Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-08-18
County. Missouri. Thursday, August 49, 1893

any government established ON the
islands should guarantee to us COM
mercial privileges equal to or super
Tor to those enjoyed by any other ma
ton.
The Nicaraguan Canal should be
constructed and controlled by the
United States. 1t is necessary to our
national defense and promotion of
our commerce, and we declare that
the government should, without delay,
put itself in position to inaugurate the
work of completion as speedy as pos
sible.
We declare that the great CONNER
cial interests of the republic require
that revival and rehabilitation of our
merchant marine which under Demo-
cratic policy rose to the first rank and
brought the worlds commerce to our
marts, but which under Republican
misrule has disappeared from the seas.
The laws which have annihilated our
merchant navy for the enrichment of
monopolists should be changed, and
every possible and reasonable encour-
agemens should be given to maritime
enterprises until American merchant
men shall again fill the harbors of the
world, thereby opening up new and
inviting fields for the investment of
capital and employment of labor, at
the same time enabling our nation to
take its place as the dominant COM
mercial power of the earth; and we
declare that our navy, the achieve
ments of which have always been a
source of pride to our people, should
be made and kept equal to any emerg-
ency and capable at all times of de-
Tending rs against foreign assault and
of adequately protecting American in
terests throughout the world.
We are opposed to large standing
army, for the reason that it would be
expensive and wholly unnecessary
and because it might become an in
strument OF oppression and a source
of danger to institutions. But we
favor the maintenance of an adequate
national guard so thoroughly organ
lied and equipped that it could be
mobilized for service without delay.
We congratulate the Missouri Ma
tional Guards in the army and navy
for their prompt and patriotic re-
sponse to their country's call and de-
clare that they are not only entitled to
our thanks, but should hereafter re-
ceive the generous support OF our
people. We further declare that they
should be fully reimbursed for any
necessary expense incurred by them
between the dates when they were
ordered into camp and final muster
into the service of the United States.
We congratulate the people of Mis-
souri, on the splendid development of
the State under Democratic manage
ment. We heartily indorse the wise,
economic and business-like admins
tration of Gov. Lon V. Stephens and
his Democratic associates, under which
progress and prosperity have increas-
ed in spite of most unfavorable gen.
eral conditions.
We challenge attention to the fact
that while the national debt is being
extravagantiy increased, the debt i'm
posed on this State by Republican
misrule is being steadily decreased by
Democratic administrations and the
public interest closely guarded. The
Democratic party, when it came into
power in 1878, found bonded debt Of
s21, ,76s,oOO. To-day it is but $4,000, 200,
drawing 81 per cent interest, and will
be further reduced $500, 600 before the
end of the present year.
We believe that every species of
property should be by law compelled
to bear its equal and just share of tax
alton and We favor the enactment of
such laws concerning the assessment
and collection of taxes in this State
as will secure that end.
We are in favor of the Government
securing to the people cheap and
efficient transportation facilities.
We favor the enactment by Con-
gress of an act setting aside day
each year to be a national holiday to
commemorate the victory OF the
American arms on land and sea, and
that such day be the date of the dec
laration of peace between Spain and
the United States.