The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-07-16
MONROE LOUISIANA, FRIDAY, JULY l6
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
(New York Herald.l

80 30 lNew York Herald.j .0G
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
ing 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 opposed to a
tariff for revenue; voters who want
more subsidies, and who will, there
fore, dislike the Democratic declaration
that the taxes shall he 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 benefited by old. abuses will of
and benefit the people; that it courage
ously strikes at monopolists, subsidy
mongers and jobbers. Naturally mo-
nopolists, 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 tax
payers 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 1t 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 reckless
republican legislation before the people
put the Democrats in control of the
House of Representatives,. -
1t is often said that platforms mean
nothing; but, in 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 and appeals to old
and mischievous sectional issues; the
Democratic platform, though not per-
feet, is yet thoroughly national and not
sectional in its spirit. The Republican
platform favors or encourages monopo-
lies; the Democratic platform favor5 the
xpayers-the people. NV H" .'.'
We have spoken OF the Democratic
platform as an honest and busfness-lil<e
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
cumbrous paragraph speak for free ed
ucation, and in another, equally cum
brous and verbose, for separation OF
Church and State. The Democrats
cover the same ground in one energetic
and clear sentence, demanding "separ-
alton of Church and State for the good
of each; and common schools fostcrcd
and protccted.'' The Republicans talk
vaguely of protecting the liberties Of
all; the Democrats boldly declare that
ssthe right of n free ballot is the right
preservative of all rights, and must
and shall be maintained in every part
of tho United States" We have looked
for some other points for comparison,
but tho Republican platform docs not
afford them. 1t is weak, shallow,
wordy, purposely vague, and would
! make the fathers of tho party blush
with anger if they could read it in
their graves; for those men--the Sum-
ners, Andrews, Giddings, Lovejoys-
were not accustomed to the mincing
gait and cautious verbosity of their
successors.
The Republicans declare that "com-
mercc should be steadily encouraged -
which may mean anything or nothing;
| tho Democrats declare manfully for
ssfree ships and living chance for
American commerce on the seas and
on the land" which means something
definite. The Republicans say tilnidly
that .sthe credit acquired should never
be impaired;" the Democrats declare
for "honest money and the strict main
tenance of the public faith, State and
natiOnal,' which covers the whole
ground without hesitation or tirnidity.
The Republicans say in one section
! that ssthe reviving Industries should be
further promoted" and in another,
lower down, that "the duties levied for
the purpose of revenue should so dis
eliminate as to favor American iabor,'