Year: 1878

bear the burdens of government


equally with labor and produc


ton; that the present financia


policy of the Government to con


tract the circulation of treasury


notes, disparage silver, magnify


gold and national bank notes, be


reversed, and every legitimate


mode adopted to swell the vol,


ume of our currency with silver


and treasury notes. For five


years the National Radical Re
publican party upheld and pro
tected an irresponsible minority
in the usurpation of our State


government, and permitted it to


waste the substance of our I'M
represented and impoverished
people by burdensome taxation,
and the issue and sale, at an enor-
nous discount, of millions of


bonds, the proceeds of which in
great part, were converted to the
private use of its party favorites;
and when the control of the State
government was recovered by
our people, they were threatened
with a military government if
they presumed to question the
validity Of the bonds so issued.
We undertook to prsvide for
these bonds as a part of our pub
lie debt. As Democrats we point
with pride to the fact that since
the accession of our party to pow
er, 1t has not created a dollar of
debt, but has paid millions upon
existing debt. 1t has steadily re-
duced the expenses of the admin
istration of the State Government.
1t has attempted to meet all the
obligations of the State, just and
unjust. By reason of circum-
stances over which we have had
no control, we are no longer able
now to meet the requirments of
our creditors. The cost of all
our productions exceeds their
market value. Our mechanics
and laboring people are without
remunerative employment. Our
merchants are making no gains.
None are prosperous save cor
POrations, interest takers and mon
ey lenders. We recognize among
ourselves wide differences of
opinion as to the time, mode and
measure of the payment of our
public obligations, but for the
present these differences of opin-
ion afford no just occasion for
disturbing that unity which is so
essential to the complete success
of our party in its great struggle
for the liberation Of the country.
We cordially unite, however; in
declaring that we are opposed
to the repudiation of the Just
Indebtedness of the State, that
we are in favor of an equitable
adjustment of our public indebt-
edness, but to the end that this
question may be put out of the
politics of the State, we declare
that we are for the submission to
the people for their ratification
or rejection at the ballot-box, at
a separate election, of any ad'
justment of the State debt which
may be made by the Legislature;
and until such adjustment shall
have been made and ratified by
the people, we declare that we are
opposed to the levy of any great
er tax upon the people than may
be necessary for the payment of
the expenses of the State govern
ment, economically administer
ed.


We demand the adoption of a
constitutional provision prohibit
ing the State forever from bor-
rowing money and issuing bonds,
except such bonds as may be is
sued in compromise of the pres
ent debt.


We demand a reduction of the
fees of officers in conformity to
the general shrinkage of values
and the stringency of the times
and the adoption Of maximum
standard-all fees in excess to
go into the county treasures for
the use of schools.


We further demand the passage
of lien law which shall be just |
alike to the Iaborer in the pay
ment of his wages, the mechanic |
and the owner.


What Confraaffo,, Is Roino