Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-08-07


We are opposed to the policy and prac-
tlce of surrendering to the holders of the
obligations of the United States the op-
ton reserved by law to the government
of redeeming such obligations in either
silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing Of inter-
est bearing bonds of the United States
in time of peace. and condemn the traf-
ticking with banking syndicates, which,
in exchange for bonds and at an enor-
nous profit to themselves supply the
federal treasury with gold to maintain
the policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has the power to coin
or issue money as President Jackson
declared that this power could not be
delegated to corporations or individuals.
We therefore demand that the power to
issue notes to circulate as money be
taken from the national banks, and that
all paper money shall be issued directly
by the treasury department, be redeem
able in coin and receivable for all debts,
public and private.
We hold that tariff duties should be
levied for purposes of revenue such
duties to be so adjusted as to operate
equally throughout the country and not
discriminate between class or section,
and that taxation should be limited by
the needs of the government, honestly
and economically administered. We de-
nounce as disturbing to business the Re-
publican threat to restore the Mckinley
law, which has been twice condemned
by the people in national elections, and
which. enacted under the false plea of
protection to home industry, proved
prolific breeder of trusts and monopolies,
enriched the few at the expense of the
many, restricted trade and deprived the
producers of the great American staples
of access to their natural markets
No Tariff Legislation.
Until the money question is settled we
ere opposed to any agitation for further
changes in our tariff laws, except such
as are necessary to meet the deficit in
revenue, caused by the adverse decision
of the supreme court on the income tax
But for this decision by the supreme
court there would be no deficit in the
revenues un0er the law passed by
Democratic congress, in strict pursuance
of the unifoi in decisions of that court
for nearly 100 years, that court having
in that decision sustained constitutional
objections to its enactment. which had
previously been OVerruled by the ablest
judges who have ever sat on that
bench. We declare that it is the duty of
congress to use all the constitutional
power, which remains after that decs-
ion, or which may come from its reversal
by the court, as it may hereafter be con-
stituted, so that the burdens of taxa
ton may be equally and impartially
laid to the end that wealth may bear it's
due proportion OF the expense OF the
government.
We hold that the most efficient way to
protect American labor is to prevent the
importation of foreign labor to com
pete with it in the home market, and
that the value of the home market to
our American farmers and artisans is
greatly reduced by q vicious monetary
system, which depresses the prices of
their products below the cost of produc-
ton, and thus deprives them Of the
means Of purchasing the products of our
home manufactures.
The absorption of wealth by the few,
the consolidation of our leading railroad
system and the formation of trusts and
pools require a strictcr control by the
federal government of those arteries of
commerce. We demand the enlargement
of the powers of the interstate com
merce commission. and such restric-
lions and guarantees in the control of
railroads as viii protect the people from
robbery and oppression.
We denounCe the profigate waste of
the money Wrung from the people by
oppressive taxation and the lavish APP
preparation of recent Republican con-
crosses. which have kept taxes high.
while the labor that pays them is un-
employed and the products of the peo-
pies toll are depressed in price until
they no longer repay the cost Of produc-
ton.
We demand a return to that simplicity
and ecor omy which BELTS Democratic
government, and a reduction in the num-
Der of useless offices, the salaries Of which
drain the substance Of the people.
We donounCc arbitrary interference by
federal authorities in local affairs as a
violation of the Constitution Of the
United States and crime against free
institutions, and we especially object to
government by injunction as 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 senate. and now pending i'm the
house Of representatives, relative to con-
tempts i'm federal courts. and providing
for trial by jury in certain cases of con-
tempt.
No discrimination should be INDUCED
IN 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 rail
road funding bill, and denounce the
effort of the present Republican congress
to enact similar measure.
Recognizing thu just claims of de-
serving Union soldiers. we heartily en-
dorse the rule of the present commits
sioner of pensions that no names shall be
arbitrarily cropped from the pension
roll, and that tact OF enlistment and
service should be deemed conclusive evil
dence against disease or disability be-
fore enlistment
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 re-
sources to entitle them to statehood, and
while they remain territories we hold
that the officials appointed to admins
ter the government Of any territory, to-
gether with the District OF columbia and
Alaska, should be bona fide 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 establishment OF free homes for
American citizens.
We recommend that the territory OF
Alaska be granted a delegate in con-
gress, and that the general lane and tim
Der laws of the United STATE? be eX-
60. tai al