The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-07-18
having been in session for three hours and !
Il sa5 5T5HsHs, Col. Morrison, tue commit.
tee presented the platform as follows.

tee presented the platform as follows.
THE PLATFORM.
Morrison of Illinois, chairman of the commit
tee on resolutions. stepped to the platform to
present the report of that committee. His APP
pearance was greeted with cheers. The platform
was read by one of the reading clerks as follows.
The Democratic party of the Union through
its representatives in national convention as
semkled, recognizes that, as 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 the
united voice of the people remain and will ever
remain as the best and only security for the con-
~tinuance OF free government. The preservation
OF personal rights. the equality 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 can
never be surrendered without destroying that
balance OF rights and powers which enables a
| continent TO be developed In peace and social
| order to be maintained by means OF loyal self
government, but 1t is indispensable FOR the prac-
teal application and enforcement OF these fun
| damental principles that the govern
ment should not always be controlled
by one political party. Frequent change
OF administration Is necessary as constant
abuses grow, and the government, instead OF
being carried cn for the general welfare, becomes
an instrumentality for imposing heavy burdens
on the many who are governed for the benefit
| come arbitrary rulers. This is now the condition
of the country. Hence q change is demanded.
IHS heDuDlican party, so Tar as principle Is con-
cerned Is a "Reminiscences. In practice 1t is an
organization for enriching those who control its
machinery. The frauds and jobbery which have
been brought to light IN every depart
ment OF the government are sufficient
to have called for reform. within the Republican
party, vet those In authority, made reckless by
the long possession or power, nave succumbed 60
its corrupting influence and have placed in
nomination a ticket against which the indepen-
dent portion OF the party are in open revolt.
Therefore a changei is demanded. Such q change
K ms 0tfI naOa0cowxy IN 4 QE2 htrf fln .rt1l - n
people was then defeated by q fraud which can
never be forgotten nor condoDed. Again in 1880
the change demanded by the people was defeated
by the lavish use OF money contributed by un-
scruprlous contractors and shameless jobbers
who had bargained for unlawful profits, or for
high Office.
stolen and its bought tenures of power, has
steadily decayed in morality, character, and po-
itical capacity. Its platform promises are now
a list of its present failures. 1t demands the
restoration Of our navy; it has squandered hum
dreds of millions to create q navy that does not
exist. 1t calls upon congress to remove the
burdens under which American shipping has
been depressed: it imposes and has continued
those burdens. 1t proposes the policy of resery-
ing the public lands for small holding by actual
settlers; it has given away the peoples heritage
TIL now a few railroads and nonresident aliens,
individual and corporate, possess a larger area
than that Of all our farmers between the two
seas. IL processes a preference for free institu-
tions; it organized and tried TO control state
elections by federal troops il processes a desire
to elevate labor: 1T has subjected American
working men to the competition of convict and
imported contract labor. 1t processes gratitude
TO all who are disabled, or died inthe war leay-
ing widows and orphans; it left to a Democratic
house of representatives the first effort to equal
ize both bounties and pensions. 1t proffers a
pledge to correct the irregularities of our tariff;
1t creates and has continued them. It's own tariff
commission confessed the need of more than 20
per cent reduction. Its congress gave a reduc-
tion OF less than a per cent. 1t processes the
protection OF American manufacturers IL
has subjected them to an unnecessary flood of
manufacturing nations, not one OF which taxes
raw materials. It proposes to protect all Amer
lean industries; 1t has impoverished many to sub
sidize a few. IL processes the protection of Amer
lean. labor; it has depleted the returns of Ameri-
can agriculture, an industry followed by half
our people. it processes the equality of all men
before the law. Attempting 20 fix the status Of
c0lored citizens, the acts OF its congress were re-
versed by the decisions of it's courts. 1t accepts
anew the duty of leading in the work OF progress
and reform; its criminals are permitted
actual conniyance in the prosecution. II is reek-
ing with corruption. Outbreaking exposures no
longer shock it's moral sense. Its honest mem-
bers, its journals, no longer maintain a success
full contest for authority in its counsels OK a veto
upon bad nominations. That a change is neces-
sary Is proved by an existing surplus of more
than $780, 900, 700, which has yearly been coli
lected from a suffering people. Unnecessary
taxation Is unjust taxation. We denounee the
Republican party for having failed to relieve the
people from the crushing war taxes which have
paraiyzed business, crippled industry, and de-
prived labor OF employment and just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purity the adj
ministration from corruption. TO restore econo-
my, to restore respect for law and to reduce tax
alton to the lowest limit consistent with due re-
gard to the preservation OF the faith OF the
nation to it's creditors and pensioners, knowing
full well, however, that legislation affecting the
occupations OF the people should be cautions
and conservative In method and not in advance
Of public opinion but responsive to its demands.
The Democratic party Is pledged to revise the
tarih in a spirit of fairness to all interests.
But IN making a reduction in taxes it is not
proposed to injure any domestic industries, but
rather to promote their healthy growth. From
the foundation Of the government taxes collected
at the custom house have been the source Of
federal revenue. Such they must continue to
be. Moreover many industries have come 10 rely
upon Legislation for successful continuance, SO
that any change Of law must be at every step
regardful OF the labor and capital thus involved.
execution to this plain dictate of justice. All
taxation shall be limited to the requirements Of
economical government. The necessary reduction
in taxation can and must be effected without de-
priving American labor Of the ability to compete
successfully with foreign labor, and without i'm
posing lower rates Of duty than viii be ample to
% oossI ea any IN ince conssaa e0ss q q P Pbs SisSsr r wh,c q
wages prevailing In this country. Sufficient
revenue to pay expenses OF the federal govern
sions. intsrest and nrincipsi u the public debt.
can be, under our present system of taxation
from custom house taxes on fewer imported
articles, bearing heaviest on articles OF luxury,
and bearing hghtest on articles OF necessity.
We therefore den0unce the
ABUSES 81 THE EXISTING TARIFF,
and subject fsc e the preceding gu. iimi e VIC
lively for public purposes and shall not exceed
the needs Of the government economically adj
ministered. The system Of direct taxation
known IS the internal revenue Is . war tax: so
long as the law continues the money derived
therefrom should be devoted to the relief Of the
people from the remaining burdens Of the war