The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-26
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM.
Official Text as Reported by the
Committee.
Adopted az ~. Louis. June -. 1879.

Ncntlou assehDItu, 90 htfeby declare the
| administration Of The federal government
to be in urgent reed OF immediate reform;
do hereby enjoiu upon the nominees Of this
convention, and OF the democratic party In
each State, n Jealous effort aud 60 opera
ton to this end, and do hereby appeal to
our fellow citizens OF every former political
connection to undertake with Us hi. fi vt
an most pressing patriotic duty.
THE UNION. THE CONSTITUTION, REPuBLi-
CAN sELF-GOvERNMENT
For the democracy of the whole country,
we do hereby reafiirn our tai.h Ia the per-
msnence OF the federal union; our devotion
T. the constitution Of the United States,
with is ameL dments universally accepted
as the final settlement OF the controve 81 sizes
that engendered civil war. und do here re-.
cord our stead'ast confidence in the perpe.
tuity Of republican selt-government
1HE FIRST CENTURY.
10 ab e lutte acquie scence In the will of
the majority-the vital principle OF repub.
lies; Ia the supremacy If the civil over the
military authority, In the total separation Of
church and state, for the sake alike OF civil
and religious freedom; in the equality Of
all citizens before just laws OF their own en-
actment; in the liberty Of individual con-
du"t, invoked by sumptuary laws; in the
faithful education OF the rising generation,
that they may preserve. enjoy aud transmit
these best conditions Of human happiness,
and hope we behold the nOb!est products OF
u hundred years OF changeiul hi.tOry; but
while UNFOLDING the bond OF our union and
great charter OF these great rights, /: be.
hooves free people to practice also that
eternal vigilance which 1, the price OF
liberty.
RKFoRM-CoRRUPTIoN
Reform Is necessary to build and establish
in the hearts OF the whole peOIls the union
| eleven years ago happily rescued from The
| danger Of q secession Of states but now to
be saved from corrupt ceDtralism, viii Ii,
after INJECTING upon ten States the rapaci y
of carpet bag tyranuies, has honey cOmbcd
the Offices OF the federal government itself
with incapacity, waste and fraud; infecte d
States and municipalities with the conta.
gi0n OF mi .rue. and locked fast the pros.
perity OF an industrious people in the pa.
ralysis of hard times.
REFORM OF THE CURRKNCY-sPECIK
PAYMENTS.
Reform il necessary to establish sound
currency, restore the public credit and
maintain the national honor. We denounce
the failure for all these eleven years to
make good the promise OF the legal tender
notes, which are o changing standard of
value In the hands OF the people, and tho
non payment OF which IL IL dir. gard OF the
pusnteu latin oil the nation.
We denounce the improyidence which In
eleven years Of peace has taken from the
people, in federal taxes, thirteen times the
whole amount Of the legal tender notes,
and squandered fOut times this sum ia use.
less expense, without accommodating any re.
serve Tor their redemption. We denOunce
the financial imbecility and immortality OF
that party which, during eleven years of
peace. has made no advance toward re.
demption; no preparation for resumption,
but, instead, has obstI ucted resumption BY
wasting our resources and eXhaustiny ali
our surplus income, and while annually
protesting to intend speedy return to
specie payment, has annually enacted fresh
hindrances theretO-as such a hindrance
we denounce the re sumption clause OF the
act OF 1919. and we demand its repeal.
We demand judiciOus system OF pre-
paratiOn. by public economies. by official
retrenchment, and by the finances which
shall enable the nation soon to assure the
whole world Of its perfect ability and its
perfect readiness to meet any OF its prom.
lses at the call OF the creditor entitled to
payment.
We believe such u system, well devised,
and, above all, entrusted u competent
| hands for its execution, Great ng at no time
an artificial scarcity of currency, and al no
time alarming the public mind into q with.
drawal OF that vast machinery Of credit by
|
| actions are performed, "A system open TO
the public and inspiring general confidence,
would, from the day Of its adoption, bring
healing on its wings to all our harrassed In.
| dustries, set 10 motion the wheels OF com.
| merce, manufactures and the me chanical
arts, restore employment to labor, and re-
new In oil Its national sources the prosper
ity OF the people.
REFORM OF THE TARIFF-FRwE TRADE.
Rtfoym Is necessary In the sum and mode
| OF federal taxation, to the end that capital
| may be set free from distrust and lab n
lightly hardened. We denounce the pres
ent tarin levied upon nearly four thousand
articles as mast3r piece OF injustice, in
equality and false pretense. 1t Yields q
dwindling, not yearly rising revenue. Ii
has impoverished many industries TO sub.
sidize few; IT prohibits imports that mgh
purchase The products Of American ltbois 5;
II has degraded American commerce from
the first to an inferior rank upon the high
seas; II has cut down the sales Of American
manufactures at home an abroad, and de.
pleted the returns OF American agriculture,
an industry followed by hall our people, Ii
costs the people five times more than II pro-
duces to the treasury; obstruets the process
Of production, and wastes the fruits OF la
Dor; II promotes fraud, fosters smuggling,
enriches dishonest officials and BANKRUPT,
honest merchants. We demand that all
custom house taxation shall be only for
| revenue.
| hEfohM-ECoNOMY IN PUBLIC EXPENSE.
Reform Is necessary in the scale OF public
eXpense-fedeTal, State aud municipal.
Our federal taxation has swollen from sixty
millions gold, in 1850, TO four hundred and
nifty millions currency, in 1870. Our aggre.
gate taxation. from one hundred and tity.
four millions gold in 1860, to seven hundred
and thirty millions currency in 1870; or, IN
one decade, from less than i've dollars pei
head TO more than eighteen dollars PEI head
since the peace the people have paid "a
their tax-gatherers more than thrice the
sum OF the national debt, and more than
twice that sum for the federal government,
alone. We demand n vigorous frugality i'm
every department, and from every officer
OF the government
kkFoRM-PuBLlC LANDS TO ACTUAL SET
| TIERS.
Reform Il necessary 10 put u stop 10 the
proh'gate waste Of the public lands and
their diversion from actual settlers by the
party In power, which has squsndersd
zO0,O0O 900 acres upon railroads alone. and
On amount OF moro than thrice thai aegre.
gate, has disposed OF less than . sixth di.
reeuy TO the tillers Of the soil.