The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-07-15

bAhI w best
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 clustering
Republican platform. There are un-
doubleday, a great many voters to whom
the Democratic propositions will be IN"
welcome, voters who do not like free
ships; voters who are opposed to a tariff
for revenue; voters who want more subs
sides, and who will, therefore dislike
the Democratic declaration that the
taxes shall be spent only for public and
not for private objects. But it is the
great merit of the Democratic platform
that it says something; that it proposes
reforms to which those who have bene.
flied by old abuses,will of course object,
but which will relieve and benefit the
people; that it cou%rageously strikes at
monopolists, subsidy mongers and jo6>
bers. Naturally monopolists, jobbers
and subsidy mongers do not like it; but
then it WAS scarcely to be expected that
they would, These classes. who wish
to live on the taxpayers as they have
long done, prefer the Republican plat
form, and they are right. That plat
form has nothing in it distasteful to
them. Where the Republican leaders
did not think it prudent to encourage
monopoly they cautiously said noth-
ing, and their platform leaves the door
open to all the abuses, the extravagance
and reckless waste of the taxes which
characterized Republican legislation be-
fore the people put the Democrats in
control of the House of Representa-
tives.
1t is often said that platforms mean
nothing; but. III the present instance, it
happens that the national platforms
represent pretty accurately the spirit of
the two parties. The Republican plat
form looks backward. the Democratic
platform looks ahead. The Republican
platform deals in appeals to old and
mischievons sectional issues; the Dem-
~ocratic platform, though not perfect, is
yet thoroughly national and not section
al in its spirit, The Republican plat
form favors or encourages monOpOlies;
the Democratic platform favors the tax
payers-the people.
We have spoken CT the Democratic
platform as an honest and business.lke
document, and one proof of thls is that
though much shorter than that OF the
Republicans it contains all that Is good
and pertinent in that aud y great deal
more besides. The Republicans in a
cumbrous paragraph speak for free edu
: cation, and ain another, equally cum
brous and verbose, for separation of
Church and State, The Democrats
I cover the same ground i'll one energetic
and clear sentence, demanding ''sepa-
- e tNI-- as1 Nfnyn ft tIA nnAI
of each; and common schools fostered
e and protected" The Republicans talk
vaguely Of protecting the liberties of all;
the Democrats boldly declare that ''the
t right of free ballot is the right preserves
tive of all rights, and must and shall be
maintained in every part of the United
States" We have looked for some 9th
er points tor comparison, but the Re
publican platform does not afford them,
| 1t is weak, shallow, wordy, purposes
4 " vague, and would make the fathers
. of the party blush with anger if they
l could read it in their graves; for those
/ men-the Summers. Andrews, Giddings,
Loveioys-were rot accustomed to the
mincing gait and cautious verbosity of
! their Successors.
The Republicans declare that Com
merce should be steadily encouraged. y
G which may mean anything or nothing;
the Democrats declare manfully for
u free ships and a living chance for
American commerce on the seas and on
the land" which means something Diet
mite. The Republicans say timidly
that 1.-THE credit acquired should never
be impaired the Democrats declare
! for ''honest money aud the strict malu
5 ~tenance of the public faith, State and
a national" which cover the whole
ground without hesitation or timidity.
> The Republicans say in one section
e that 'the revlving industries should be
further promoted and in another low
er down, that 'the duties levied for the
, purpose of revenue should so discriml-
Il nate as tt favor American labor" which
t may mean anything, and was evidently
written in the hope that it might catch
, i'll one net the protectionists of Pennsyl-
8 vauia and the free trade farmers of His
nois and the Northwest generally. 1t
holds out a shadowy promise to both.
The Democrats declare for "a tariff for
revenue only; public money and public
credit FOR public purposes SOLELY" and
the party pledges itself to protect the
workingman alike against the cormo-
t rants aud the commune" There Is the
e clear ring of honest purpose in these
words, which may alarm mOnopolists,
but will reassure legitimate enterprise
and honest labor everywhere. Even on
the wretched Chinese question, where
both platforms are, in our opinion, bad
and un-American, the Republicans halt
e and shuttle, while the Democrats are
out-spoken. Mr.. Facing>both ways,
who was evidently the author of the
Republican platform. tells John China
= man that he must go-but he tells HIM
k with a SWIVEL; 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, education or foreign commerce., y
which by the way, are the only pnrpo-
SEES for which the Chinese allow Ameri>
cans to enter China.
Finally, it must be admitted that
there is.a little brag also in the Demo-
cratic platform, but it is IN a point
n where the party has a right to boast of
itself. 1t has reduced the public ex0
penditurps forty millions a year" say
: the Democrats. and they might have
added that it did this against the sueers
and open and covert opposition OF the
Republicans in Congress. This Demo
cratic boast is well founded. They had
l the courage to be questionable. From
+ the day they regained control OF the
House of Representatives they have
fought for rigid economy, sometimes
with poor Judgment, but courageously
and regardless of the out cries and res
S sistance of the Republicans The lob-
by has disappeared from Washington
since the Democrats 'came in" that
lobby which was once so powerful that
in the last House which was undo Re-
, publican rnle the Speaker was publicly
, presented with n piece of silver as a ties
| timonial from "the king Of the lobby"
1t was said by one OF the shrewdest
men in the Democratic party some years
| ago, Il don't believe we Democrats will
ever win until we dare to he Demo
, Gratis" Well. the platform this year Is
a genuinely Democratic platform; the
party seems Mt last to have turned
Democratic. 1t has re9ained its old
time boldness and directnesa; it dares
once more TO say what, it means. Who
knows? perhaps it will win. 1t looks a
little that way just now. Y.
Herald.
Green Back Echoes.
Robert J.. Haire the chairman of the
State central com nittee of the Greens
back party IL Michigan. has de-
clared his intention to vote for Gen.
Hancock. Hear what he saws:
"The Democratic party by it's leaders