The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1896-09-05

~cutioners: ana We approve the bill passed
ut the last session of the United State
Senate andnow pending III the House re;
latiye to contempt III Federal Courts ano
providing fer trials by jury IN certain
eases Of contempt. No discrimination
the United States iii favor OF my OF lts
debtors.
We approve of the refusal of the FIFTY
third Congress to pass Gile I'acitlc ktll-
road Funding bill, and denounce the effort
CT the present Republican Congress to en-
act IL similar measure.
Recognizing the Just claims OF deSerV-
ing Uuion soldiers, we heartily endorse
the rule OF the present Commissioners OF
Pensions that no names shall be afDltEa-
rily dropped from the pension roll ant the
fact of enlistment and service should be
deemed conclusive evidence against dis
ease or disability before enlistment.
We favor the admission of the IerrItor-
les of New Mexico and Arizona IGto the
Union rs States. inc we favor the early
admission of all the Territories having
the necessary population ami resources
emitting them to Statehood, and While
they remain Territories we hold that the
officials appointed to administer the gov
eminent of any Territory, together with
the District of Columbia and Alaska,
should be bona fide residents of the Ter
ritory or district in which their duties are
to be performed, The Dem0crat!c party
believes in home rule, and that all public
lands of the United States should be APP
piled to the establishment of free homes
for American citizens. !.
We recommend that the territory OF
Alaska be granted a delegate IN Congress,
and that the general land and timber laws
Of the United States be extended to said
territory.
.Wesextend our sympathy to the people
~ T,,a,o -, +1air harpia StrIl BpIt for InnT-
ty and independence.
We are opposed to life tenure In p,ubllG
service. We favor appointments based
upon merits, fixed terms of office and such
an administration ofthe civil service laws
as will afford equal opportunities to all
citizens of ascertained fitness. we de
clare it to be the unwritten law of this
republic, established by custom and
usage of one hundred years and sanction
ed by the examples of the greatest and
wisest of those who formed and have
maintained II government that no man
should be eligible for a third term OF the
presidential office.
The Federal government should care
for and improve the Mississippi river and
other great waterways or the republlc SO
as to secure for the interior States easy
and cheap transportation 20 tide water:
When any waterway of the republic IS OF
sufficient Importance to demand aid OF
the government. such aid should be eE-
tended npon a definite plan of continuous
work until permanent improvements is
secured.
Coniding in the justice of our cause
and the necessity of it's success at the
polls, we submit the foregoing declaration
of principle and urpoSes to the consider
ate judgement of the American people.
We invite the support of all citizens who
approve them and who desire to have
them effective through legislation for the
relief of the people and the restoration of
the country's prosperity.
The Constitution Of the United States
to every citizen the rights OF
Civil and religious liberty, The Demo-
cratic party has always been the exponent
Of political liberty and religious freedom,
and it renews it's obligations and aifirlns
the devotion to these fundamental princi-
pies of the Constitution. i
We are in favor of the arbitration OF
differences between employees engaged III
Interstate and their employers
and recommend such legislation as Is
to carry ont this principle.