The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-07-22
THEDEmOCRAIC PLATFORM
Looking Forward, Not Back
Ward--"An Honest and Bush
uess-Like Document
From the New York Herald. Ind. !

From the New York Herald, Ind
Whatever may be said against the
Democratic platform it cannot be de-
MED that it is an honest and business
like document, and in this respect it
is very unlike the Dragging and blus-
tering Republican platform. There
are undoubtedly great many voters
to whom the Democratic propositions
will be unwelcome; voters who do not
like free ships; voters who are'oppos-
ed to a tariff for revenue; voters
who want more subsidies, and who
will, therefore, dislike the Democratic
declaration that the taxes shall be
spent only for public anG not for pri-
vate objects. But it is tie great mer-
it of the Democratic platform that it
says something; that it proposes re-
forms to which those who have bene>
flied by old abuses will Of course OBJ
ject, but which will relieve and bene'
fit the people; that it courageOusly
strikes at monopolists, jcbbers and
subsidy-mongers. Naturally monop-
olists, jobbers and subsidy-mon-
gers do not like it; but then
it was scarcely to be expect
ed that they would. These classes,
who wish to live on the taxpayers
as they have long done, prefer the
Republican platform, and they are
right. That platform has nothing in
it distasteful to them Where the Re-
publican leaders did not think it pru-
dent to encourage monopoly they eau
tiously said nothing, and their plat
form leaves the door open to all the
abuses, the extravaganza and reck
less waste of the taxes which charac-
terized Republican legislation before
the people put the Democrats in con
troll of the house of representatives.
1t is often said that platforms mean
nothing; but, in the present instance,
it happens that the national plat
forms represent pretty accurately
the spirit of the two parties. The
Republican platform looks backward,
the Democratic platform looks ahead.
The Republican platform deals in and
appeals to the old and mischievous
sectional issues the Democratic plat
form, though not perfect, is yet thor
oughly national and not sectional in
its spirit. The Republican platform
favors or encourages monopolies the
Democratic platform favorS the tax
payers-thelpeople.
We have spoken of the Democratic
platform as an honest and business
like document, and one proof OF this
is that, though much shorter than that
of the Republicans, it contains all that
is good and pertinent in that and a
great deal more besides. The Repub-
licans in cumbrous paragraph speak
for free education, and i'll another,
equally cumbrous and verbose, for
separation of church and state. The
Democrats cover the same ground in
one energetic and clear sentence, de,
handing separation of church and
state for the good of each and com
mon schools fostered and protected"
The Republicans talk vaguely of pro-
tecting the liberties of all; the Demo
Gratis boldly declare that ''the right of
free ballot is the right preservative
of all rights, and must and shall he
maintained in every part of the Unit
ed States" We have looked for some
other points for comparison, but the
Republican platform does not afford
them. 1t is weak, shallow, wordy,
purposely vague, and would make the
fathers of the party blush with anger
if they could read it in their graves!
for those men the Summers, Andrews,
Giddings, Loveioys-were not accus-
toned to the miucing gait and cau>
tious verbosity of their successors.