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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 1884)
r Eugene' City Guard. TT TT H STJPPLBME1TT. DEMOCRATIC) PLATFORM- Kooolntlona Adopt by ttao Dorrnlle Party at tne National Conven tion f The Democratic party of the Union, through iu representatives in National Convention assembled, recognizes that, as the nation grows older, new issues are born of time and progress, and old issues perish; but the fundamental principles of the Democracy, approved by the united voice of the people, remain, and will ever remain, as the best and the only security for the continuance of free government, the preservation of personal right, the equality of all citizens before the law. The reserved rights of the States and the supremacy of the Federal Government, within the limits of the Constitution, will ever form the true basis of our liberties, and can never be surrendered without de stroying that balance of rights and powers which enables a continent to be developed in peace, and social order to be maintained by means of local self-government. But it is indispensable, for the practical appli cation and enforcement of these fundamen tal principles, that the Government should not always be controlled by one political party. ' Frequent change of administration is as necessary as constant recurrence to the popular will. Otherwise abuses grow in the Government instrumentality for im posing heavy burdens. on the many, who are governed for the benefit of the few who govern, and publio servants thus become arbitary rulers. This is now the condition' of the country hence a change is de manded. The Republican party, so far as principle is concerned, is a reminiscence; in practice it isan organization for enrich ing those who control its machinery. The frauds and jobbery which have been brought to light in every department of the Government are sufficient to have called for reform within the Republican party; yet those in authority, made reck less by the long possession of power, have succumbed to its corrupting influence and have plaoed in nomination a ticket against which the independent portion of the party are in open revolt. Therefore a change is demanded. Such a change was a like necessity in 1876, but the will of the peo ple was then defeated by a fraud which can never be forgotten nor condoned. Again in 1880, the change demanded by the peo ple was defeated by the lavish use of money, contributed by unscrupulous con tractors and shameless jobbers, who had bargained for unlawful profits or for high office. The Republican party, during its legal, its stolen and its bought tenures of power, has steadily decayed in moral char acter and political capacity. Its platform promises are now a list of its past failures. It demands the restoration of our navy; it has squandered hundreds of millions to create a navy that does not ex ist; it calls upon Congress to remove the burdens under which American shipping has been depressed; it imposes and has continued those burdens; it professes a preference for free institutions; it organ ized and tried to legalize a control of State elections by Federal troops; it professes a desirfto elevate labor; it has subjected American workingmen to the competition of convicUand imported contract labor; it professes gratitude to all who were disabled or died in the war, leaving widows and orphans. It left to a Democratic House of Representatives the first effort to equal ize both bounties and pensions. It proffered a pledge to correct the irregularities of our tariff; it created and continued them. Its own Tariff Commission confessed the need of more than 20 per cent reduction; its Congress gave a reduction of less than 4 per cent. It professes the protection of American manufacturers; it has subjected them to an increasing flood of manu factured goods and a hopeless competition with manufacturing nations, not one of which taxes raw materials. It professes to protect all American industries; it has im poverished the many to protect a iew. professes the protection of American labor; it has depleted the returns of Ameri can agriculture, an industry followed by hlf of our people. It professes the equal ity of all citizens before the law; attempting to fix the status of colored citizens, the Acta of its Congress were overset by the decisions of its Courts. It " aocepU anew the duty of leading in the work of progress .fnrm:"ita caueht criminals are per mitted to escape through contrived delays ..n.1 nnnivance in the prosecution Honey-combed with corruption, outbreaking exposures no longer shock its moral sense. IU honest members, its independent 5t..1 no loneer maintain a successful contest for authority in its counsels or a veto on bad nominations., mat enangeis .