Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-07-18
THE PLATFORM.
An OutspOken E"unciation Of Demo.
cratic Principles.

new issues are OOTu OF Tune anu progress, ana
old issues perish. Bat the fund ,mental princi-
pies of the Democracy, approved by the united
voice Of the people, remain, and will ever
main as the best and only security for the con-
tinuance of free government. The preservation
of personal rights the eq ility of all citizens be
fore 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 never
can be surrendered without destroying that
balance of rights and powers which enables the
continent to be developed in peace and social
order to be maintained by means of local self
government but it is Indispensable for practi-
cal application and enforcement of tn Sc flnda-
mental principles that the government should
! not always be controlled by one political party.
Frequent change Of administration is rs neces
sary as constant recurrence TO the popular Will
Otherwise abuses grow, and the government
instead of being carried or for the general wei
fare, becomes an instrumentalty for imposing
heavy burdens on the many who are governed
| for the benefit of the few who govern. Public
servants thus become arbitrary rulers.
| This is now the condition OF the country
hence a change is demanded. The Republican
party, so far as principle is concerned, is n
Renaissance. In practice, il is An organization
| for enriching those who centred Its machinery
The frauds and jobbery which have been
! brought TO light in every department of the
| government are sufficient TO have called for re-
form within the Republican party yet those in
authority, made reckless blythe long possession
of power, have succumbed to its corrupung in
huence, and have placed in nomination "A ticket
against which the independent portion of ths
party are in open revolt. Therefore change is
dema nded Such a change WAS alike necessary
in 1876, but the will of the people was then de-
feated by fraud which can never be forgotten
nor condoned. Again, in 1880, the change de-
manded by the people was defeated by the law
ish use of money contributed by inscriptions
contractors and shameless joboerS who had
! bargaued for unlawful profits, or for high of
/ fee The + publican party during lis legal,
its stolen. and its bought 'enures of power has
steadily decayed in moral character and poiti
cal capacity Its platform promises are now H
list of its past failures it demands the restora-
tioa of our navy il has squandered hundreds
of millions 10 create a navy that does not exist :;
it cal. : upon Congress to remove the burdens
uader which American shipping has been de-
pressed 1t imposes and has continued those
burdens. 1t processes the policy OF preserving
the public lands for small holdings by actual
settlers. Il has given AWAY the peoples heri
tage, till now few railroads and non resident
aliens, individual and corporate. possess larger
area than that OF all our farms between the two
seas ltprofesses preference for DEMONSTRATIONS
/ 1t organized aud tried to eyalize control of
state election by federal troops. IL processes a
desire to elevate labor. Il has subjected Amer
| lean workingmeu 10 the competition of convict
and imported contract labor. 1t processes graft
tude to all who were disabled or died in the
war leaving widows and orphans. 1t left TO a
/ Democratic House of Representatives the first
effort to equalize both bouuties and pensions
1t proffers pledge TO correct the irregularities
I OF our tariff; il created and has Coutiu ued
them. Its own tariff commission confessed the
seed of more than twenty per cent reduction
/ Its Congress gave a reduction Of ess than four
per cent
| 1t processes the protection of American man
ufactureS (: il has subjected them 10 an Inrrsas-
! ing food Of manufactured goods aud hopeless
competition with manufacturing nations, not
one of which takes raw materials It professe,
/ to protect all American Industries it has i'm
poverished many 10 suhsdize a few. |, pro-
/ iesses the equality of all men fore the law
! Attempting TO fix the status OF colorei citizens
I the acts Of its Congresses were overseJ by the
decisions of its courts. 1t ACCEPTS anew the
duty OF leading in the work of progress and re
form lis caught criminals are permitted To
escape through eoutriEed DELAYS or actual con
nivace in the prosecution. Honeycombei with
corruption, ouihreakisg exposures no longer
shock its moral sense. LIS b~aesti members, its
(
t~----------------'-r ra'Ssritv 10 y c"uns"is, or
a veto upon had nominations Anal change IS
necessary is proved BY an existing surplus Of
more than Sl00, 600 900, which has yearly been
collected from a suffering people unnecessary
taxation is unjust taxation We drnounre the
Republican party for having failed to relieve
the people from crushing war taxes which have
par.lyzed business crippled industry and de-
prived labor Unemployment and % just reward
The Democracy pledge itself 10 purify the
administration from corruption, 10 restore
economy, 10 revive respect FOR law, and 10 re
dace taxation 10 The lowest limit consistent with
due regard 10 the preservation Of the faith OF
the nation o its creditors and pensioners know
ing full well, however, that legislation affect
ing the occupations OF the people should be
cautions and conservative in method-not in
advance OF public opinion. bot responsive 10 lis
demands. The Democratic party is pledg ed 10
revise the tariff IN spirit Of fairness to all IN
tsrests. But in making reduction in taxes it is
not proposed 10 injure any domestic industries
bat rather 10 promote their healthy growth.
From the foundation OF this government, taxes
collected at the custom houses have been the
chief source OF federal revenue such they must
coataue TO be. Moreover, many industries have
come 10 rely upon legislation for successful con-
tinuance, so that any change of law must be at
every step regArdful Of the labor and capita
subject in the execution to this plain dictate Of
Justice.
All taxation shall be limited 10 the REQUIRE
ments Of economical government. The neCes.
sary reduction 10 taxation cau and must be IF.
iected without depriving American labor of the
AGILITY 10 compete successfully with foreign la
Dor, asd without imposing lower rates of duty
than VIII be ample TO cover any increased cost
OF production which may exist in Consequence
OF the higher rate of wages prevailing in this
country. Sufficient revenue TO pay all the ex
penses OF the federal government, economically
administered, including pensions interest and
principal OF the public debt, can he got. un der
our present system of taxation, from custom.
house taxes on fewer articles. bearing heaviest
on articles OF luxury, and bearing Iighrest on
articles OF necessity, we therefore deuounce the
abuses OF the existing tnrif and subject TO the
preceding limitations.
We demand that federal taxation shall be ex-
clusively for public purposes ard shall not ex-
coed the needs OF the government economical
~ administered. The system of direct TAXATION
known as the 'internal revenue" is a war tax
and so long as the law continues the money de-
rived therefrom should be sacredlY devoted TO
he relief OF the PEG pie from the rem lining bur
dens 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 such
pensions as Congress may from time to time
grant to such soldiers, like fund for the sail
ors having been already provided, and any sur
plus should be paid into the treasury. We ia
vor an American continental policy based upon
more intimate commercial and political rela-
tons with the fifteen sister republics Of North,
Central and South America, but entangiing
alliance with none. We believe in honest mon
ey, the gold and silver coinage of the Constitu
ton, and a circulating medium convertible in to
such money without loss. Asserting the equity
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 aud exact justice to
all citizens, of whatever nativity, race color
or persuasion, religious or political We be-
lieve IN free ballet and fair count, and we
recall to the memory of the people the noble
struggle of the Democrats in the Forthwith and
EaEt Z 81 Z ID GanxroSsaS b., .,L;..I,