The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-15

eUUS, IUuSG uUL Ue CHaUbeu. Lie Wa
and the solid South must still be th
only public questions. That is tn
meaning of the republican platform and q
the republican chiefs. Ifthe country like
that they hare made their formal ant
official offer. But we repeat, it sound
to us like joke, and a very poor jok
at that.
The Democratic Platform.
Whatever may be said against tn
democratic platform it cannot be deniet
that it is an honest and businesslike doc
ument, and in this respect it is yer,
unlike the Dragging and clustering re
publican platform. There are, undoubt
edly, great many voters to whom th'
democratic propositions will be unwel
come; voters who do not like free ships
voters who are opposed to tariff fol
revenue; voters who want more subsidie!
and who will, therefore, dislike the
democratic declaration that the taxes
shall be spent only for public and mo-
for private objects. But it is the great
merit of the democratic platform that il
says something; that it proposes reforms
to which those who have benefited by
old abuses will of course object, bu,
which will relieve and benefit the peo-
pie; that it courageously strikes at mo-
nopolists, subsidy mongers and jobbers
Naturally monopolists, jobbers and
subsidy mongers do not like it; but then
it was scarceIy to be expected 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 platform
leaves the door open to all the abuses,
extravagance and reckless waste which
characterized republican legislation be-
fore the people put the democrats in
control Of the House of Representatives.
It is often said that platforms mean
nothing; but, in the present instance, it
happens that the national platforms rep
resent pretty accurately the spirit of the
two parties. The republican platform
looks backward, the democratic platform
deals in and appeals to old and mis-
chievous sectional issues; the democratic
platform, though not perfect, is yet
thoroughly national and not sectional in
its spirit. The republican platform
favors or encourages monopolies; the
democratic platform favors the taxpayers
the people.
We have spoken of the democratic
platform as an honest and businesslike
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 great
deal more besides. The republicans in a
cumborous paragraph speak for free edu-
cation, and in another, equally cumbo-
rous and verbose, for separation of
Church and State. The democrats cover
the same ground in one energetic and
clear sentence, demanding separation of
Church and State for the good of each
and common schools fostered and pro-
tected." The republicans talk vaguely
of protecting the liberties OF all the
democrats boldly declare that "the right
of a free ballot is the right preservative
of all rights, and must and shall be
maintained in every part of the United
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
Lovejoys-were not accustomed to the
mincing gait aud cautious verbosity of
their SUCCESSORS.
The republicans declare that "com-
mer should be steadily encouraged" !"
which may mean anything or nothing /;
the democrats declare manfully for "free
ships and living chance for American
commerce on the seas and on the land"
which means something definite. The
republicans say timidly that "the credit
acquired should never be impaired )" the
democrats declare for "honest money and
the strict maintenance of the public
faith, State and NATIONAL" which covers
the whole ground without hesitation or
timidity. The republicans say in one sec:
ton that "the reviviDg industries should
be further promoted" and in another,
lower down, that "the duties levied for
the purpose of revenue should so dis.
criminate as to favor American labor"
which may mean anything, and was
evidently written in the hope that it
might catch in one net the protectionists
of Pennsylvania and the free trade
farmers of Illinois and the Northwest
generally. It holds out shadowy
promise to both. The democrats declare
for "a tariff for revenue oaly; public
money and public credit for public pur-
poses SOLELY" and the party pledges
itself to protect the workingman alike
against the cormorants and the commune" +"
There is the clear ring of honest purpose
in these words, which may alarm mo-.
nopolists, but will reassnre legitimate
enterprise and honest labor everywhere.
Even on the wretched Chinese question,
where both platforms are, in our opinion,
bad and ua-American, the republicans
halt and shuttle, while the democrats are
outspoken. Mr.. Facing-both- ways, who
was evidently the author of the republi.
can platform, tells John Chinaman that
he must go-but he tells him with q
snivel; he puts his arm lovingly around
John before he stabs him; the democrat
bluntly, but definitely, tells him he shall
not come here Except for travel, educa-
tion or foreign commerce" which, by
the way, are the only purposes for which
the Chinese allow Americans to enter
China.
Finally, it must be admitted that
there is little brag also in the demo-
cratic platform, but it is on point
where the party has right to boast
of itself. 1t "has reduced the public
expenditures forty millions year." say
the democrats, and they might have
added that it did this against the sneers
and open and covert opposition of the
republicans in Congress. This demo-
cratic boast is we'll founded. They had
the courage to be questionable. From
the day they regained control ofthe House
of Representatives they have fought for