The Portland daily press., 1884-07-11

On motion, it was ordered that the Statel
and Territories be now called for the names O
members OF the National Democratic commit
tee.
A report was made by the committee ON res
olations in favor of proposition to permit the
National Committee to choose its chairman
outside of its own members. The report wa
adopted.
A resolution, abregating and discontinuing
in future the two-thirds rule in the nomina
ton OF candidates for President and WIGS
President, offered by delegate from Arkan
sas, aroused an animated discussion, and i
was withdrawn.
The Platform.
The following Is the platform:
The Democratic party of the Union, through it
representatives in national convention assembled
recognize that as the nation grows older new issues
are born of time and progress and old issues perish
but the fundamental principles of Democracy, ap
proved by the united voice of the people, remain
and Will ever remain, as the best and only security
for the continuance of free government. 1t is es
sential for the application Of the Fundamental
principles of The government, including the equal
~ OF all citizens before the law the preservation
individual and State rights, that the government
should not always be controlled by one poitica
party. Frequent change of administration is al
necessary as constant recurrence to the popular
will; otherwise abuses grow, and the government
instead of being carried on for the general welfare
becomes the fundamentally for Imposing heavy
ett OF the few who govern. Public servants thus
become arbitrary rulers. This is the condition
of the country; hence a change is demanded. The
Republican party, SO far as principle is concerned
is reminscence; in practice, it is organization
for enrichng those who control its machinery. The
frauds and jobbery which have been brought to
light in every department of the government, are
sufficient to have called for reform within the Re-
publican party Yet those in authority,
power have succumbed to its corrupting
influence and have placed in nomination ticket
against which the independent portion of the party
are IN open revolt. Therefore change is demand
ed. Such change was alike necessary in 1876, but
the will Of the people was then defeated by fraud
which can never be forgotten or condoned Again
in 1890 the change deGnandad Nv tha naonIae 2r.S
defeated by lavish use of money contributed by
INSCRIPTIONS contractors and shameless lobbers
who had bargained for unlawful profits or for high
ONCE The Republican party during illegal, stolen
and bought tenures of power has steadily decayed
in moral character and political capacity.
After severely criticzing the platform adopted at
the recent Republican Convention, and bitterly
aIraiguing the Republican party for hypocrisy job
berry and false pretence, the platform continues:
That change is necessary is proved by the exist
ing surplus of more than 100000 100 which has
yearly been collected from suffering people.
nounce the Republican party for having failed to
relieve the people from crushing war taxes which
have paralyzed business, crippled industry and
deprived labor of employment and of just
reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify the ad-
mlnistration from corruption, to restore economy,
W I6NlV0 T6specC IOr TO reduce taxation
the lowest limit consistent with a due regard to a
preservation OF the faith of the nation to its credit
ors and pensioners.
Knowing full well, however, that legislation
affecting the occupations of the people should be
cautious and conservative in method not in ad-
vance of public opiuion, but responsive to its de-
mands, the Democratic party is pledged to revise
the tariff in spite of variance to all interests.
mat platform processes policy of reserving the
public lands for small holdings by actual settlers
but it has given away the peoples heritage till now
q lew railroads and nonresident aliens individuals
and corporations, possess larger than that of
an our farms between the two seas It Processes
can workingmen to the competition of convict and
imported contract labor. 1t processes gratitude to
all who were disabled or who died In the war leav-
ing widows ana orphans; but it left to Democratic
House of Represen atives the first effort to equaze
both bounties and pensions. 1t processes
pledge to correct irregularities of onr
tariff; it created and has continued them;
its own tariff commission confessed need of more
than 20 per cent reduction; its Congress gave re-
ductlon OF less than four per cent 1t processes pro-
lection of American manufacturers, it has subject
ed them to an increasing flood of manufactured
goods and hopeless competition with manufacturing
nations not one OF which taxes raw materials. It
processes to protect all American industries it has
impoverished money to subsidiZe few, 1t pro-
1esses protection OF American labor it has depleted
the returns OF an American agricultural industry
followed by half our people. BY the decisions Of
It's courts 1t accepts anew the duty of leading in
the work OF progress and reform; its caught crimi-
mas are permitted to escape through contrived de-
lays on actual connivance in prosecution. HONEY
combed with corruption, out-breaking exposures no
longer shock its morals. From the foundation of
this government the taxes collected at the custom
houses have been the chief source of federal reye-
nue. and such they must continue to be. Moreover
many industries have come to rely upon legislation
for their successful continuance so that any change
OF law must be at every step regardful of the labor
and capital thus involved. The process of reform
must be subject in execution to this plain dictate
of Justice.
all taxation shall be limited to the requirements
or economical government. Necessary reduction in
70 VoffO ardvr h.
ing American labor of the ability to compete sue
cessfuly with foreign labor; and without impo sing
lower rates of duty than will be ample to cover any
increased cost OF production which may exist in
consequence of the higher rate of wages prevailing
in the country. Sufficient revenue to paw all ex.
penses OF the federal government economically ad-
mnstered, including pensions, interest and prnci.
pie of public debt than be got under our pres-
ent system of taxation from custom house taxes on
lever imported artlcles bearing heaviest on articles
sity therefore denounce the abuses of the exist
ing tariff, and subject to the preceding limitations
we demand that federal taxation shall be exclbsjye
ly for public purposes and shall not exceed the
needs OF the government economically admins
tered
nal revenue, is war tax, and so long as the tax
continues the money derived therefrom should he
sacredly devoted to the relief of the people from
the remaining burdens of the war, and be made a
fund to defray the expense of the care and comfort
of worthy soldiers disabled in the line of duty in
the wars OF the republic, and for the payment of
dys
grant to such soldiers like fund for sailors having
been already provided; and any surplus should be
paid into the treasury.
We favor an American continental policy. based
on more intimate commercial and political relations
with the fifteen sister republics of North Central
and South America, but entangling alliances with
none.
We believe in honest money-the gold and silver
coinage of the Constitution-and circulating medi-
UNI convertible into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality of all men before the law
we hold that it is the duty of the government in its
dealings with the people, to mete out equal and ex
act Justice to all citizens, of whatever nativity race
color or persuasion, religious or patriotic.
We believe in a free ballot and fair count, and
gle of the Democrats in the 10th and 46th Con
crosses by which reluctant Republican opposition
was compelled to assent to legislation making
every where illegal the presence of troops at the
polls as conclusive proof that Democratic admins
tration will preserve liberty with order.
The selection of federal officers for the territories
should be restricted to citizens previously resident
therein.
We oppose sumptusry laws which vex the citizen
and interfere with individual liberty.
We favor honest civil service reforms and the
compensation of all United States officers by fixed
salaries; separation of church and state; and the
diffusion of free education by common schools so
that every child in the land may be taught the
rights and duties of citizenship.
While we favor all legislation which will tend to
an equitable distribution of property to the preyen-
ton of monopoly and to strict enforcement of in
dividual rights against corporate abuses we hold
that the welfare of society.
report incomplete).
A motion to proceed to ballot for candidate
for President was carried.