The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-07-16

that bench.
We declare that it is the duty of congress
to use all the constitutional power which
remains after that decision, or which may
come from its reversal by the court as it may
hereafter he constituted, so that the burdens
OF taxation may be equally and impartially
laid, to the end that wealth may bear its
proportion OF the expenses Of the govern.
ment.
We hold that the most efficient way of
protecting American labor is to prevent the
importation of foreign pauper labor to CON.
pete with 1t in the home market, and that
the value of the home market to our Ameri.
can farmers and artisans is greatly reduced
by vicious monetary system which de.
presses the prices of their products below
the cost of production, and thus deprives
them of the means Of purchasing the pro.
ducts OF our home manufactures.
The absorption of wealth by the few, the
consolidation of our leading railroad systems
and the formation of trusts and pools require
stricter control by the federal government
OF those arteries Of commerce. We demand
the enlargement of the powers of the inter-
state commerce commission, and such res.
trictons and guarantees in the control of
railroads as will protect the people o0o,s o0o,s .
robbery anf. ses s2pl 7sSSmh 9SsiJh. 'N" 80 ''0"'
awe denounce the prohigate waste of the
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, and the products of
the peoples toll are depressed in prices till
they no longer repay the cost of production.
We demand a return to that simplicity and
economy which BELTS democratic govern
ment, and reduction in the number of
useless Offices, the salaries of which drain
the substance Of the people.
We denounce arbitrary interference by
federal authorities in local affairs as a viola
ton of the constitution of the United States
and crime against free institutions, and we
especially object to government by injunc.
ton as new and highly dangerous form OF
oppression by which federal judges, in con-
tempt of the laws Of the states and the
rights of citizens, become at once legislators,
judges and executioners.
Recognizing the Just claims of deserving
Union soldiers, we heartily indorse the rule
of the present pension commissioner that no
names shall be arbitrarily dropped from the
pension roll, and the fact of enlistment and
service should be deemed conclusive evi.
dence against disease and disability before
| enlistment
We favor the admission of the territories
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, and while they remain territories
we hold that the officials appointed TO ad-
minister the government of any territory,
together with the District of Columbia and
Alaska, should be bonaide residents of the
territory or district in which their duties are
to be performed. The Democratic party
believes in home rule, and that all pubic
lands of the United States should be appro.
priated to the establishment of free homes
ior 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
Cuba in their heroic struggle for liberty and
independence
We are opposed to life tenure in the
public service. We favor appointments
based upon merit, 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 declare it to be the unwritten law of
this republic, established by custom and
usage OF hundred 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 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 i'm.
portance to demand aid of the government
such aid should be extended upon a definite
plan of continuous work until permanent