Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-08-09
THE PLATFORM.

THE PLATFORM.
The democratic party of the Union. through
Its representatives In National Convention as-
isembled. recognize that the nation grows
older new issues are born of time and progress,
and old issues perish. But the fundamental
principles of the democracy. approved by thu
| united voices OF the people, remain and Will even
remain AS the best and only security for the con-
tinuance of free government. The preservation Of
personal rights the equality OF all citizens before
the law the reserved rights of the states and the
supremacy of the federal government within the
limits of the constitution will ever form the true
basis of our liberties and can never he surren-
derfd without destroying that balance of rights
and powers which enables II continent to be de-
tanned by means OF local scli-gOvcrnment; but II
| Is Indispensable for the practical application
and and enforcement e % OF these % fundamental princi-
controlled by one political party. Frequent
change OF administration is as necessary con-
| stant recurrence to the popular will. Otherwise
| abuses grow, and the government, instead of
| being carried on for the general welfare. be-
comes an instrnmentality for imposing heavy
benefit OF the few who govern. Public servants
thus become arbitrary rulers. This Is now the
condition Of the country-hence change is de-
manded. The republican party, so far as prin-
cipie is cOncernCd. is II reminescence. III prac-
tice il IL an organization for rnriching those who
| control its machinery. The frauds and jobbery
| which have been brought to ilght in every d.
partment Of the COVE, nnlent are sufficient to have
| called for reform within the republican party.
long possession of power, have succumbed TO
| its corr,ipting influence and have placed IN
| nomination ticket against which tn" independ-
| cnt portion oil the party are IN open revolt.
CHANGE DEMANDED.
Therefore change is demanded. Such a
| change was alike necessary in lSIG, Eut The will
| OF the people was then defeated by fraud
which can never be forgotten nor cOl,toneti
Again. in 1850, the change demanded by the
people was defeated by the lavish use of money
| contributed by INSCRIPTIONS contractors and
shameless jObbers who had bargained for
| lawful profits or for high Office. The republican
party during ITS legal. ITS stolen and d bought
character and polical capacity. Its platform
promises are now u list of its past failures. 1t
demands the restoration of our navy; II has
| squandered hundreds OF millions to create II
navy that does not exist. 1t calls upon congress
to remove the burdens under which American
shipping has been depressed; it imposed and
has continued those burdens. 1t professes the
policy of reserving the public lands for small
holdings by actual settlers; it has given away
and nonresident aliens, Individual and corpO-
rate, pOssrss Il larger area than that Ol all our
farms between the two seas.
REPUBLICAN, FALSE PRETKNSEs.
1t PROCESSES IL preference for free institutions;
it organized and tried to legalize u control of
state elections by federal troops. 1t processes
desire to elevate labor; it has subjected AmerI-
can can TO the ol sonY,1.
Jude to all who were disabled or died in the
war, leaving widows and orphans; it left to u
democratic house of representatives to egualiZe
both bounties and pensions: IL pIoners pledge
to correct the Irregularities of our tariff; it
created and has continued them. lis own tariff
commission confessed the need OF more than 20
per cent. reduction ;its congress gave reduction
of less than per cent. II processes the protee-
ton of American manufactures, II has subjected
them to an increasing food Of manufactured
goods and u hopeless competition with manu-
featuring nations, not one of which taxes raw
materials. 1t processes to protect all American
industries; il has Impoverished many to subsI-
dize a few. 1t processes the protection OF AH,er-
lean labor; it has depleted the returns of Ameri-
can agrlculture-an industry followed by half
our people II processes the equality of all men
before the law attempting to fix the status of col
Ell citizens, the of its congress were Overset
by the decisions of it's courts. IG ''nccepts anew
the duty of leading in the work of progress and
relOrm;' It's caught criminals are permitted to
escape through G0ntrivcd delays or actual con-
nvancc III the prosecution. IIoney-cOmbed with
corruption, outbreaking exposures NO longer
shock moral sense. Its honest members, its
independent journals no longer maintain q sue
cessiul contest Tor authority in its councils or
veto upon bad nominations. That change il
necessary IL proved 10y an existing surplus of
more than 500 .WW, 200. which has yearly been
objected from n suffering people. Unnecessary
taxation is udjust taNatIOn. We lrnuunce the
people from, crushing war taxes which have
parayzed business crippled industry and de-
privrd labor of employment and of just reward.
The democracy pledges itself TO purify the adm
inistratlon from corruption, to restore economy,
to revive respect for law and TO reduce taxation
to The lowest limit consistent with due regard
to the preservation OF the faith Gi the nation to
Its creditors and pensioners.
THE TARIFF PLANK.