-r ia Droved by an existing surplus ofmorethanf 100,000.000, which has yearly been collected from a suffering people Unnecessary taxation ia unjust taxation. WVSMTVB TlItA. We denounce the Republican party for ,.,; (.iU to relieve the people from crushing war taxes, which have paralyzed business, crippled Industry ana aepmea labor of employment and of just reward. The Democracy pledges itself to purify the Administration from corruption, to restore economy, to revive respect for law, and to reduce taxation to the lowest limit con sistent with due regard to the preservation of the faith of the nation to its creditors and pensioners. Knowing full well, how ever, that legislation affecting the occupa tions of the people should be cautious and conservative in method not in advance of publio opinion, but responsive to it the Democratic party is pledged to revise the tariff in a spirit of fairness to all interests, but in making a reduction in taxes it is not proposed to injure any domestio industries but rather to promote their healty growth. From the foundation of this Government, the taxes collected at the Custom-house have been the chief source of Federal rev enue, and so they must continue to be. Moreover, many industries have come to rely upon legislation for their successful continuance, so that any change of law mast be at every step regardful of the labor and capital thus involved. The pro cess of reform must be subject in its execu tion to this plain dictate of justice. All taxation shall be limited to the requirements I - : 1 ... rTkA nM.na.Hl reduction in taxation can and must be ef fected without depriving American labor of the ability to compete successfully with foreign labor and without imposing lower rates of duty than will be ample to cover any increased cost of production, which may exist in consequence of the higher rate of wages prevailing in this country. Suffi cient revenue to pay all expenses of the Federal Government, economically admin istered, including pensions, interest and principal of the publio debt, can be got under our present system of taxation from custom-house taxes on fewer imported aru cles, bearing heaviest on articles of luxury and bearing lightest on articles of necessity. We therefore denounce the abuses of the existing tariff and demand that it be sub jected to these limitations. We demand that Federal taxation shall be exclusively for publio purposes and shall not exceed the needs of Government, economically admin istered. IMTSBNAL BKVSNCB. The system of direct taxation known as the " Internal Revenue," ia a war tax, and so long as the law continues, the duty de rived therefrom should be sacredly devoted to the relief of the people from the remain ing burdens of the war, and be made a fund to defray the expense of the care and ooinfortof worthy soldiors disabled in the line of duty in the wars of the republic, and for the payment of such pensions as Congress may from time to time grant to such soldiers, alike fund for the sailors having been already provided, and any surplus should be paid into the Treasury. A BBOAD CONTINENTAL POLICY. We favor an Amencan continental policy, based upon more intimate commercial and political relations witn the fifteen sister republics of lorth, Central and South America, but entering into alliances with none. COIN AND CDBBKNCT.. We believe in honest money; gold and and silver coinage, and a circulating medium convertible into such money. KtUAL JUSTICK TO ALL. While asserting the equality of all men before the law, we hold that it is the duty of the Government in its dealings with the people to mete out equal and exact justice to all citizens of whatever nativity, raoe, color or persuasion, religious or political. NO TB00P8 AT THI POLLS. We believe in a free ballot and a fair oount, and we recall to the memory of the people the noble struggle of the Demo crats in the Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth Congresses, by which a reluotant Repub lican Administration was compelled to as sent to legislation making everywhere il legal the presenoe of troops at the polls, as the conclusive proof that a Democratic Ad ministration will preserve liberty with order. TEBBITOBIAL omcKBS. The selection of Federal officers for the Territories should be restricted to citizens previously resident therein. We oppose sumptuary laws wmcn vex the citizen and interfere with individual liberty. We favor honest Civil Service reform in the compensation of all United States offi cers by fixed salaries. CHPECH AND STAT! SIFABATI. We favor the separation of Church and State and the diffusion of free education bv common schools, so that every child in the land maybe taught the right and du ties of citizenship. BIGHTS Or PBOPIBTT PBESMV1D. While we favor all legislation which will tend to the equitable distribution of prop- nir. to the prevention of monopoly and to the strict enforcement of Individual right against corporate abuse, we hold that the welfare of society depends on a scrupulous regard for the right of property, a defined by law. BIOHTS OP LABOa. We believe labor U best rewarded where it is freest and most enlightened. It hnnlJ be fostered and cherished. We fa vor the repeal of all laws restricting the free action of labor jtnd the enactment of laws by which labor organization may be increased, and all such legislation as will tend to enlighten the people as to the true relations of capital and labor. PBKHEBVATION OP PUBLIC LAND4. We believe that the publio lands ought, as far as possible, be kept as homesteads for actual settlers. That all unearned lands heretofore iniprovidently granted to railroad corporations by the action of the Republican party should be restored to the publio