The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-10-04

by an existing surplus of more than
$100, 900 900, which has yearly been
collected from suffering people. Un-
necessary taxation is unjust taxation
We denounce the Republican party
for having failed to relieve the people
from crushing war taxes which have
parRlyzed business, crippled industry
and deprived labor of employment and
of just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to
purify the administration from corrup-
tlon, to restore economy, to revive re-
spect for law, and to restrict taxation
to the l3west limit consistent with due
regard to the preservation of the faith
of the nation to its creditors and pen
sioners
Knowing full well, however, that
legislation affecting the occupations of
the people should be cautious and con-
servative in method-not in advance
of public opinion, but responsive to it's
demands-the Democratic party is
pledged to revise the tariff in spirit
of fairness to all interests.
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 have been the chief source
of federal revenue. Such they must
continue to be. However, MANY in
dustries have come to rely upon legis
lation for successful continuance, so
that any change of law must be at
every step regardful of the labor and
capital thus involved The process of
reform must be subject in the execu
tion of this nlain dictate of justice.
All taxation shall be limited to the
requirements of economical govern
ment. The necessary reduction in
taxation can and must be effected with
out depriving American labor of the
ability to compete successfully with
foreign labor, and without imposing
lower rates of duty than will be ample
to cover any increased cost of prOduc-
tion which may exist in consequence
of the higher rate of wages prevailing
in this country
Sufficient revenue to pay all the eX-
penses of the Federal Government
economically lministered, in .luding
pensions interest and principal of the
public debt, can be got under our pres
ent system of taz alton from custom
house taxes on fewer i'm ported articles,
bearing heaviest on articles of luxury,
and bearing lighte5t on articles of
necessity
We therefore denounce the abuses of
the existing tariff, and, subject to the
preceding limitations, we demand that
federal sS,sxavion shall be exclusively
for public purposes, and shall not ex
ceed the needs of the government econ
OmicallY administered
The system of direct taxation known
as internal revenue is a war tax,
and so long as the law continues the
money derived therefrom should be
sacredly devoted to the relief of the
people from the remaining burdens of
the war, and be made fund to defray
the expenses of the care and comfort
of worthy soldiers disabled in the line
of duty in the wars of the Republic,
and for the payment of such pensions
as Congress may from time to time
grant to such soldiers, like fund for
thu sailors having been already pro
vided, and any surplus should be paid
into the treasury.
We favor an American continental
policy based upon more intimate com
mercial and political relations with the
fifteen sister Republics of North, Cen
tral and South America, but entang-
ling alliances with none.
We believe in honest money, the gold
and silver coinage of the Constitution,
and circulating medium convertible
into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality of all men be-
fore the law, we hold that it is the duty
of the government, in its dealings with
the people, to mete out equal and exact
Justice to all citizens of whatever ma
tivity, race, color or persuasion-re-
igious or political.
We believe in free ballot and a fair
count, and we recall to the memory of
the people the noble struggle of the
Democrats in the Forty fifth and Forty
sixth Congresses, by which reluctant
Republican opposition was compelled
to assent to legislation making every
where illegal the presence Of troops at
the polls, as the conclusive proof that
a Democratic administration will pre-
serve liberty with order.
The selection of federal officers for
the territories should be restricted to
citizens previously resident therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which
vex the citizens and interfere with in
dividual liberty; we favor honest civil
service reform, and the compensation
of all United States officers by fixed
salaries; the separation of Church and
State, and the diffusion of free educa-
ton by common schools, so that every
child in the land may be taught the
rights and duties of citizenship.
While we favor all legislation that
will tend to the equitable distribution
of property, the pr, vention of mOnop.
oily, and to the strict enforcement of
individual rights against corporate
abuses, we hold that the welfare Of so
ciety depends upon a scrupulous regard
for the rights of property as dednedby
law.
We believe that labor is best re-
warded where it is freest and most en-