Knowing full well. however, that legislation
affecting the operations OF the people should be
cautious and CONSERVATIVES in method not in al
vance Of public opinion but responsive to its de-
minds, the demecratIc I,arty ia pledged to re-
wise the lnr n In nsprIt OF fairness To all inter
rsts. But in making reduction in taxes. it IL
not proposed to njure any d1meslic Industries,
but raiher to promote their he,lthv growth
From the foundation of this government, taxes
collected al the custom house have been the CHIEF
rOurce of federal revenue. Sucn They must CON-
tiBue to be Moreover, many industries have
come to rely upon legislation for successful con-
tinuanre. SD that any change Oflaw must he at
every step rrgarifu Of the labor and capital
thus involved, the i.r"crss of reform must be
subject IN the execution 10 thia plain dictate Of
ju-tice. AL taxation shall be- limited to the re-
quIiemants of economical government. The
n-cessnry reduction in taxation can and must
he effected without deprIving American labor
OF the ability to compete succe siIilv with for
cign labor, aud without imlnsinE lower rates OF
duty than will he ample to cover any increased
cost oi pr,iucti"n which may exist in conse-
4uence of the higher rate ot wages prevailing In
lhs country. Sufficient revenue to pay all the
expenses of the federal government econOmi-
caliy administered. Inclu,iing pensions. inter-
est and principal of the public debt. can be got.
under our pres, nj system Of taxation. from GUS
iom-hoiisrs taxes on fewer imported articles,
bearing heaviest on articles Oi luxury and bear
Ing lighlest on articles of necessity We there
and. subject 10 the preceding limitations. We
demand that federal taxation shall he exclusive
ly Far public purposes, and shall not exceed the
needs of the government economically alminis-
tered. The System of direct taxation known as
the .'inte,nal revenue" is Il wur tax, and. so
long as the law continues the money levied
ther.from should be sacreiiiy devoted Il, the re-
liei of the people from the iemains burdens of
the war and be made Il fund to Il fray the expense
Ot the care and cOmlOrL Ol worthy soldiers disu-
bled in line Oi duty in the wars Of the republic,
and for the payment of such pensions
gress may from tilne to time grant to such SOL
diers- II like fund for the sailors having been al
ready provi,ied-and any surplus should be paid
into the treasury.
THE DEMOCRACY BELIRvEs IN HONEST MONEY.
We favor an American continental policy
based upon more intimate commercial and pO-
litcal relations with the fifteen sister republics
OF NOrth Central and South America, but en-
tangling alliances with none. We believe in
honest money, the gold and silver coinage of the
constitution, and II circulating medium convert
ible into such money without loss. Asserting
the equality of all men before the law, we hold
that ii is the duty OF the government i'll it's deal
ings with the people, to mete out equal ami eX-
act Justice to nj citizens. of whatever nativity,
race, color or persuasion. religious political.
We believe in free ballot and fair count, and
| We recall to the memory of the people the noble
struggle of the democrats IN the FOrty-iith and
Forty y-sixth congresses by which IL reluctant re-
publican opposition was compelled to assent to
| legislation making everywhere illegal the pres
ence OF troops at the polls, rs the conclusive
serve liberty with order. The selection OF fed
| eral officers for the territories should be re-
| btricted to citizens previously resident therein.
HONEST CIvIL-sERvICE REFORM.
| We oppose snmptuary laws which the
| citizen and Interfere with individual liberty
| We favor honest civil service reform. and the
| compensation OF all United States officers by
| liked salaries; the separation of church and
| state, and the diffusion of free education by
common schools, SO that every child in tie land
| may he taught the rights and duties of citizen
| ship. While we IavOr all legislation which will
tend to the equitable distribution of property, o
| the prevention of monopoly and to the strict n
rate abuses, We hold that the welfare Of socirt,
| d, pcnis upon II scrupulous regard Tor the right
OF property as defined by law.
| PROTECTION TO LAaon.
| We believe that labor is best rewarded " he r,
II IL irCeht and most enlightened. Ii shuuI,
therefore br Ioairr.d and cherished. W. Eavoi
the repeal OF all laws rcStricin" the Tree 10,
Di labor AMI the enactment Of laws by whnci
labor organizations may lie incorporated, al,
O1 ull such legislation Will tend Ia cnlIsht,r
the people to the true relations al capital an,
labor. We believe tiui tne public land ought
us lnr rs possible. To he kept AS iiomcstc,ds fu
actual seitlrra; That ail uneurne,i lands hereto
tons by the uctIon al the republican part,
| should ln restored I" the public G"miiu, an,
| that no more prhnts 0i lnnh shall hc made I,
| corporations or he :tl!nW-l Ia fall iniu the. nw n
| erslip oil alien uiscnte"s. We are opuusc,l /,
| NIL propositions when upon any pretrXt wuii,
convert the gen. ral government into "A mrachin
for collecting taxes to he distributed among Ih
| states or the citizens thereof.
| OrrusLD TO IMPORTED rAUrER LsE's
| In IcailirIni the declaration of the demo
craft: platform al ls!'6. that the liberal primer
pies embodied 10y Jefferson in the lb"caraiio
Of lndepr n'lenrr, AMI 4nncii0nci IN IN. cOnst il
utiOn which mtk,.t The land - lib. riy an,
the lnm or the oppressed "i every nation