
Democratic faith but We denounce the sham
reciprocity which juggles with the people
desire for enlarged foreign markets aud ireer
exchanges by pretending to establish closer
trade relations for country whose articles OF
export are almost exclusively agricultural
products, with other countries that are also
agricultural, while erecting custom house
barrier of prohibitive tariff taxes against the
rich and the countries of the world that stand
ready to take our entire surplus OF products,
and to exchange therefor commodities which
are necessaries and comforts of life among
our own people.
Section 5. We recognize in the trusts and
combinations which are designed to enable
capital to secure more than its just share of
the Joint product of capital and labor, natu-
raj consequence of the prohibitlve taxes which
prevent the free competition which is the life
of honest trade; but we believe their worst
evils can be abated by law, and we demand
the rigid enforcement of the laws made to
prevent and control them, together with such
further legislation in restraint of their abuses
as experience may show to be necessary.
Section 6. The Republican party, while
protesting a policy of reserving the public
land for small holdings by actual settlers, has
given away the peoples heritage until now
few railroads and nonresident aliens, indi
vidual and corporate, possess larger area
than that of all our farms between the two
seas. The last Democratic administration
reversed the improvident and unwise policy
Of the Republican party touching the public
domain, and reclaimed from corporations
and syndicates, alien and domestic, and re-
stored to the people nearly one hundred mil
lion acres of valuable land, to be sacredly
held as homesteads for our citizens, and we
pledge ourselves to continue this policy until
every acre of land so unlawfully held shall
be reclaimed and restored to the people.
Section I. We denouuce the Republican
legislation known as the Sherman act of 1890,
as a cowardly makeshift fraught with posi-
bilities os danger in the future, which should
make all Gifts supporters, as we'll as its author,
anxious for its speedy repeal.T We hold to
the use of both gold and silver as the standard
r al. X, Of
both gold and silver without discriminating
against either metal or charge for miptage,
but the dollar unit of coinage Of both metals
must be of equal intrirsic- and exehangeable
value, or be adjusted through international
agreement or by such safeguards of legislation
as shall insure the maintenance of the parity
of the two metals and the equal power of every
dollar at all times in the markets and in the
payment of debts; and we demand that all
paper currency shall be kept at par with and
redeemahle in such coin. We insist upon
this policy as especially necessary tor the pro-
lection of the farmers and laboring classes,
the first and most defenseless victims of un-
stable money and huctuating currency.
Section 8. We recommend that the pro.
hibitory 10 per cent. tax on state bank issues
be repealed.
Section 8. Public office is public trust
We reaffirm the declaration OF the Democratic
National Convention of 1876 for the reform
Of the civil service, and we call for the honest
enforcement of all laws regulating the same.
The nomination Of !. president, as ip ths re
cent Republican convention, hy delegations
composed largely Of his appointees, holding
office at his pleasure, is u seandalous satire
upon free popular institutions, and startling
illustration of the methods by which presi-
dent may crafty his ambition. We denounce
policy under which federal Office holders
usurp control of party conventions in the
states, and we pledge the Democratic party
to the reform of these and all other abuses
which threaten individual liberty and local
self government.
Section TO- The Democratic party is The
only party that has ever given the country a
foreign policy consistent and vigorous, com
polling respect abroad and inspiring conf
henoe of home. While avoiding entangling
ALLIANCES, it has aiped to cultivate friendly
relations with other nations, and especially
with our neighbors on the American Cont
nent whose destiny is closely linked with our
own, and we view with alarm the tendency to
a policy of irritation and buster which is
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