Daily globe., 1878-08-19
Il MODEL PLATFORM.

AS model of terseness and vigor of Ian
guage, the platform of the Democrats OF
Tennessee is without an equal among the
political documents of the times. 1t is COM
prehensive yet concise, covering every topic
of interest to the public at large and avow-
ing opinions on each with fearlessness and
directness that is refreshing in these days of
equivocation and assembling. The arraign-
ment of the Republican party is emphatic,
truthful, Enthusiastically pointed. It's sins of
omission and commission are characterized
as they deserve; its perfidy to principle, its
Indifference to the most solemn obligations
are denounced in terms as direct and as
biting as language could well be. Declaring
it's purpose to establish justice, says the plat
form, it trampled it under its feet; to en-
sure domestic tranquility, it preached the
gospel of hate ostensibly the financial agent
of the people, it was in fact the plant tool
of the money power; it has squandered the
public wealth by donations to powerful cor
porations it has driven American ships
from the high seas and destroyed our foreign
ment for the annihilation of Republican
government in the South; it has uniformly
abused it's power by administering the gov
ernment in the interest of creditors and
against the debtor class, i'll the interest of
the tax consumer and against the tax payer ;
in the interest of the rich and against the
poor; in the interest of the strong and
against the weak in the interest of the few
and against the many. These are some of
the counts in the stinging Indictment framed
against the Republican party, and who can
say that the history of the party
does not fully warrant them Never
since parties were first formed has there been
an organization SO utterly repugnant to good
government; so thoroughly controlled by in
| fuences prejudicial to the best interests OF
the people; so lost to all regard for its most
solemn promises. It is a party possessing
no fixed principles, no governing motive
higher than expediency and selfshness. 1t
fully merits the denunciations heaped upon
it, After reviewing the work accomplished
| by it., the convention sums up its sins as
follows:
| AS the legitimate fruit of the administration
| it has paralyzed all industrial pursuits; has de
stroyed the value of all our property; has de
| prived labor of employment and reward; has
impoverished and bankrupted the country ano
| denied the poor an opportunity to earn bread
/ has filled the land with unrest, dlscord anc
agitation, the unmistakable precursors of revo
lutionary resistance to oppression. I'M ustice
| and wrong For these crimes against human
| ity and good gove nment we denounce tht
radical Republican party as unworthy OF th'
trust and confidence of intelligent and patriotic
people.
Not satisfied with the platform negativel.
announced by it's denunciation of the meas
ures and aims of the Republican party, tn
convention has affirmatively declared serie
of principles as exceptionally good as tn
record of the Republican party is exception
ally bad. 1t is a platform that fully meet
the demands of the times-lucid, emphati
and not uselessly diffuse. 1t should be rea'
by every Democrat in the land and presente
to the consideration of every fair-minde,
citizen. 1t should form the groundwork Q
every party platform hereafter adopted. Th
day has gone by for the adoption of any bu
the most direct and unmistakable policy
We must leave no room for equivocation-
must give our enemies no opportunity t
misunderstood us. By a bold avowa
of our principles we are sure to gain; fo
they need but to be understood to be adopt
ed. They will bear criticism, for the NOR
they are analyzed the brighter they shine
We court discussion, convinced that tina
alone is necessary to ensure the general adoI
ton of the Democratic theories of govern