domain and no more grants shall be made to corporations, or be allowed to fall into the ownership of alien absentees. AOAINST CENTRALIZATION. We are opposed to all propositions which, upon any pretext, would convert the General Government into a machine for the collection of taxes to be distributed among the States or the citizens thereof in repeating the declaration of the Demo cratic platform of 1856 that, " The liberal principles embodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence and sanc tioned in the Constitution, which make ours the land of liberty and the asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have ever been the cardinal principles in the Demo oratio faith. We nevertheless do not sanc tion the importation of foreign labor or the admission of servile races, unfitted by habits, training, religion or kindred, for absorption into the great body of our peo ple, or fear the citizenship which our laws confer. American civilization deniauds that, against the immigration or importa tion of Mongolians to these shores, our gates be closed. R10BT8 OP NATURALIZED CITIZENS, With the Democratic party we insist that it is the duty of the Government to protect with equal fidelity and vigilance the rights of its citizens, native and natural ized, at home and abroad, and to the end that this protection may be assured, United States papers of naturalization, issued by courts of competent juris diction, niuet be respected by the. execu tive and legislative departments of our own Government, and by all foreign pow ers. It is an imperative duty of ' this Gov ernment to efficiently protect all the rights of her sons and the proportj of every Am erican citizen iu foreign lands, and demand and enforce full reparation for any in vasion thereof. An American citizen is ouly responsible to his own Government for any act done in his country or un der her flag and law, and can only be tried therefore on her own soil and according to her laws; and no power exists in this Gov ernment to expatriate an American citizen to be tried in any foreign land for any such act. This country has never had a well-defined and educated foreign policy, save under a Democratic Administration. That policy has ever been, in regard to foreign nations, so long as they do not act detrimental to the interests of the oonntry, or hurtful to our citizens, but let them alone. As the result of this policy we re call the acquisition of Louisiana, Florida, California, and of the adjacent Mexicau territory, by purchase alone, and contrast these grand acquisitions of Democratic statesmanship with the purchase of Alaska, the sole fruit of a Republican administra tion of nearly n quarter of a century. The General Government should care for and improve the Mississippi river and other great water-ways of the Republio, so as to secure for the interior States easy and cheap transportation to tide water. DECAY OP COMMERCE Under a long period of Democratic pol icy our merchant marine was fast over taking, and on the point of outstripping that of Great Britain. Under twenty years of Republican rule and policy our commerce has been lost to the British, and almost has the American flog been kept off the high seas. Instead of the Republican party's British policy, we demand for the people of the United States an American policy. Under Democratic rule and policy our merchants and sailors were flying the stars and stripes in every port, successfully searching out markets for the varied pro duct of American industry. Under a quarter of a century of Republican rule and policy, despite our manifest advan tages over all other nations ia high-paid labor, favorable climates and teeming soils despite freedom of trade among all these United States despite their population of the foremost races of men and the annual immigration of the thrifty and adventur ous of all nations despite our freedom here from the inherited burdens of life and industry in the old world monarchies, their costly war navies, their vast tax-eon turning standing armies despite twenty rears of peace, the Republican rule and policy have managed to surrender to Great Britain, along with our commerce, the con trol of the markets of the world. Instead of the Republican party's British policy we demand, on behalf of the American Democracy, an American policy; instead of the Republican party's discredit, shame and false pretense of friendship to American labor expressed by imposing tAxet, we demand, in behalf of the Demo cracy, freedom for American labor, by re ducing taxes, to the end that these United States may compete with unhindered Pow ers for the permanency, among nations, of all the arts of peace and fruits of liberty. TILDKN. With profound regret we have been ap prised by the venerable stutesmsu through whose person was struck that blow at the vital principle of the republio, acquies cence, in the will of the majority, that he cauuot permit us again to ilace in his hauds the leadership of the Democratic hosts for the reason that the achievement of reform in tho administration of the Federal Goverunicut ia an undertaking now too heavy for bis age and failing strength. Rejoicing that his life has been prolonged until the general judgment of our follow countrymen is milted