The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-08-04
THE "TIME-HONORED PRINCIPLES,
OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.


A correspondent who has been reading
the resolutions adopted by the Demo
cratic State Convention of Texas wants
to know what are the "time- honored
principles /" of the Democratic party.
AS far as the said Texas Democratic plat
form refers to national affairs. it is In
these words:
"The Texas Democracyd declares its ad-
hercnce to the time-honored principles
of the Democratic party. We are op-
posed to class legislation, favoring one
class of people or one business to the
detriment of others opposed to the Gen.
tralization of powers of the Government
in one department or under one head,
The eneroaehment of which tends to the
creation of despotism; opposed to ma
tional banks. We are in favor of honest
money, consisting of gold and silver and
paper convertible into gold and silver
favor tariff for revenue only +; favor
thorough reform of the civil service IA
vor a full, fair and free vote and fair
count; favor free ships and living
chance for American commerce on the
seas, and are opposed to any discrimina-
ton in favor of one place over another
by transportation lines.
Our correspondent inquiries if the
above planks have been the creed of the
modern Democracy so long that it can
in truth be asserted that they have be-
come 'ftime-honored principles. The
klo+ oil Of fhnT
entitled to any such distinction. State
rights or opposition to Capitalization
come the nearest to being " time hon.
ored principle of anything in the list,
and as that theory of government led the
South into secession and civil war, cost
ing the nation more than million of
lives and billions of money, the Demo
cratic party will not gain many converts
by making that plank too conspicuous.
It reads we'll for the Democracy to full
inmate something about "centraliza-
ton once in while, but the celebrated
Kentucky State rights resolutions of
1898, whose authorship has been attrib-
uted to Mr.. Jefferson, have become OBJ
solete since the legitimate consequences
of that theory STEPPED the nation In
blood for four weary, sorrowful years.
The opposition of the Democracy to
the national banks has been determined
and consistent, and grows out of its
blind adherence to the traditions of the
past Its great high priest and prophet,
Andrew jackson, made war upon ma
tional bank, of which Nicholas Biddle
was President, and his (Jackson's) con-
duct in removing the money deposits of
the Government from it made the ques-
ton of banking an issue with the old
Wing party, and opposition to all sorts
OF banking was among the first lessons
taught to the Jacksonian Democracy
from that day to this. A modern Dem
ocrat never changes nor progresses, if
he can help it, but he follows the creed
of his fathers, and blindly opposes a
system Of banking that has now become
as much public necessity as railroads
and telegraphs. The conduct of the
Democrats in the present Congress in
fighting the bill to extend the charters
of the existing national banks is case
in point.
That is about all there is in the Texas
platform that deserves the name of
"time-honored principles" The bal
ance has been recently admitted into
the Democratic creed, and is simply an
effort to obtain votes upon false pre-
lenses. Civil service must indeed be in
bad way when the Texas Democrats
advertise themselves in favor of its re-
FORM All that is bad and corrupt in
our present public service is a legacy
bequeathed to us from the old spoils
system, which was a Democratic inven-
ton of the Jacksonian period. But as
Texas was annexed to this country long
after jackson was President, it is not
surprising that his admirers in that Sec
ton should not be well posted in respect
to that particular time-honored prin-
ciple."
But when we come to read that the
Democracy of Texas is in favor of a
"full, far and free vote, and fair
count" the smile that the reading of the
other parts of the platform provoked
breaks out into loud laugh. In view
of ali we know about intimidation, bull
doing, ballot-box stuffing, tissue bal
lots, etc., to the end of the long and
disgusting chapter of election frauds in
the South, to read of that guilty crowd
favoring "a free ballot and fair count"
is really "too funny for anything"
-Four bulldozing Southern Democratic
Congressman who held their seats in the
Forty seventh Congress by fraud and
corruption have already been busted,
and their places given to Republicans,
and dozen more similar cases are
awaiting action. A fee election and
fair count. indeed !-CbicagO Journal