Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-06-30
TILE PLATEORM.

Democratic party OF the United States, IN
national convention assembled, do reaf-
firm their allegiance to the principles of
the party as formulated by Jefferson and
exemplified by the long and ilfustrious
line of his successors in Democratic lead
ership from Madison to Cleveland. We be-
lieve the public welfare demands that
these principles be applied to the conduct
of the federal government through &C.
cession to power of the party that votes
them, and we solemnly declare the need
OF a return to these fundamental princi-
pies of free popular government, based on
home rule and individual liberty, was
never more urgent than now, when the
tendency to centralize all power at the
federal capital has become menace to
the reserved rights of the states that
that strikes at the very root of our
government, and under the constitution,
as framed by the fathers of the republic
SIC. 2, We warn the people of our COM
mon country, jealous for the preservation
of their free institutions, that the policy
of the federal control of elections to
which the Republican party has commit
ted itself, Is fraught with the gravest
dangers, scarcely less momentous than
would result from revolution practical
ly establishing monarchy on the ruins
of the republic. 1t strikes at the north as
well as the south, and njures the colored
citizen even more than the white; it means
a horde of deputy marshals at every poll
ing place, armed with federal power; re-
turning boards appointed and controlled
by federal authority, the outrage of the
election rights of the people in the several
states; the subjugation of the colored peo-
pie to the party in power and the revision
of race antagonism now happily abated,
of the utmost peril to the safety and hap
piness of all; a measure deliberately and
justly described by a leading Republican
senator as "the most infamous bill that
Z ha haI Of ha nots -
Such policy, if sanctioned by law. would
mean the dominance of a self perpetual
ing oligarchy of office-hOlderS and the
party first entrusted with its machinery
could be dislodged from power only by
an appeal TO the reserve right of the peo-
pie to resist oppression which is inherent
in all self-governing communities Two
years ago this revolutionary policy was
emphatically condemned by the people at
the polls; but in contempt of that verdict,
the Republican party has defiantly de-
eIared IN its latest authoritative utterance,
that its success in the coming elections
will mean the enactment of the force bill
and the usurpation of despotic control
over elections in all the states. Believing
that the preservation of Republican gov
ernment in the United States is depend
ent upon the defeat of this policy OF
assistance of all citizens who desire to see
the constitution maintained in its integ-
rity with the laws pursuant thereto
which have given our country hundred
years of unexampled prosperity, and we
pledge the Democratic party if it be en-
trusted with power, not only to the de
feat of the force bill, but also to relentless
opposition to the Republican policy o1
profiigate expenditure, which in the short
| space of two years has squandered an
| enormous surplus and emptled an over
| flowing treasury, after piling new bur
| dens of taxation upon the already over
| taxed labor of the country,
SEC. 3. We reiterate the oft repeated
| doctrines of the Democratic barty thai
| the necessity of the government is th'
| only justification for taxation, and when
ever u tax is unnecessary 1t is unJustlna
| bic; that when custom house taxation l;
| levied upon articles of any kind produced
! in this country, the difference between
| the cost of labor here and labor abroad
| when such difference exists, fully meas
| ures any possible benefits to labsr and
| the enormous additional impositions oi
| the existing tax fall with crushing forct
| upon our farI Ilers and workingmen, aDc
! for the mere advantage of the few whom
| it en- riches exacts from labor grossl,
| unjust share of the expenses of the go
| ernment, and we demand such revision
| of the tariff laws as will remove thell
| iniquitous inequalities, Tighten their op
pressions and put them on constltu
| tional and equitable basis. But in the re
| duction in taxes, it is not proposed to in
| lure any of the domestic industries, bu
| rather to promote their healthy growth
| From the foundatian of this government
| the taxes collected at the custom house
| have been the chief source of federal rev
| enue. Such they must continue to be
| Moreover, many industries have come Il
| rely upon legislation for successful con
/ tinuaDce, so that any Change OF law mus
| be at every step regardful of the labo1
1 ,t,I hfr- pnfasa.
| of reform must be subject in the execu
| tion of this plain dictate of just ice.
| We denounce Republican protection a
+. a fraud, a robbery of the great maJorit,
| of the American people for the benefit o
/ the few. We declare it to be a funda
/ mental principle OF the Democratic party
| that the federal government has no con.
| stitutional power to enforce and coilec
| duties except for revenue only, and de
| mand that the collection of such take
| shall be limited to the necessities of tn
/ government, honestly and economical,
| administered
SEC. 4. Trade interchange on the basil
| of reciprocal advantages to the countries
| participating is time-honored doctrin
| of the Democratic faith, but we denounct
| the sham reciprocity which luggles witt
| the peoples desire for enlarged foreigl
| markets and freer exchanges by pretend
| ing 10 establish trafte relations for
1 country WHOot dFtlctes Vi SApUEb drb al
| most exclusively ag icuitural, erecting
custom house barrier of prohibitive tarif
taxes against the richest countries OF tht
| world that stand ready to take our entirs
surplus of products and exchange thereto
/ commodities which are necessary and ar
comforts OF life among our own people
SEC. s. We recognize in trusts an,
| monopolies which are desisued by capita
to secure more than their just share 0
the Joint product of capital and labor
| natural consequence of prohibitiFe taxes
| which prevent that free competition
| which is the life of honest trade. but W.
| believe their worst evils can be abated b,
law, and we demand the rigid enforce
| ment OF laws made to prevent and contro
them, together with such further iegisls
tiou in restraint of their abuses as expert
ence may show to be necessary.
SEC. Q. The Republican party, whil
processing policy of reserying the publ
Iands for small holdings by actual SET
tiers, has given away the peoples heritag
until now few railroads and non-res
dent aliens, individual and corporat.
possess larger area than that of all on
farms between the two seas. The Las
Democratic administration revised Oh
improyidert and unwise policy Of tne r,
pubiicssn party touching the public dc
main, and reclsimed from corporation
and syladicatEs. alien and domestic. an
restored ia the DeoRle ueariy one hurezre