iu the wish that that wrong was righted iu his person, for the Democracy of the United States we offer to him in his withdrawal from the canvass, not only our respectful sympathy and esteem, but also that bent homage of freemen, the pledge of our de votion to the principles and the course now inseparable iu the history of this re publio, from the leadership aud the name of Sound J. Tilden. SUBMITTED TO Till PEOPLE. With this statement of tho hopes, prin ciples and purposes of the Democratic party, the great issue of reform aud change in the Administratlou is submitted to the people, in culm ooufldenoe that the popular voice will pronouuoe in favor- of new men aud new aud more favorable con ditions for the growth of industry, the ex tension of trade, the employment and due reward of labor aud of oapitul, aud the general welfare of the country. CLEVELAND'S LETTER Arrrptlng tho nomination of tho Doma. rratltt Party. ' Gentlemen: I have received jrour communication dated July 28, 1884, informing me of my nomination to the office of Proaidont of the United States, by the National Democratic Convention, lately assemblod at Chicago. I accept the nomination with grateful appreciation of tho supreme honor conferred and a sol emn sense . of the responsibility which, in its acceptance, I assume. I have carefully considered the plat form adopted by the convention and cordially approve the same. So plain a statement of Domocratio faith and the principles upon which that party appeals to the suffrages of the people needs no supplement or explanation. It should be re membered that the office of Presi dent is essentially executive in its nature. Tho laws enacted by the legislative branch of the Govern ment the Chief Executive is bound faithfully to enforce. When the wisdom of the political party which selects one of its members as a nom inee for that office has outlined its policy and declared its principles, it seems to me that nothing iu the character of the office or the neces Bitios of the case requires more from the candidate accepting such nomination than the suggestion of certain well-knowu truths so abso lutely vital to the safety and wel fare of the nation that they cannot be too often recalled or too seriously enforced. OUR GOVERNMENT. We proudly call ours a Govern ment by the people. It is not such when a class is tolerated which arro- gates to itself the management of publio affairs, seeking to control the people instead of representing them. Parties are tho nocessary outgrowth of our institutions, but a Government cannot be by the people when one party fastens its control upon the country and per petuates its power by cajoling and betraying the people instead of serv ing them. A Government is not by the people when a result which should represent the intelligent will of free-thinking men is or can be determined by the shamelessness of their suffrages. When an election to office shall be the selection by the voters of one of their number, to assume for a time a public trust, in stead of his dedication to the pro fession of politics; whon the holders of ballots, quickened by a sense of duty, shall avenge truth betrayed and pledges broken, and when' the suffrages shall be altogether free and uncorrupted, the full realization of a Government by the people will be at hand. IN PIVOB or ONE TERM. And of the means to this end, not one would, in my judgment, be moro effective than an amondraent to the Constitution disqualifying the President from re-election When we consider the patronage of the groat office, the allurements of power, the temptation to retain pub lio place once gained and more than all, the availability a party finds in an incumbent whom a horde of offico holdors, with a zeal born of benefits received and fostered by the hope of favors'yet to come, stand ready to aid with money and traiuod political sorvice, we recognize in the eligibility of the Tresidont for re election a most serious danger to that calm, deliberato and intelligent political action which must charac terize a Government by the people. LABOR AND NATIONAL FR08PEBJTT. A true American scntimont recog nizes the dignity of lalwr, and the fact that honor lies in honest toil makes contented labor an elomont of national prosperity. Ability to work constitutes tho capital and the wages of labor the income of a vast number of our population, and this interest should be joalously pro tected. Our workingmen are not asking unreasonable terms, but, as intelligent citizens they seek the same consideration which those de mand who haveothor intorcBts at stake. Thoy should recoive the full share of the caro and attention of those who make and execute the laws, to the end that the wants and the noeda of the employers and employees should alike be subserved and the prosperity of the country, the common heritage of both, be advancod. As related to this sub ject while we should not discourage the immigration of those who come to acknowledge allegiance to our Government and add to our coun try's population, yet, as a means of protection to our workingmen, a dif feront rule should prevail concern ing those who, if they come or are brought to our land, do not intend to become Americans, but will in juriously compote with those justly entitlod