Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-07-19
THE PLATFORM.

Nf1h)N iCLE dtlu VIC DciIONc Jilc Stfile
substance could have been better ex-
pressed in half that space.
There is much in the platform that
is purposely vague, not to say ambigu-
GUS, but, on the whole, it is a good
Democratic document, and we find no
difficulty in subscribing to its decla-
rations.
The tariff plank is, of course, the
most interesting feature. 1t is care
fully and adroitly worded and affords
standing room for Democrats of all
shades of opinions. In its plainest
and most rational construction, it
means revenue tariff SO adjusted as
to protect American industries and
labor, but those who oppose such adj
justment have argued it into an advo-
cacy of their views.
This clause, to our mind, is explicit
in expressing the adjustment feature
"The necessary reduction in taxa
ton can, and must, be effected without
depriving American labor OF the abill-
| ty to compete successfully with foreign
labor, and without imposing lower
rates of duty than will be ample to
cover the increased cost of production
which may exist in consequence OF tie
higher rate of wages prevailing in this
country"
A revision Of the tariff is clearly de-
manded, but the platform speaks only
of reduction Of taDes and is particular
to say:
The Democratic party is pledged to
revise the tariff in spirit of fairness
to all interests, but in making reduc-
ton in taxes, it is not proposed to in
| jure any domestic industries, but rath-
or to promote their healthy growth.
The free traders say that this insti-
tutes the argument that the carrying
out of their ideas will promote the
healthy growth of industries, but that
is the forced, and not the most obvious
construction.
The opening sentence of the tariff
plank sounds something like the Nor
risOn bill, in its indictment Of the
@Republican party for having failed to
relieve the people from crushing war
taxes" etc, but the platform afterwards
defines @war taxes" in the following
manner:
The system of direct taxation, known
as the internal Revenue" is a war tax,
and so long Us The law continues, the
money derived therefrOm should be
| sacredlV devoted TO the relief of the
people from the remaining burdens OF
| the war, and be made 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 snch pensions as
Congress may from time 10 time grant
to such soldiers
This is significant when taken in con-
nection with IL declaration in another
portion of the platform that, "From
the foundation of the Government,
taxes collected ut the custom house
have been the chief source of Federal
revenue; such they must continue
Pensions to be paid soldiers of the
late war will cease To exist in course Of
time, and under the above declaration,
the internal revenue taxes will cease
to exist with them, and custom house
duties are considered the only perpot-
ual source of revenue.
We are willing to admit, however,
10 h1k tho ,Nlo
does not in spirit demand reduction
OF the tariff would be speciOus. We
simply call attention to the fact that
in point of substance it makes no such
demand, and its neglect to do so was,
no doubt, intentional. The Ohio plat
form, to which the so called revenue
reformers" violently objected, called
| for reduction of all taxes to the req
uisite revenue point and the National
Republican platform does the same
thing. A simple demand for reduc-
ton, therefore, imports nothing; it is
the manner of the proposed revision
of the tariff that has caused differences
of opinion, and under our construc-
ton the Democratic platform means
that it shall be done with due regard
to American industries and labor.
The clause that gives the free ira
dcrs most comfort is the one with
which the tariff plank closes and is as
follows:
We, therefore, denounce the abuses
of the existing tariff and subject to the
preceding limitations we demand that
federal taxation shall be exclusively |
for public purposes and shall not eX-
coed the needs of the Government eco |
nOmically administered.
We would have agreed to a declara-
ton for "a tariff for revenue only" if
it was qualified with such Limitations
rs had been previously made in this
platform. The fact that there are
limitations admits the Ohio idea. On
that idea we have always stood and
still stand, in perfect consistency with
the National Democratic platform.