Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-09

Against Foreign Pauper Labor.
we mold that the most efficient way of
protecting American labor is to prevent
the importation of foreign pauper labor
10 compete with it in the home market
and that the value of the home marker
to our American farmers and artisans
is greatly reduced by vicious monetary
system, which depresses the prices of
their products below the cost of produce
ton and thus deprives them of the means
of purchasing the products of our home
manufacturers.
The absorption of wealth by the few.
the consolidation of our leading railroad
systems and the formation of trusts and
pools require str!cter control by the
federal government of those arteries of
commerce. We demand the enlargement
of the powers of the interstate commerce
commission and such restrictions and
guarantees in the control of the railroads
as will protect the people from robbery
and oppression.
We denounce the profiigate waste of
the money Wrung from the people by OPP
pressiye taxation and the lavish appro-
priation of recent republican congresses,
which have kept taxes high while the
labor that pays them is unemployed and
the products of the peoples toll are de-
pressed in price until they no longer re-
pay the cost of production.
We demand a return to that simplicity
and economy which benefits a demo-
cratic government and a reduction in the
number of useless offices. the salaries of
which drain the substance of the people.
Federal Interference Denounced.
We denounce arbitrary interference by
federal authorities in local affairs as
violation of the constitution of the United
States and a crime against free institu-
tions, and we especially object to gov
eminent by injunction as a new and
highly dangerous form of oppression, by
which federal judges, in contempt of the
10 Of tnn tot .scr &c of
become at once legislators, judges and
executioners; and we approve the bill
passed at the last session of the United
States senate and now pending In the
house of representatives relative to con-
tempts in federal courts and providing
trials by jury in certain cases of con-
tempt.
No discrimination should be INDUCED
by the government of the United States
in favor of it's debtors.
We approve of the refusal of the Fifty
third congress to pass the Pacific rail-
road funding bill and denounce the eff
forts of the present republican congress
to enact similar measure.
Recognizing the just claims of deserv-
ing union soldiers, we heartily indorse
the rule of the present commissioner of
pensions that no names shall De arbi-
trarily dropped from the peA/ion roll,
and the fact of enlistment and service
should be deemed conclusive evidence
listment.
We favor the admission of the terrific
ries 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 entitle them to statehood. 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,
che 1oa re Of fha ter
ritory or district In which the 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 establishment of free homes for
American citizens.
We recommend that the territory of
Alaska be granted delegate in congress
and that the general land and timber
laws of the United States be extended to
said territory.
Sympathy for Cuba.
We extend our sympathy to the peo-
pie of Cuba in their heroic struggle for
liberty and independence
We are opposed to life tenure in the
public service. We favor appointments
passed upon merit, fixed terms of Office
and such an administration of the civil
service laws as will afford equal opportu-
mites to all citizens of ascertained fit
ness.
We declare 1t to be the unwr,tten law
of. this republic, established by custom
and usage of 100 years 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 a third term
for the presidential office.
The federal government should care
for and improve the Mississippi river
and other great water ways of the replb-
lie 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 deem aid from
the government such aid should be ex-
tended upon definite plan of continu-
Gus work until permanent improvement
is secured
Cenfiding in the justice of our cause
and the necessity of its success at the
polls, we submit the foregoing declara-
ton of principles and purposes to the
considerate judgment of the American
people. We invite the support of all cit
liens who approve them and who desire
to have them made effective through leg
islation for the relief of the people and
the restoration Of the country's prosper