to our labor. CARE FOR TUB WORKWOMEN. In a letter accepting the nomina tion to the office of Governor, nearly two yoars ago, I made the following statement, to which I have steadily adhered: "The laboring classes constitute the main part of our population. They should be protected in thoir efforts peaceably toasBort thoir rights whon endan gered by capital, and all statutes on this Rubjoct should recognize the care of tho State for honest toil, and lie framed with a viow of improving the condition of the workingmon, a proper care for the working- men being inseparably connected with the intogrity of our institutions. None of our citizens are more interested than thoy in guarding against any corrupting influences which seek to pervert the beneficent purposes of our Government, and none should be moro watchful of the fearful machinations of those that allure them to self-inflicted injury, In a free country, the curtailment o the absolute tights of the individual should only be such as is essontia to the peace and good order of the community. The limit bctweon the proper subjects of governmental con trol and those which can bo more fittingly loft to the moral sense and self-imposed restraint of the citizens should be carefully kept in view Thus laws unnecessarily interfering with the habits and customs of any one of our people which are not of fensive to the moral sentiments the civilized world and which are consistent with good citizenship and the public welfare are unwise and vexatious." COMMERCE AND GOVERNMENT EMPLOT1E8 The commerce of a nation to great extent determines its suprem acy. Cheap and easy transportation should therefore be liberally fostered within the limits of the Constitution and the General Government shoul so improve and protect its natural waterways as will enable the pro ducers of the country to reach a profitable market The people pay the wages of the publio employees, and they are en titled to tho fair and honest work which the money thus paid should command. It is the duty of those entrustod with the management of affairs to soe that Buch publio service is forthcoming. The selection and retention of subordinates ia govern ment employment should depend upon their ascertained fitness and the value of their work, and they should be noithor expected nor al lowed to do questionable party ser vice, lhe interest of the people will be better protected, the estimate of publio labor and duty will be im mensely improved, if publio employ ment bo open to all who demonstrate their fitness to enter it Then the unseemly scramble for office under the Government with the con sequent importunity which embitters official life will cease, and the publio departments will not be filled with hose who conceive it to be their first duty to aid the party to which they owe their place, instead of ren dering patiout and honoBt return to the people. AN HONEST. PLAIN ADMINISTRATION DE8IRED. I believe that the publio temper is such that the voters of the land are prepared to support the party which gives the best promise of adminis tering the Government in the honest, simple and plain manner which is consistent with its' character and purposes. They have learned that mystery and oonoeolment in the managemout of thoir affairs cover riokB and betrayal. The statesman ship they require consists in honesty and frugality, a prompt response to the needs of the people as they arise, and the vigilant protection of all their varied interests. If I should be colled to the Chief Magistracy of the nation by the suffrages of my follow-citizons, I will assume the duties of that high office with a solemn determination to ded icate every effort to the country's good, and with an humble reliance upon the favor and support of the Superior Being who, I believe, will always bless honest human endeavor in the conscientious discharge of publio duty. urover Cleveland. To Col. William Vilas, Chairman, and D. P. Bestor and others, niem- bors of the Notification Committee of the Domocratio National Conven tion. HENDRIO&S' LETTER Attempting; the Nomination of the Doma- 1 r ratio r art jr. Indianapolis, August 20, 1884. Gentlemen: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication notifying me of my nomination by the Domocratio Con vention at Chicago as a candidate for he office of Vice-President of the United StateB. I repeat what I said cn another occasion, that it is a nomination which I had neither ex pected nor dosired, and yet I recog nize and appreciate the high honor done me by the convention. The choice of such a body, pronounced with such unusual unanimity, and accompanied with so generous an expression of esteem and confidence, ought to outweigh all my personal desires and all preferences of my own. It is from a deep sense of publio duty that I now accept the nomination, and shall abide by the judgment of my oountrymen. I have examined with care the declar ation of principles adopted by the convention, a copy of which you have submitted to me, and in their sum and substance I heartily en dorse and approve the same. I am, gentlemen, Your obedient servant, T. A. Hendricks. To the Hon. Wm. F. Vilas, Chair man, Nicholas M. Bell, Secretary, and others of the Committee of the National Domocratio Committe.