Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-23
The Platform of the National Demo-
cratic Party.

The Democratic party Of the Union, through il
Representatives in National Convention Assem- bled
recognizes that, as the nation grows oder, new IL
sues are born OF time and progress. and old Issue
perish. But the fundamental principles OF thi
Democracy, approved by the united voice Of the peo
pie, remain, and will ever remain. a. the best ant
only security for the continuance Of free govern
ment. The preservation OF personal rights; the
equality Of all citizens before the law the reserved
rights OF the States, and the supremacy OF the Fed
eral ooyerpment within the limits Of the Constitu
ton, Will ever form the true basis Of our liberties
and can neSer be surrendered without destroying
that balance OF rights aud powers which enables
continent to be developed, and social order to b
maintained by means Of local self-goyernment.
But 1t is indispensable for the practical applica
tIon and enforcement of these fundamental princi
pies that the Government should not always be con
trolled by one political party. Frequent change OF
administration is as necessary constant recur-
renee 10 the popular will. Otherwise abuses grow,
and the Government instead Of being carried for
the general welfare becomes an instrumentality fol
imposing heavy burdens on the many who are gov
erned for the benefit Of the few who govern. Public
servants thus become arbitrary rulers.
This is now the condition df the country-hence q
change Is demanded. The Republican party, so far
as principle Is concerned, is remnscence. In prac-
tice II is an organization for enrichng those who
control Its machinery. The frauds and jobbery
which have been brought to light In every depart,
ment of the Government sufficient to have called
for reform within the Republican party. Yet those
in authority, male reckless by the long possession
Of power have succombed to its corrupting influence
and have placed in nomination a ticket against
which the independent portion OF the party are in
open revolt.
0Therefore change is demanded. Such change
was alike necessary In 1876 but the will of the peo-
ple was then defeated by fraud which never be
forgotten nor condoned Again, In 1880, the change
demanded by the people was defeated by the lavish
use OF money contributed by unscrupulous contrac.
tors and shameless iobbers who had bargained for
unlawful profits or for high office.
The Republican party during its legal Its stolen,
and its bought tenurcs OF power, has steadily de-
cayed in moral character and political capacity Its
platform promises are now list Of its past failures.
II demands the restoration OF our navy; Ii has
squandered hundreds Of millions to create navy
thste does not exist
It calls upon Congress to remove the burdens un-
der which American shipping has been depressed; /;
it imposed and has continued those burdens.
It processes the policy of reserving the public
lands for small holdings by actual settlers; 1t has
given away the peoples heritage till now few rail-
roads aud nonresident aliens, individual and corpo-
rate posses larger area than that OF all our farms
between the two seas.
It processes preference for free institutions 1t
organized and tried to legalize a control of State
elections by Federal troops.
It processes desire to elevate labor: it has sub
jected American workingmen to the competition Of
convict and imported contract labor.
II professes gratitude to all who were disabled or
died in the war leaving widows and orphans 1t left
to Democratic House of Representatives the first
effort to equalize both bounties and pensions.
1t profes pledge to correct the Irregularities of
our tariff 1t created and has continued them.
It's own Tariff Commission confessed the need of
more than twenty per cent deduction It's Congress
It processes the protection OF American manufac
lures 1t has subjected them to an increasing flood
of manufactured goods and hopeless composition
with manufacturing nanons, not one OF wnlcD taxes
raw materials.
1t processes to protect all American industries; it
has impoverished many !? subsidize a few.
Itprofesses the protection of American labor; it
ao,,1o otadf fha onf An1a
an industry followed by half our people.
It processes the equality Of all men before the law
attempting to fix thestatus OF coored citizens, the
acts Of its Congress we're overset by the decisions Of
the courts.
It i'aocepts anew the duty Of leading in the work
OF progress and reform" its caught criminals are
permitted to escape through contrlved delays or
actual connivance in the prosecution.
Honeycombed with corruption, outbreaking ex-
posures no longer shock its moral sense Its honest
members its independent journals, no longer main
tain successful contest for authority in its coun
ellis or q veto upon bad nominations.
That change Ia necessary is proved by an existing
surplus Of more than 900. which has yearly
been collected from suffering people. Unnecessary
We deuounce the Republican party for having
failed to relieve the people from crushing taxes,
which have paralyzed business, crippled industry,
and deprived labor Of employment and ofjust re-
ward.
The Democracy pledges Itself to purify the ad.
ministration from corruption, to restore economy,
to reviyerespect for law and to reduce taxation to
thelowest limit consistent with due regard TO the
preservation of the faith Of the nation to Its credit
ors and pensioners.
Knowing full WE'LL however, that legislation affect
ing the operations Of the people should be cautious
and conservative in method, not in advance of pub
lie opinion but responsive to its demands the DEM
ocratic party is pledged to revise the tariff in asprit
OF fairness to all interests.
Rct In making reduction In taxes 1t is not pro-
posed to njure any domestic industries but rather to
promote their healthy growth. From the foundation
of this Government taxes collected at the Custom
House have been the chief source of FedeaaI reve-
nue.. Such they must continue to be. Moreover,
many industries have come to rely upon legislation
for successful continuance, so that any change of
law must be at every step regardfu of the labor and
capital thus involved. The process of reform must
be subject in the execution, to this plain dictate of
Justice All taxation shall be limited to the require
ments of economical government. The necessary
reduction in taxation can and must beefected with
out deprivng American labor of the ability to
pete successfully with foreign labor, and without
imposing lower rates Of duty than will be ample to
cover any increased cost of production which may
prevailing in this country Sufficient revenue to pay
all the expenses of the Federal Government econo-
micay administered including pensions and inter-
est and principal of the public debt can under
our present system Of taxation, from Custom House
taxes on fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest
on articles of luxury, and bearing ghest on articles
of necessity.
tariff, and. subject to the preceding limitations
demand that Federal taxation shall be exclusively
for public purposes, and shall not exceed the needs
of the Government economically administered.
The system of direct taxation known as the 'in-
ternal revenue" is war tax, and so long the law
continues the money derived therefrom should be
sacredy devoted to the relief of the people from the
remaing burdens of the war and be made fund to
defray the expense of the 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 SOL
1ioro tbaf fund fn lQ{IOra nlrpndV
provided, and any surplus should be paid into the
treasury
We favor IN American continental policy based
upon more intimate commercial and political rela-
tions with the fifteen sister republics of North
Central, South America but entangling alliances
with none.
We believe in honest money, the gold and silver
coinage of the Constitution, and circulating medi
um convertible into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality of all men before the law,
we hold that it is the duty Of the Governmentin 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 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-ifth and
Forty-sixth Congresses, by which o reluctant Re-
publican opposition was compelled to assent to leg
islaton making everywhere illegal the presence OF
troops at the polls, as the conclusive proof that
Democratic administration will preserve liberty with
order.
The selection of Federal officers for the Territories
should be restricted to citizens previously resident
therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which vex the citizens
and interfere with individual iihertv
We favor honest civil service reform and the COM
pensation of all United States officers by fixed sal
ar es the separation Of church and State, and the
diffusion of free education by common schools, 30
that every child in the land may be taught the rights
and duties of citizenship.
While we favor all legislation which will tend to
the equitable distribution of property, to the pre-
vention of monopoly, and to the strict enforcement
of individual rights against corporate abuses,
hold that the welfare of society depends upon
scrupulous regard for the rights of property as de-