The Brookhaven leader., 1884-07-17
The Democratic Platform.


/ Convention:
The Democratic party OF the Union through
| IT, Representatives in National Convention
/ assembled recognizes that, rs the Nation grows
| older new issues are born OF time and prog
/ cess and old issues perish, but the Iun1a-
/ mental principles of Democracy, approved by
/ he united vO.cc of the people, Tcna ana
| EilI over remain AS the be- st and only security
! for the continuance of free government. The
] preservation of personal rights, the equality
! Of all citizens before the law, the rcs"rNci
/ rights of the States. and the supremacy OF the
| Federal Government within tie limits OF
! the Constitution will ever form the true
/ basis of our liberties. aud can never lie
! surrendered without destroying that Da
| ancc Of rights and powers which enables a
\ continent to lie developed in peac ana social
/ order to be maintained by means OF 100 a sell
/ government; but IL 10 indiSp, nsablc lOr Tue
! practical auplicaiiOn and enforcement OF
/ these fundam tai principles that the GOV
| eminent SHOULD not always DC chntrolled ny
| one political PARTY. Ere Iucnt change OF I'D
ministrat on is as necessary as constant re-
curr9nce TO the popular will, otherwise abuses
grow, and the Government INST az OF being
4 carried on for the general welfare becomes an
/ fundamentally for imposing heavy burdens
/ on the many who are governed for the bcnrht
OF the few who Cove a. rh hs SerSah he mus mus
| dition Of the country. Hence a change is de-
| manded. .
| THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
| The Republican party. so far as principal is
| concerned. Is Il reminiscenc'; IN practice IL Is
i an organization for enriching those VINO CON
/ troll its machinery. Tie FRAUDS anu JoDD'ry
| which have en- brought to light in every de
! partn.cnt of the give rnmcnt are sufcielt to
| have called for reform %thin the Republican
| party. yet those in autl orty. mace recklesshy
| the long possession of over. nave sue
| cunt ell to us coIrupting influence and nave
| p,acel i'll nomination ticket against whljh
the ndcrendent portion Oh tnT Pis'{ c %ra
| ed Such change was alike ne eSsa IN
| 1876, hut the will of the people was then &c
| featcd by a fraud which can never be forgot
| ~ mn pOnd med. Again, IN * u, tne chdn"e
| demanded by the people was defeaei
| by the lavish use of money ctn'rihu.
| ted by INSCRIPTIONS contractors and
| shameless iohbers who hal bargained for
| unlawful profits or for high Offices. The Re
! publican party during its legal its ,toicn ana
| its bought terms of power. has steadily de-
| tayed in moral character and political capa.
! city. Its platform promises are now lst OF
its past failures IL demandS me rcs,ora i
| millions to create a navy that does not exist
| 1t calls on COngt ess to remove the burdens
| under which American shipping has be n de-
pressed; it impose and has continued IN Sc
! burdens 1t Processes the policy of reserving
the public lands for small holders by actual
settlers: 1t has gwen away the peoples her
! itage till now few railroads and non-I es
! dent aliens. individual and corporate. posscss
a lar err area than that of all our farms be-
tween the two seas.
FALSE PRETRNsBs.
| II processes pr, ( renee for free ins,itu-
| lions: it organ zed and tried to legalize toit-
| troll o. state eleCtit ms by fe, o al troops 1t
pre- te5SeS desire 10 elevate labor, IL II IS uD-
| jec,ed Ameri an wOrkingmen to ihe cOmpc l.
| tloa of the co Wet and Imported contract ID
Dor. 1t Processes gra ltude to all who W. re di
ahled or died i'll war leaving widows and or
! phans: IL left TO u Democratic House Of Eep-
rescn'a ives the first enor. to Q iualiLc both
| bounties and pensions 1t prOaers pledge
to correct the irree uarities of our ia i'll, t
create and has continued them. Its own
| tariff commission confessed the need OF more
than twenty per cent reduction: its Congress
| gave a reduction of lc than four per cent.
Ii processes the protection OF American
| ufdctures; it has subit cted them 10 an UNI
| C asinQ foCd OF II anufactu cd goods and
| hopeless competition with manufacturing
nat, ons. not one of which taxes raw
materials. 1t processes to protect all
American industries; 1t has i'm
| pOverished many to subSidze a few, 1t pro-
feSses the protection of American labor; it
has depleted the returns of American agr Ill
ture an industry followed by half our people.
| II processes tho equality of all men fore tho
law, attempting to FIX the status of colorcd
| citizens; the acts O. its Congress were overset
by the decision of its courts. 1t accepts anew
| the duty of lea ling in the work of progress
! and rctorm; its caught criminals are p r.
mt.ed to escape through contrivcd de-
lays or actual connivance in the prosecution
| Honey-comted with corruption, outbrcakins
| exposures no longer shock its moral sense Its
| honest members. lis Independent journals no
longer maintain successful contest for
| thorlty IN It's counSels or veto upon bad
| nominations.
That change is necessary Is proved by an
| eyist ng surplus of more than $1,000 zoo
VIII oh ha, yearly been collcce from suffer.
| ing e1pie Unne"e sary ia vation is un;u I
taSat on. We denoun the Republican
| party Tor having failed 10 relieve the ,ople
| from crushing war taxes which have par
aly2ed bus ness, cripnlel industry and de-
| prNe Labor OF employment and of Just re-
| ward The Democracy pledges itself to puri-
fly the Admin tratlon from CORFU ton TO
| re pc economy, 10 re rive respect for law.
and = reduce tai alton TO the lowest limit
| consist, MT with due re gard to the rcScr-
| vat on of the faith of the Nation to creli-
tors ana pensioners, knowing fun well,
however, that legislation afe ii g the ocou.
| pafions of The people should be cautious and
cons rrative in mcthoi. not in advance OF
public opinion. but o lponsive to its demand.
TARIFF REVISION
The Democratic party is pie dyed to revive
the tariff in spirit of fairness to all interests.
But in making reduction in taxes it is not
| proposed TO injure any domestic tnduStr es
but rather to promote their healthy growth.
From tie foundation of this G0lernmcnt
| taxes collected at the Custom house have been
| the c!ief source of Federal revenue; such
| they must continue to he: moreover many In.
dustries have come 10 rely up n legis alton
| for successful continuance, so that any
| change of law mus o ~ eyerys cp regard tul
of I o labor and oapital thus involved |. The
| process of reform mus be sub Get in the exc
| cution to this plain dictate of justice: All
taxation shall be limited to the requirements
| of economical governments. The nee
| essary reduction in taxation can and must
be effected without depriving Amer can labor
| of the ability to compete successfully
with foreign labor and without imposing
| lower rates of duty than will lie ample to
cover any increased cost OF production which
| may Cx st in consequence of the higher rate
| of WAGE prevailing in this country Suffic ent
| revenue TO pey all the eApens S of tho Fed
| eral Government, economically administer d,
| including pensions, tntere>t and principal
| of tie pubic debt, can be got under our
present system of taxation from Custom
| house taxes on fewer imp ted articles bear
| ing heaviest on articles OF luxury and bear.rg
fore denounce the abuses of the exiting
| tariff. and, subject to the proceed ng linn tations
we demand that Federal taxation shall be
exceed The nee Ia of the nN arnn