The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-07-17

reversal by the court as il may here
after he constituted. SO that the bur
denS OF taxation may he equally and
impartially laid to the end that wealth
may bear its due proportion of the eN
lrnseS of the government
| IMNIHRhTfuN.
We hold that the most efficient way
TO protect American labor ami to pre-.
vent the importation of foreign parlper
| labor to compete with II in the home
| market, and that the value of III,
home market to our American farmers
| and artisans l. greatly reduced hv :.
| vicious monetary system which dc
| presses the price" al their products
| below the cost of production and thu
drpriVcs them ot the means OF pur
| chasing the products OF our home
| manufacturers.
| GOV kKNMENT CONTROL 0F RAIL
ROADS.
The absorption OF wealth by the
! Few. the consolidation of our leading
railroad systems and the formation of
| trusts and pools require stricter con
| troll by the federal government OF
| those arteries of commerce. We de
mand the enlargement Of the powers
of the Interstate commerce commission
| and sU.ch restrictions aud guarantees
! in the control Of railroads as will pro
| tect the people from robbery and on
! preston.
| ECONOMY IN Pt ELIC ENpEEHiTURES
We denounce the pronigate waste of
| til" money wrung from the people by
| oppressive taxation and the lavish
! appropriations of recent Republican
| Congresses. which have kept taxes
high, while the labor that pays them
| is unemployed, products OF the neo.
| pies toll are depressed in price till
| they no longer repay the cost of pro
duction. We demand II return to that
| simplicity and economy which BELTS
II democratic government and a reduc-
| tion i'll the number of useless Offices.
the salaries of which drain the sub
stance of the people.
FEDERAL INTERFERENCE IN LOCAL
AFFAIRS.
We denounce arbitrary interference
by federal authorities in local affairs
as violation of the constitution of
the United States and a crime against
free institutions, and we especially OBJ
iject to government by injunction as
II new and highly dangerous form of
oppression by which federal Judges, in |
contempt of the laws of the States
and rights of citizens. become at once
Legislators, Judges and eXecutioners, |
and we approve the bill passed at the |
last session OF the United States Sen
ate, and now pending in the House, |
relative to contemprs In federal courts !
and providing for trials by Jury in
certain cases OF contempt.
PACIFIC RAILROADS.
No discrimination should be in |
dulged by the government OF the |
United States in favor OF any of its |
debtors. We approve of the refusal |
of the Fifty-third Congress to pass the |
Pacific Railroad funding bill and de |
nounce the effort of the present Re- |
publican Congress to enact similar |
measure.
PENSIONS
Recognizing the just claims Of de
serving Union soldiers, we heartily in
dorse the rule of the present commits
Sioner that no names shall be arbi-
trarily dropped from the pension roll.
The fact of enlistment and service
should be deemed conclusive evidence
against disease or disability before en-
liStment.
CUBA.
We extend our sympathy to the peo-
pie OF Cuba in their heroic struggle
for liberty and independence.
CIVIL SERVICE.
We are opposed to life tenure i'll the
public service. We favor appoint
ments based upon merit, fixed terms
of Office and such an administration
of the ciyil-service laws as will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens of
ascertained fitness.
No THIRD TERM.
We declare it to be the unwritten
law of this Republic, established by
custom and usage of one hundred
wears and sanctioned by the examples
of the greatest and wisest of those who
founded and have maintained our
government, that no man should be
eligible for third term of the presi
dental Office.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The federal government should care
for and improve the Mississippi river
and other great waterways of the re
public. so as to secure for the interior
States easy and cheap transportation
to tidewater When any waterway of
the republic is of sufficient Importance
to demand aid of the government such
aid should be extended upon a def
mite plan OF continuous work until
permanent Improvement is secured.
ADMISSION OF TERRITORIES.
We favor the admission of the Terri
tories 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 to eutitle them to statehood,
and while they remain Territories we
hold that the officials appointed to
administer the government of any
Territory, together with the District
of Columbia and Alaska, should be
bona-f residents of the Territory 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
should be appropriated to the estab-
lishment of free homes for American
citizens.
We recommend that the Territory
of Alaska be granted II Delegate in
Congress and that the general land
and timber laws OF the United States
be extended to said Territory.
SUPPORT INVITED.
Contiiing in the justice OF our cause
and the necessity OF its success ut the
polls, we submit the foregoing de
ciaration of principles and purposes to
the consderate Judgment Of the Amer
lean people. We invite the support
of all citizens who approve them and
desire to have them made effective
through legislation for the relief OF
the people and the restoration Of the
country's prosperity.