The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-08-31
POOLING THEIR ISSUES.
Democrats and Greenbackers q
Michigan Form an Alliance.

Democrats and Greenbackers of
Michigan Form an Alliance.
The Democratic State Convention of
Michigan assembled at Jackson on the
23d inst, and after long discussion
adopted the proposition of the Gren-
hackers for fusion.
Under the proposition the State tick
ct is divided between the two parties
as follows: The Greenbackers will
have the Governor, Commissioner of
the Land Office, Superintendent of
Public Instruction, and one member
of the Board Of Ecucation. The Dem
ocrats will have the Lieutenant Gov
ernor, Secretary of State, State Treas
urer, and Auditor General. The op-
position fought vigorously to secure for
the Democrats the head of the ticket,
but it was understood that this would
not be acceptable to the Greenbackers.
The following platform was unani-
mously adopted:
The Democrats in Michigan, in con-
vention assembled, recognizing the
people as the source of political power
and the constitution as the fundamen-
tai law, do solemnly declare:
First. That home rule is the essence
of free government; that the line
bounding State and National authority
is clearly defined and needs only to Re
strictly followed TO conserve the broad
est liberty to the people.
Second. Earnestly believing that
purify every department of our Feder-
al Government, we therefore demand
as All initial, but important step in this
direction, AN amendment to the federal
constitution which will give to the
people of the several cities, villages,
aud such other postal districts as nay
be authorized by law, the right to
elect postmasters; we also demand that
Federal subordinate officers shall not
be appointed or removed because of
political belief, nor appointed until
their ability and merit have been pro
ven by open public examination and
competition, and that political assess
ments or forced contributions from
public officers shall be made felony by
law.
Third. We are unalterably opposed
to the unjust, unequal and iniquitOus
system OF taxation called a protective
tariff, which oppresses the farmer and
laborer, destroys our merchant marine,
breeds and enriches mOnopolies, and
impoverishes the poor. The tradition
al policy and principles of the Demo-
cratic party are on the side of complete
commercial freedom, and we demand
immediate and aggressive revenue re-
form i'll the direction of free trade,
subject to II tariff only sufficient to raise
the necessary revenue for government
tai expenditures economically admin
istered.
Fourth That the right of Congress
to make appropriations for the inn
prOvement of rivers and harbOrs should
be restricted to such as are OF national
Importance. That the people of Mich
igan cannot be bribed with share of
the theft to sanction the waste of thirty
million dollars in two years, and we
denounce, without distinction of party,
all who voted in Congress for the in
iquitOus river and harbOr bill.
Fifth. That the letting of the print
ing of the annual tax sales to party fa-
vorites, without competitive bidding,
and the keeping in the State Treasury
Of one to two million dollars of State
funds for 1.-The benefit of partisan office
holders, while the people are heavily
taxed, are demoraliZing to the public
service, and demand immediate reform.
We cordially invite the voters of Mich
igan, without regard to previous party
affiliations, to join us in our earnest
efforts to correct these abuses by with
drawing the administration of State
affairs from those who have been al
ready too long in power, and confiding
it to those who come freshly from the
people, untrammeled by the tyranny
of political rings and of party machine
ry.
The following is the ticket placed in
nomination: Governor, Josiah w.
Begole; Lieutenant Governor, Eugene
Pringle; Secretary of State, A. J.
Shakespear; Commissioner of State
Land Office, John F. Vandevanter;
Superintendent of Public Institutions,
David Parsons; Member of State Board
of Education, Clark B. Hall; State
Treasurer, Edward Kanter; Auditor
General, James Blair Attorney Gen
eral, Timothy Tarsney.
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