The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1896-08-29

. cutioners; and we approve the bill Passe
at the last session OF the United SGAte
Senate and nov pending in the House Ie,1
latiYe to contempt in Federal Courts ana
providing for trials by jury IN certain
cases Of contempt NO Gn lscrlm1enti4 Of
the United States in favor of any OF It's
debtors.
We approve of the refusal of the FIFTY
third Congress to pass the Pacltc Kall-
road Funding bill, and denonnce the effort
CT the present Republican Congress 70 en-
act a similar measure.
I RECOGNIZING the Just claims OF desery-
ing Uuion soldiers, we heartily endorse
the rule of the present Commissioner OF
Pensions that no names shal be arpItra-
rily dropped from the pension roIl,and the
fact of enlistment and service should be
deemed conclusive evidence against dls-
ease or disability before enlistment.
We favor the admission of the Ierrltor-
les of New Mexico and AIizonla into the
Union as States, and we favor the early
admission of all the Territories having
the necessary population ana ouT
emitting them to Statehood, ana WINE
they remain Territories we hold that the
officials appointed to administer the gov
ernment of any Territory, together with
the District of Columbia and Alaska,
should be bona tide residents OF the Ter
ritory or district in which their duties are
to be performed, Tho Democratie party
believes in home rule, and that all pubic
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 III Congress,
and that the general land and TIMBER laws
Of the United States be extended TO sald
territory.
We extend our sympathy to the people
of Cuba in their heroic struggle for l1ber-
ty and Independence:
We are opposed to life tenure IN p,ubhe
service. We favor appointments based
upon merits, fixed terms OF otflce anu Snch
an administration of the civil service laws
as will afford equal opportunities to All
citizens of ascertained tlJness- we de-
clare it to be the unwritten law OF his
republic, established by custom and
usage of one hundred years and SANCTION
ed by the examples of the greatest ana
wisest of those who formed ana nave
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 ana
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
the government, such aid should be eX-
tended upon a definite plan of continuous
work until permanent improvements IS
secured.
Confiding in the justice of u 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 TOT Inc
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 atfirns
the devotion to these fundamental prlncl-
pies of the Constitution.
We are in favor of the arbitration Of
differences between employees engaged IN
interstate and their employers
and recommend such legislation as is
necessary to carry ont this principle.