The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-04-16
DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORM.

The Democratic party of the State of Or
egon, in convention assembled, profoundly
sensible of the important consequences de-
pending upon the immediate result of their
deliberations, do declare and reassert the
principles of popular liberty and rights laid
down by Washington, Jefferson and other
founders of the Republic. We believe that
the tendencies OF the Republican party to
centralization are contrary the principles of
our institutions. We insist on unity, fratern-
ity and concord, and the issues formed by
the war shall not be reversed. We demand
an honest election and an honest count of
the votes. Never again by fraud or force
shall the popular will be set aside by unscru-
lous partisans. That we are unqualifiedly
opposed to any one holding the Office OF
President of the United States for three
terms.
Resolved, First-That we favor honesty,
efficiency and economy in every department
of the government, State aud Federal.
2d.-That all property should bear its just
proportion of taxation, and we favor the
enactment of such laws as will accomplish
this end.
3d-1hat we favor the equal protection of
the rights of labor and capital under just
laws, thereby lessening the burdens, and
increasing the advantages of the working
people.
4th-That we claim as amongst the pow
ers reserved to the States the right to pass
at any time, by their Legislatures. laws de-
signed to prevent common carriers from max
ing unjust determinations against persons
and places.
5th-That we favor the maintenance of
the public schools, the hope and pride of q
free State.
6th-That the Democracy demand free
and fair elections, and to that end denounce
all interference by the military power that
the experience of this and other countries
has abundantly proved that that presence of
troops at the polls is destructive of the free
dom Of elections and is incompatible with
the existence of free institutions.
7th-That the efforts of the Republican
party to open and keep alive the war feeling
between the North and the South are to be
condemned by every lover of his country.
Sth-That we favor continued lawful agi-
tation on the subject of Mongolian emigra-
tion to this country, until the federal gov
ernment is moved to modify the treaties
with the Chinese Empire so as to prohi oit it,
and thus save those of our citizens who de-
pend upon labor for support from unjust and
degrading competition. We condemn and
denounce in the severest terms the veto of
R. B. Hayes of the bill limiting Chinese i'm
migration to this country, and this expert.
ence shows that the people have no hope for
relief from the scourge except a Democratic
President.
9th-That we regard with alarm the re-
cent decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States as having been made in the
interest of the Republican paray, and in
tended to blot out the last vestige of State
rights, centralize and consolidate the Feder-
al Union, and change it to an empire.
l0th-That we hold to the Constitution
with all it's amendments, but we insist on
an Interpretation of the amendments in con-
sonance with the spirit of the original in
strument.
llth-That we pledge our earnest endeav-
ors to upholding a system of untrammeled
suffrage absolutely free from federal force
and supervision.
12th-That the Democracy oppose all fa-
voritism and class legislation. No single in
terest or class of persons should be protect
ed at the expense of others.
l3th-That we are opposed to any and all
protective tariffs, and are in favor of tariff
for revenue only, and we pledge the Demo-
cratic party to abolish all restrictions upon
commerce as soon as practicable.
A minority report was then pre-
sented, which advocated the expedi-
ency et adding the following fnan-
cisl plank to the platform
Resolved, That the Democracy believe
now as they have always believed that gold
and silver are the only constitutional cur
rency Of the country that the Republican
party is responsible for the legal tender
notes and national bank currency, and that
their issue was unnecessary and productive
of evil, hut that we belie.e that through
natural financial laws. independent of legis-
lation, the evils caused by their issue will
correct themselves.