The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-11
DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION.

The following are the speeches delivered
by the Hon. J. M. Palmer and W. J.
Sparks, at the state convention on Thurs
day. They will repay perusal.
REMARKS BY HON. W. j. SPARKS.
Gentlemen of the conventions: After an
interregnum of two years, the democracy
of Illinois has again assembled in conven-
ton. There is not great deal of business
to be done by the convention in the way
of nominating candidates There are but
two offices to nominate for and there is
not a great deal of interest involved in the
matter so far as | have been able to see,
but it devolves cpon us specially to re-
affirm, as democrats, those old time hon
ored principles upon which we have lived
for century and to do so with candor
and with frankness-to declare our princi-
plies and to do it in words that are unmis-
taxable We want to cheat nobody. We
want to dodge no issue. The fact is, my
friends, democratic principles are already
declared. We have net a great deal of
trouble to express them in the way of
platform. Our peerless founder and great
leader, Jefferson, made platform for all
coming centuries. We can hardly improve
upon jefferson. If we would live nearer
to him to-day our country would be hap
pier and better.
We declare that states are sovereigns;
that men aggregated in states as local
governments are sovereign within their
sphere; that states aggregating a national
union are sovereigns; that state shall not
interfere or encroach upon the proper
functions of the nation nor the nation
upon those of the state. These are old
landmarks democratic declarations
and behind the state and nation stand the
sovereign people.
AS democrats, we declare that presidents,
governors and all who are selected to off
cial position. are servants of the people,
and the people are sovereigns, and that
their officials are simply their servants.
We declare that they shall be held to
rigid accountability for their acts, and that
the strictest economy in government shall
be insisted upon.
As democrats, also, we oppose all dis
crininative legislation, and all that kind
of legislation which attempts to
discriminate for or against one class of
men to the interest or prejudice of another
is anti-democratic We insist that legisla-
ton shall be for the whole people and just
to all. Hence, as we have an indirect sys-
tenn of collecting taxes, we simply reafirm
the old democratic proposition that the
government has power to collect taxes, but
it is not its proper function to discrimin-
ate in favor of one class against another.
Applause But it should keep it's eye
singly upon the principle of getting reve-
nue. for the government, and only revenue.
Every man of sense knows no tariff can be
adjusted which does not in measure pro-
tect; for if you levy tax OF ten, twenty
or thirty per cent upon anything. to that
extent it must protect some one in the
manufacture of that thing, and as demo
Gratis we have no particular fault to find
with that. but merely insist that the levy
shall be for revenue and for the govern
ment, and not to legislate for this particu-
lar interest or that but for the whole
people.
The democratic party, in keeping with
its time -honored principles, must declare
always against the Capitalization of power
into few hands-the encroachment of
one department of government upon an
other. We have always and we must
always declare against it. We insist that
government is made for the whole people
And hence if the national government at
tempts 20 build up Judiciary that en-
croaches upon the state judiciary, if the
party in power attempts to establish fed.
eral courts we set our faces against it,
If party by law attempts to put federal
soldiers at the polls to regulate freemen in
the exercise of their sovereignty, We OPP
pose it. 1t is not the proper function of