The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17

Inc iolioWlhB platform was reported
by the Committee TO the National Dem
ocratic Convention in Chicago and adop
ted:
TIE PLATFORM.
The Democratic party Of the Union
through its representatives in Nationa
Convention assembled, recognizes that a,
the nation grows older new issues ar,
born of time and progress and old issues
perish, but the fundamci nj principles o
the Democracy, approved by the uniteC
voice Of the people. remain, and wil
ever remain, rs the best and only securi
~ for the continuance Of free govern
mcnt, 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 Govern.
ment within the limits OF the Consti,u-
ton, will ever form the true basis Of our
liberties and can never be surrendered
without destroying that balance Of right
and power which enables the continent
TO be developed in peace and social order
to be maintained by means of local self
government But il is Indispensable
for the practical application and enforce
ment Of these fundamental principles
| that the Government should not always
be controlled by one political party. a
| frequent change Of administration j. M
| necessary az constant recurrence to the
| popular will; otherwise abuses grow,
and the Government, instead of being
carried on for The general welfare, be-
comes ali instrumcntality for imposing
| heavy burdens upon the many who are
governed for the benefit Of the few who
I),,t
| arbitrary rulers. This is now the con-
is demanded. The Republican party, 80
far as principle is concerned, is q rcmin
iscence. In practice it is an organiza-
ton for enriching those who control its
machinery. The frauds and robbery
| which have been brought to light in
| every department of the Government are
in the Republican party. Yet those in
sion of power, have succumbed to its
; nomination : ticket against which the
open revolt. Therefore change is de.
manded. Such change was alike neces
sary in 1876, but the will Of the people
was then defeated by fraud which can
| never be forgotten nor condODcd. Again,
in 1880, the change demanded by the
people was defeated by the lavish use Of
money contributed by INSCRIPTIONS con-
tractors and shameless jobbcrs, who had
bargaincd for unlawful profits or for high
Offices. The Republican party, during
its legal its stolen and its bought tenures
of power, has steadily dccayed in moral
character and political capacity. It's
platform promises are now list Of its
past failures. II demands the restoration
of our navy it has squandered hundreds
Of millions TO create q navy that does
not exist. 1t calls upon Congress TO re-
move the burdens under which American
shipping has been depressed ; it imposed
and has continued these burdens. 1t
processes the policy Of reserving public
lands for small holdings by actual set.
tiers; it has given away The peoples
heritage until now II few railroads and
resident aliens, individual and cor
poratc, possess n larger area than that of
all of our farms between the two seas.
1t processes preference for free institu.
tions; it organized and tried to logalize
the control of State elections by Federal
troops. II processes desire to elevate
labor; IL has subjected the American
workingman to competition Of convict
and imported contract labor. 1t profess
ses gratitude 10 all who were disabled or
died in war, leaving widows and orphans
1t left to n Democratic House Of Repre-.
seDtatives the first effort 10 eqnaize both
bounties and pensions. 1t proHers
pledge to correct the irregularities of our
tariff; it created and has continued
them; its own Tariff Commission con.
fesscd the need Of more than 20 per cent.
reduction its Congress gave n reduction
Of less than 4 per cent. 1t processes
protection Of American manufactures
it has subjected them to an increasing
flood Of manufactured goods had hope.
less competition with manufacturing
nations, not one of which taxes raw ma.
terials. 1t processes to protect all Amer
ican industries; it has impoverished
many to subsidize few. 1t Processes
protection of American labor; it has
depleted the revenues of American agri.
culture, an industry followed by half of
our people. 1t processes the equality of
all men before tho law, attempting to fix
tho status of colored citizens the Acts
of its Congress- were overset by decisions
of its Courts. Itaccepts anew the duty
of leading in the work of progress and
reform its caught criminals are permit.
ted to escape through contrived delays or
actual connivance in their prosecution.
Honey .combed with corruption, the out
breaking of exposure no longer shock its
moral sense. Its honest members, its
Independent journals, no longe: maintain
successful contest for authority in its
counsels or veto upon its bnd nomina.
tions. That change is necessary is
proved by an existing surplns of more
than 800, ,000, 900, which has yearly been
collected from q suffering people. Un.
necessary taxation is unjust taxation.
We denounce the Republican party for
having failed to relieve the people from
the crushing war taxes which have par
alyzed business, crippled industry. and
deprived labor of employment and of
just reward. The Democracy pledges
itself to purify the administration from
corruption, to restore economy, to revive
respect for law and to reduce taxation to
the lowest limit consistent with q due
regard to the preservation of the faith of
the nation TO its creditors and pensioners
knowing full we'll, however, that legis.
lation affecting the occupations of the
people should be cautious and conserya-
tive In method, not in advance of public
opinion, but responsive TO its demands.
The Democratic party Is pledged to 70.
wise the tariff in u spirit of fairness to
oil interests; but In making reduction
In taxes 1t is not proposed to iniure any
domestic industries, bnt rather to pro-,
mote. their healthy growth. From the
foundation Of thfs Government the taxes
collected at the custom house have been
the. chief source of Federal revenue.