The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1896-10-31

| c%utioners: and we approve the bill passed
! at the last session of the United States
Senate andnow pending in the House re-
latiye to contemPtin Federal Courts ana
providing for trials by jury in certain
cases of contempt. No discrimination
the United States in favor OF any OF It's
debtors.
We approve of the refusal of the Fifty
third Congress to pass the Pacific Kali
road Funding bill, and denonnce the effort
CT the present Republican Congress to en-
act a 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 arbltra-
rily dropped from the pension roll the
fact of enlistment and service should be
deemed conclusive evidence against dis
ease or disability before enlistment.
We favor the admission of the Terr1tor-
les of New Mexico and Arizona into the
Union as States, and we favor the early
admission of all the Territories having
the necessary population and 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 Democratic party
believes in home rule, and that all public
lands of the United States shonld 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.
We extend our sympathy to the people
of H11ha in THAR hprnIn Strn UUlp for III her
ty and independence.
We are opposed to life tenure in public
service. We favor appointments based
Upon merits, fixed terms of Office and such
an administration of the civil service laws
as will afford equal opportunities to all
citizens of ascertained fitness. We de-
clare it to be the unwritten aw 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 our 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 OF the republic so
as to secure for the interior States easy
and cheap transportation to tide water.
When any waterway of the republic is OF
sufficient Importance to demand aid of
CAo saw -"
tended upOn a definite plan of continuous
work until permanent improvements is
secured.
Confiding in the justice of our cause
and the necessity of it's success at the
polls, we submit the foregoing declaration
of principle and purposes 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
guarantees 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 affirms
ne devotion to these fundamental princi-
plesof the Constitution.
We arc in favor of the arbitration of
differences between employees engaged in
interstate commerce and tn cir employer
aud recommend such legisla ton as is
necessary to carry out this principle.