Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-15
rhe psmocratic Platform.

Times, the platform Of the national Dem1-
cratic pary adopted at Chicago last week,
lust as Il came from The hlnls OF the COM
mittee. II IL a. follows:
TUE PLATFORM.
The Democratic party OF the luton.
through IFS REPRESENTATIVES IN National Con-
ycniion assembled, recognizes that. - the
nation grows older, new Issues are born %
time and progress and old issues perish.
Pint the fundamental prirciples % the De-
mocracv. approved by the united voice ~
the penple. remain, and will ever remain,
as the best and only security for the con-
tinuance OF free government. The prcscr-
walton Of personal rights, the equ1Iity ~ al
citizens before the law, the reserved rights
of the States. and the supremacy OF the
Federal Government within the limits Of
The Constitution will ever form he true
basjs Of our liberties, and can never ic sur
rendered without DESTROYING that ballnre
OF rights and powers which enables a con-
tinept developed IN peace and soeill order
20 be maintained by m,ans Of local sel,-yoy-
eTnmen..
But II Is indispensable for The practical
applicallon and enforcement Of tle5afdndl-
mental principles That the Government
should not always be controlled by one
political party. Frequent change o. al
ministTation i rs nc'es,lr as con 'tlnt re-
currerce to the popular Will. Otherwise
abuses grow. end the Government. instead
Of beng carried Gil for the general welfare,
becomes an instrumcntalty iOr imposing
heavy burdens on the MANY who are gov
orned for the benefit Of The few who govern.
Public servants thus become arbitrary
rulers.
Thi, is now the condition OF the country.
Hence n change is demanded, The Rcpub-
lean party, so far rs principle Is concerned.
Is rcmipi>cCrcc; in practice, It Is m or
ganizatIon for cnrchin- those who control
it, machinery. The frauds and iObbery
which have been brought 10 light IN every
department of the Governments are sufficient
TO bavc called for reform within the Repub-
lcan party; yet those in authority, made
reckless 10y the long possession Of power.
have surcumbcd toIts corrupting influence.
and have placed in nomination a ticket
against which the Independent portion OF
the party are in open revolt.
Therefore 2 chlnge is demanded. such
a change was alike necessary in 1876. but
the will Of the people was then defeated by
fraud which can never be forgotten nor
coudoned. Again, in 1880, the change de-
mandCd by the people was defeated by the
lavish use OF money contributed By I'M
scrupulOUs contractors and shameless job
bers who had bargained for unlawful
profits or for high Office.
The Republican party during is legal.
IL stolen, and is bought tcnurc5 OF power.
has steadily decayed in moral character and
political capacity.
lis platform promises are now list OF its
rast failures.
Il demands the restoration Of our navy.
Il has sqHandered hundreds OF millions 10
create a navy that does not exist.
1t calls upon Congress to remove the
burdens under which American shipping
la, been depressed. 1t imposed and has
continued those burdens.
II Processes the policy OF rcserying the
public lands for small holdings by actual
settlers. II has given away the peoples
heritage, till now a few railroads. and nom
resident aliens, individual and corporate.
possess larger area than q at OF all our
farms between the two seas.
II proies>es preference Tor free institu-
tons. 1t o~ganized aud tried to legalize
control OF State elections By Federal
troops.
II processes desire to elevate labor. 1t
has subjected American wOrkingmen TO
the competition OF convict and imported
contract labor.
II processes gratitude TO all who were
disabled or died in the war, leaving
widows and orphans. II left TO Demo-
cratic House Of Representatives the first
effort 30 eQuaize both bOunties aud PEN
sicns.
II profIers n pledge to correct the irregu-
larities Of our tariff. 1t created and has
continued them. It's own tariff commits
sion confessed the ned OF more than %
per cent. reduction. Its Congress gave u
reduction Of less than per cent.
II processes the protection OF American
manufactures. II has subjected them to an
Increasing food OF manufactured goods and
hopeless competition with manufacturing
nations, not one OF which taxes raw mate
rial.
1t processes to protect all American in
dustries. II has impoverished many to
subsldize few.
II processes the protection OF American
labor. 1t has depleted the returns Of
American agriculturc-an industry fol-
lowed by hail our people.
IL processes the equality OF all men before
the law. Attempting to fix the status OF
colored citizens. the acts Of it, Congress
were Oycrset by the decisions OF its courts.
Ii "accepts anew the duty OF leading In
the work OF progress and REFORM" It's
caught criminals are permitted to escape
through cOntriyod delays or actual c0nni-
vance in the prosecution. lIODeycOmbcd
with corruption, Outbreaking exposures no
| longer shock lis moral sense. It. honest
members. its independent journals, no
| longer malnlain'a successful contest for
authority in its cOunsels or a veto upon bad
nominations.
That change Is necessary is proved by
an existing surplus OF more than SlO0,000,-
| Geo, which has yearly been collected from
u suffering people. Unnecessary taxation
| is unjust taxation. We denOunce the Re-
| publican party for having failed to relieve
| the lccple from crushing var taXcs, which
| have paralyZcd business, crippled industry,
and d priyed labor OF employment and OF
| Just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself TO purify
| the Administration from corruption, TO re-
store economy, 10 revive respect for law
and 10 reduce taxation 10 the lowest limit
consistent with due regard to the preserya-
ton OF the faith OF the nation 10 its creditors
and pensioners.
Knowing full well, however. that legisla-
ton affecting the occupations Of the people
should be cautious and conservative In
method, not in advance o. public opinion,
but responsive 10 lis demands, the Demo
cratic party is pledged to revise the tariff
| in q spirit OF fairness to all interests.
But in making reduction in taxes il is
not proposed to iniure any domestic indus
| tries, bu; rather to promote their healthy
growth. From the foundation Of this Gov
| eminent taxes collected at the CUSTOM
! house have been the chief source OF Fele-
raj revenue. Such they must continue to
| be. Moreover, many industries have come
| to rely upon legislation for successful con-
| tnuance; so that any change OF law must
| be at every step regardiul OF the labor and
capital thus involved. The process Of re-
| form must be subject in the execution to
| this plain dictate OF justice.
Ali taxation shall be limited to the re-
! qurements OF economical government.
| The necessary reduction in taxation can
| and must be effected without dcpriying
| American labor OF the ability to compete
successfully with foreign labor, and with
| out imposing lower rates OF duty than will
| lie 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 10 pay all the expenses
| Of the Federal Government. economically
| administered. including pensions, interest
and principal Of the public debt, can be
| got, rnder our present system OF taxation,
| from cllstOm-hOUSe taxes on fewer inn