The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-10-18

been the refuge OF the oppressed from
every ~land-exiles for conscience sake
and in the spirit of the founders of
our Government we condemn the OPP
preston practiced by the Russian gov
eminent upon it's Lutheran and Jewish
subjects, and we call. upon our Nation
al Government, in the interest Of JUS
tice and humanity, by all just and
proper means to use its prompt and
best efforts to bring about a cessation
of these cruel prosecutions in the do.
minicns of the Gar, and to secure to
the oppressed equal rights.
We tender our profound and earnest
sympathy to those lovers of freedom
who are struggling for home rule and
the great cause of local self government
in Ireland.
SIC. IL. We heartily approve all
legitimate efforts to prevent the United
States from being used as the dumping
ground for the known criminals and
professional paupers of Europe, and we
demand the rigid enforcement of the
laws against Chinese immigration, Or
the importation of foreign workmen,
under contra act, to degrade American
labor and lessen its wages; but we con
denim and denounce any and all at
tempts to restrict the immigration of
the industrious and worthy of foreign
lands.
SEC. 10. This convention hereby re-
news the expression of appreciation of
the patriotism of the soldiers and sail
ors of the Union in the war for its
preservation, and we favor just and
liberal pensions for all disabled Union
soldiers, their widows and dependents;
but we demand that the work of the
Pension Office shall be done industri-
ously, impartially and honest. We
denounce the present administration
of that Office as incompetent, corrupt,
~disgraceful and dishonest.
SEC. IA. The Federal Government
should care for and improve the Mis-
sissippi River and other great water
ways of the Republic, so as to secure
for the interior States easy and cheap
transportation to the tide-water; when
any waterway of the public is of sum-
cient Importance to demand the aid of
the Government, that such aid should
be extended a definite plan of continu
Gus work until permanent improve
ment is secured.
SEC. Is. For purposes of national de-
Tense and the promotion of commerce
between the States, we recognize the
early construction of the Nicaragua
Canal and its protection against for
eign control as of great Importance to
the United States.
SEC. 16. Recognizing the Worlds
| Columbian Exposition as a national
undertaking of vast Importance, in
which the General Government has in
vited the co operati On of all the powers
of the world, and approaching the &C
ceptance by many of such powers of
the invitation thus extended, and the
broad and liberal efforts being made
by them to contribute to the grandeur
of the undertaking, we are of the opin-
ion that Congress should make such
necessary financial provisions as shall
be requisite to the maintenance of the
national honor and public faith.
SEQ. IL. Popular education being the
only safe basis of popular suffrage, we
recommend to the several States most
liberal appropriations for the public
schools. Free common schools are the
nursery of good government, and they
have always received the fostering
care Of the Democratic party, which
favors every means of increasing intel
ligence. Freedom of education, being
an essential of civil and religious lib
erty as well as a necessity for the de-
velopment of intelligence, must not be
interfered with under any pretext
whatever. We are opposed to State
interference with parental rights and
rights of conscience in the education
of children, as an infringement of the
fundamental Democratic doctrine that
the largest individual liberty consistent
with the rights of others insures the
highest type of American citizenship
and the best government.
Sec. 18. We approve the action of
the present House of representatives
in passing bills for the admission into
the Union as States of the Territories
of New Mexico and Arizona; and we
favor the early admission of all the
Territories having necessary popula-
ton and resources to admit them to
Statehood, and while they remain Ter
r~itories we hold that the officials ap-
pointed to administer the government
of any Territory, together with the
District of Columbia and Alaska.
should be bona f1de residents of the
Territory or District in which their
duties are to be performed. The Demo
cratic party believes in home rule and
the control of their own affairs by the
people of the vicinage.
SEC 10. We favor legislation bv
Congress and State legislatures to pro-
tect the lives and limbs of railway en-
ployes and those of other hazardous
transportation companies, and de
nounce the inactivity of the Republi-
can Senate, for causing the defeat of
measures beneficial and protective to
this class of wage-workers.
SEC. 30. We are in favor of the en-
actment by the States of laws for abol-
ishing the notorious sweating system,
for abolishing contract convict labor
and for prohibiting the employment,
in factories, of children under Is years
Il IF aOo