The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-07-10
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

First-The Democracy of Ohio, in Conven-
ton assembled, hereby reafirm the principles
of ths PARTY as expressed in the previous State
and Rational platforms in regard to personal
| liberty and the true functions of the Govern
ment, and as embraced in the political creed
expounded by the great founder of the Demo-
cratic party, Thomas Jefferson Tie applica.
| tion of these principles to our present condi.
tion demands the publication of the public ser.
vice; the punishment of the robbers of the pub
lie treasury; the equalization Of all public bur.
| densi the arrest of the profigacy and extrava-
ganCe that corrupt the administration of pub
Tic affairs, and total change in the policy that
has so lorg been pursued by the Republican
party, favoring individual and class interest at
the expense of the laboring and wealth produc.
ing people CT the county, and we realrnounce
our previous declarations for stable money, the
gradual extinction of the public debt. and the
payment of pensions to disabled soldiers their
widows and orphans.
Second-We favor tariff for revenue limit
ed to the necessities of the Government ecorom.
ically administered, and so adjusted in its ap-
| plication as to prevent unequal burdens, en-.
co rage productive industries at home, and af.
ford just compensation to labor. but not to Gre.
ate or foster monopolies.
| Third-The act of the Republican Congress
reducing the tariff on wool, while at the same
time increasing it on wooden goods. already
highly protected, was iniquitous legislation,
discriminating in favor of monopoly and
against the agricultural interests of the coun-
try. and ought to be corrected. and we heartily
| approve the action of the Democratic members
of the Ohio delegation in Congress in voting
against that measure.
Fourth-The Democratic party is, as it al-
! hos haa tn ott1 1ofr 81
| ton and unequal taxation in any form, and is
Z in favor of the largest liberty of private con-
l'duct consistent with the public welfare and the
rights of others, and of regulating the liquor
traffic and providing against the evils resulting
! the-efrom by a judicious and properly graded
license system.
Fifth-The abuses of the present contract
system in our State Penitentiary, by which the
products of the labor of convicts are brought
in competition with the products of honest la.
Dor. to the great detriment Of the latter, in
furious and unwise, and ought to be corr e,ted,
and the promises of the Republican party to
abolish this system are shown to be false and
hypocriticaI by its failure to do SO while it has
had the power.
Sixth-The protection of the Government is
due to all American citizensnative and foreign
born, abroad as we'll as at home.
Seventh-We reaffirm the resolutions of the
State Conventions Of Ohio in 1880, 1891. and
1882, and of the Democratic National Conven.
tions of 1879. 1876 and 1885, demanding thor
ough reform and publication cf the civil SER
vice, and charge that the Republican party has
violated every pledge it has heretofore given
for the reform thereof. and has failed during
its long administration of the Government to
correct even the most crying abuses; and we
demand, therefore, change in the executive
administration of the Government itself, as the
reform first of all necessary las made still more
manifest by the recent star route trials), there
by ousting corrupt rings. confederated to pro-
tect crime and prevent the punishment of GRIM
inals and by so doing to make it possible again
to punish fraud and theft in the public service.