The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-07-19
The Democratic Platform.

tts Repre- scntatives In National Convention
, assembled recognizes that. as the Nation grows
older new issues are born of time and prog
ress and old issues perish but the funda-
mental principles of Democracy, approved BY
the united vo.ce of the people, rema ana
will ever remain AS the best and only security
for the continuance of free government. The
preservation of personal rights, the equality
Of all citizens tcfore the law, the reserved
rights of the Staes. and the supremacy of the
Fedcla Government within the limits OF
the Constitution will ever form the true
basis of our liberties, and can never be
surrendered without destroying that BAL
ance OF rights and powers which enables q
continent to be developed in peacs ana SOCIAL
order to be maintained by means OF loca self
COVE nment; but IL is indis nsable Ter the
practical application and enforcement of
these fundamental principles that ta9 Sov-
eminent SHOULD not always be controlled by
one political party. Frequent change OF adj
ministrat on is as necessary as constant re-
currence to the popular will, otherwise abuses
grow, and the Government instead of being
carried on for the general welfare becomes an
fundamentally fer imposing heavy burdens
on the manv who are governed for the benefit
of the few who cove n. Public servants thus
become arbitrary rulers: this is now the con-
ditIon of the country. Hence change is de-
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Che Republican party, so far as principal Is
concerned, Is reminiscencs; IN practice 1t Is
an organization for enrching those who con-
troll its machinery. TIE frauds and jobbery
which have b en- brought to light ia every de-
partn,ent of the e. vccnmcnt are sufficient to
have called for reform within the Republ
party. yet those In authority. made reckless by
the long possession of ! over, have sue
cpmlcl to lbs co.rupting influence and have
place in nomination u ticket against which
the indeI eudent portion of the party are in
open revolt. Therefore change IL demand
ed Such n change was alike ne essa y in
1875. hut the will of tho people wis then de-
featcd by a fraud which can never be forgot
ten nor Combined, Again, in $40. the chance
demanded by the people was defeated
by the lavish use of money cCntrbu-
ted by interruptions contractors and
unlawful profits or for high Offices The Re-
publican party during its legal its stolen and
its bouvht terms OF power. has steadily de-
c4yed in moral character and political capa-
city. Its platform promises are now list of
its past failures. II demands the restoration
o. our navy; it has squandorcd hundreds of
millions to create navy that does not exist.
It calls on Congress to remove the burdens
under which American shipping h be n de-
pres a.: it impoee1 and has continued ihese
burde s II processes the policy of reservng
the public lands for small holders by actual
settlers: 1t has gwen away the peoples her
itale till now few railroads and non-' est
dent aliens. Individual and corporate. possess
a lar err area than that of all our farms be-
tween the two seas.
FALSE PRErENsEs.
1t processes pref renee for free institu-
tons; it organized and tried to legaliZe a con-
troll OF state elections by fe eral troops. 1t
Processes "a desire to elevate labor; 1t has sub
1ected American workngmen to The compe l.
ton of the CO +vict and imported contract la
Dor. 1t processes gratitude to all who were dis
2ha7s. 1t left to Democratic House of Rep
resenia ives the first effort to lualize both
bounties and pensions 1t profers a pledge
TO correct the Irregularities of our ia III; It
createl and has continued them. Its own
tarin commission confessed the need of more
than twenty per cent. reduction: its Congress
gave reduction of less than four per cent.
1t processes the protection of American man.
ufactures; It has subj. cted them to an I'M
ceasinR Noe d or manufactu ed goods and
hopeless competition with manufacturing
nat ons, not one of which taxes raw
ma eIials. 1t processes to protect all
american industries. 1t has i'm
poVerished many to subsidize a few. 1t pro-
tesses the protection of American labor; it
has depleted the returns of American aQricul-
ture, an industry followed by half our people.
II processes the equality of all mon before the
law, attempting to fix the status of colored
by the decision of its courts. 1t accepts anew
the duty of leading in the work of progress
ana reform; its caught criminals are per-
mit-ed to escape through contrivcd de-
lays or actual connivance in the prosecution.
Honey-combed with corruption, outbreaking
exposures no longer shock its moral sense Its
honest members. It's Independent Journals no
longer maintain a successful contest for au-
thority In its counsels or veto upon bad
nominations.
That change is necessary is proved by an
exist ng surplus of more than 100000 600
which mas yearly been colectel from suffer
ing eople. Unnecessary tavation is unjust
tavat on. We denounce the Republican
party Tor having failed to relieve the people
from crushing war taxes which have par
pri'e labor OF employment and of Just re-
ward. The Democracy pledges itself tn puri-
fy the Administration from CORFU ton to
restore economy, to revive respect for law,
and to reduce taxation to the lowest limit
consistt mt with due reyard TO the Ireser-
vat. on of the faith of the Naton to credi-
tors and pensioners, knowing fun we'll
however. that legislation aztec ii q the oC GU
pations of The people should be cautious and
cons nrvative in meth o l, not in advance of
public opinion, but expensive to its demand
TARIFF REVISION.
The Democratic party is pledged to revive
The tariff in spirit of fairr eSs to all interests
But in making reduction in taxes it is not
proposed 10 injure amy domestic industries
but rather to promote their healthy growth.
From TIE foundation OF this Goyernment
the chief source of Federal revenue: such
they must continue to be; moreover many In
dustries have come 10 rely upon legislation
for successful continuance SO that any
change of law must lie at every -ep regard full
aof the labor and capital thus involved. The
process OF reform must he sub ect in the exc
s,utiOn to this plain dictate of in Stice All
taxation shall be limited to the re1u rements
OF economical governments. The ne;-
essary reduction in taxation can and must
be effected without deprlving Amer.c labor
of the ability to compete successfully
with foreign labor and without imposing
lower rates of duty T. an will be ample To
cover any increased cost OF production which
may ex' st In consequence of the higher rate
of wages prevailing in this country. Sufic ent
revenue to pay all the eSpens, of the led
eral Government, economically administered.
including pensions. interest and principal
of the pubic debt, can be got under our
present system of taxation from Custom
house taxes on fewer imported articles bear.
ing heaviest on articles OF luxury and bearir q
highest on articles of necessity. We there
fore denounce the abuses of the ext, ting
tariff, and, subject to the preceding limitations
we demand that Federal taxation shall be
exclusively for public purposes, and shall not
exceed the meets of the Government, econom.
,cally administered.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
The system of direct taxation known as tho
"internal revenue" is war tax, and so long
as the law continues the money derived there
from should be devoted to the relief OF the
people from the rema ming burdens of the
az no IN x