Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-08-05
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
We the delegates of the Democratic party of the
Iuicc States. in national convention assembled. do
hereby declare the administration OF the Federal Gov
,r,mcut to be in great need of Immediate reform: do
hereby enoin upon the nominees of the convention
and the Democratic party in each State and a ST.
d. hereby appeal to our fellow citizens of every frmer
political connection to undertake with us this first and
pressing and patriotic duty for the benefit of the
whole country.
We here affirm our faith in the permanency of the
Federal Union; devotion to the constitution of the
United States with its amendments universally accepted
az final settlement of the controversies that nscn
ercd the civil war; and do here record seadfast
ence in the perpeuity of Republican self government
in an absolute acquisition in the will of The majority
the prcipe of republics in the supremacy of the civil
church and State for the sake alike of civil and clis
m freedom; in the equality of all citizens before the just
ual conduct unvexed by sumptuary laws; in the faith
fl education of the rising generation, that they may
pres enjoy and transmit these best conditions of
human happiness and hope.
We uphold the noblcst products of hundred year.
Of cangeful history, but while uphoding the bond of
orr union and the great charter of these rights it
hhooves free people practice also that eternal Wig
iauce which is the price of liberty: Reform is neces
sarv TO r, build and establish in the OF the whole
people the Union eleven years happily rescued
from danger of corrupt centram which after incting
upon the rapacity of the carpet tyranny
has honey combed the offices of the Federal Govern
itself with incapacy worse than fraud; inflicted
States and municipalities with conagiOn OF msru:c
and locked fast the property OF an industrious people
in the paralysis of hard times.
restore the public credit and maintain the national hon
or We denounce the failure for all these ten years to
make good the promise Of the legal notes which are
chansn. standard value in the hands of the people,
and the non payment of which is disregard of the
pighted faith Of the nation We denounce the mprov
the people in frauds ten times the whole amount Of the
esal tender notes and squandered four times the
for their redemption We denounce the financial poll
cy and immortality OF that party which during eleven
lion, no preparation for resumption, but instead has
obstructed resumption by wasting our resources and
exhausting az our surplus income ana wn,ie equally
has annually added fresh hindances thereto. As such
hindrance. we denonnce the resumption non Cause OF
udcious system Of prepa by public economies;
oy official retrenchmens and by WISE finance, which
shall enable the nation to assure the whole world Of its
perfect ability and perfect readiness TO meet any of its
promises at the cali Of its creditors entitled to payment
We believe that such system well devised and inrust
ed to competent hands Of execution, at time
artificial scarcity Of currency, and at no time alarm
ing the public mind in withdrawal OF that vaster ma
chnery Of credit which 95 per cent Of all business
transactions are perforned-a system open public and
adoption bring healing on its wings all harrassed
industries set in motion the wheels OF commerce. man
to labor and prosperity to the people Reform is neces-
sary the and mOCe of Federal taxation TO the
end that capital be set free from disrust and labor
We denounce the present tariff levied upon nearly
4,O0 articles masterpiece Of injustice and false
petenses. Ityieds dwinding not yearly rising rev.
enue. 1t has Impoverished many industries to snbsi
die few. It prohibits imports that might purchase
commerce from the first to inferior upon the high
seas 1t has lowered the sale Of American manufac-
american agriculture and industries followed by half
our people. 1t costs the Ope five times more than
Of production and vast the fruits Of labor. pro-
notes frauds, fosters smuggling, enriches dishonest
that custom house taxation shall be only for
Reform lie necessary in the scale Of public expense ma
s,Soa s%oien Sfr,1 from as gold in 1865
currency in ls50 Our Aggregate is5a.sn M n has grown
g0d ass IN lS an 70 s. esa io mSys
than $is per head. Since the peace the people have
paid to their tax gaherers more than three times the
amount Of the national debt and more than twice Of
that sum for Federal Outlays. Above all we demand
fugaliy in all the departments and every Office Of the
reform is necessary to put stop to the prongate
waste OF public lands and their diversion from actual
two hundred millions Of upon railroads alone and
of than twice that aggregate has disposed OF
Reform is necessary to correct the omissions of Re-
publican Congress and the OF our treaties and d
omac which have striped our S~ iss ans OF
the shield of American citizens and exposed our breth-
of the Pacific coast to the 1ncurrons OF race no.
speaking language from the same great parent stock
in TACT now by denied citizenship through matt
uraization as being neither accustomed TO the tradi
erty under equal laws. We denounce the policy which
thus dscors the libeity loving German and toefates
moral purposes and Mongoan men held to perform ser
vile labor contracts, and demand such modification
ton BY Congress within Constitutional limitations
shall prevent the further Importation or immigration
Reform is necessary, and can never be effected but
by making the controlling issue of the elections and
lifting above the false issues with which the Of
crit i, The .aise issue with which they would en-
knde sectaran strife in respect to the public schools
which the establishment and support belong exclu
svely to the States which the Democratic party has
cherished from their foundation, and s resolved to
oa cresd s%S Without
ury q The false issue by which they seek TO light
anew the dying embers Of sectional hate between kin;
dred people unnatualIy estanged but now united
in ON, indivisiblc republic and common destiny
he % conduct q
ernment business is not possible If its civil service be
pay zeal Instead Of posts Of honor assigned
Competency, and held for fidelity in public employ
That s ,Se
meat OF their ambition Here again profession fassi
fed in the performance attest that the party in power
now can work out no practical satisfactory reform Re-
form Is necessary even more in higher grades Of public
Vice Presidents, Judges Represen-
,stiycs Cabinet ofcers-these and all in authority are
the peoples servants Their oces are not private
qus.es they are public trust When the az annals % ol
President of late speaker Of the House Of Rep.esen-
tatives marketings his rulings a. presiding onicer
law makers: Of ave chairmen Of the leading commit.
tees Of the late HOuse OF Representatives exposed In
robbery: OF Q hte SeCrct1fy VI tuc AICoeuys
baauces in the public accounts Of late Attorney Cen
era misapproPriating public funds o. Secretary os
levied III the profits Of contractors with his depart
ment Of an ambassador to England ccnsured for dis
re,ary barely escaping conviction upon trial for guilty
completely in frauds upon the revenue; Of Secretary
of War impeached for high crimes and confessed mis-.
demeanors The demonstration 10 complete that the
first step in reform be the peoples choice for hon.
tcal oryazation infect the body politic and BY
making change Of men party we get no chance q
crimes That the pfodnction Of sixteen year, OF as
cendancy Of the Repabcan party create necessity for
reform is confessed by ths Sspa9ncass snd
displaced from the Cabinet. Tho partys mss u the
honest voters u powsfisss g resiss the 0o omce.
had BY Q peaceful, civic revolutiou. We den ino 2
Change or parties that we nay have ehanee q nss
ures and of men.