Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-16
The Platform of the National Demo.
cratic Party.

recognizes that. as the nation grows oder. new II
sues are PSrn 81 time and progress and old issnt
Democracy, approved by the united voice Of the peo
pie, remain, and will ever remain as tie best AM
only secnrity for the continuance Of free govern
ment. The preservation OF personal rights; tn
equality OF all citizens before the law the reserve,
rtghts OF the States and the supremacy OF the Fed
al Government within the limits Of the Constitu
ton, will form the true basis of our liberties
and can neSer be surrendered without destroying
that balance Of rights and powers which enables
continent to be developed, and social order to b,
maintained by means of local self-government.
But 1t is Indispensable for the practical applica
tlon and enforcement OF these fundamental princi
pies that the Government should not always be con
trolled by one political party. Frequent change o.
administration Is as necessary as constant recur
renee TO the popular will. Otherwise abuses grow
and the Government. instead of being carried fol
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 fal
principle is concerned, is reminiscence. In prac
tice II is organization for enrichine those who
control its machinery. The frauds and jobbery
which have been brought to light in every depart
nent Of the Government are 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 corruptng influence
and have placed in nomination ticket against
which the independent portion OF the party are in
open revolt.
0Therefore change is demanded. Such a change
was alike necessary in 1876 but the will of the peo
pie was then defeated by fraud which can never be
forgotten 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.
ando fha
suuandered hundreds of millions to create navy
thate does not exist.
It calls upon Congress to remove the burdens un-
der which American shipping has been depressed; /;
II imposed and has continued those burdens.
1t 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 and 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: it
organized and tried to legalize 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.
1t Processes 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,
II profers pledge to correct the irregularities OF
,lr tariff II created and has continued them.
Its own Tariff Commission confessed the need of
more than twenty per cent reduction It's Congress
gave reuuCUOn Ol lesb tuuu luui Per Cchts
1t pr0fesses the protection of American manufac
tures It has subjected them to an increasing flood
of manufactured goods and hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations not one oil which taxes
raw materials.
It processes to protect all American industries 1t
has impoverished many to subsdize few.
It processes the protection of American labor; it
has depleted the returns OF American agricultue-
an industry followed by half onr people.
II profcsses the equality ofall men before the law;
attempting to fix thestatus of coored citizens tho
acts OF its Congress were overset by the decisions OF
the courts.
It 1accepts anew the duty Of leading in the work
of progress and REFORM" its caught criminals are
permitted to escape through contrived 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 lts coun
That chance Is necessary is proved by an existing
surplus of more than Sl00OOOOOO, which has yearly
been collected from suffering people Unnecessary
taxation Is unjust taxation.
We dcuounce the Republican party for having
failed to relieve the people from crushing war taxes,
which have paralyZed business, crippled industry,
and deprived labor of employment and OF Just re-
ward.
ministration from corruption, to restore economy,
to revive respect law and to reduce axation 10
preservation of the faith of the nation to its credit
Knowing full well, however, that legislation affect
inc the operations of the people should be cautious
and conservative in method, not in advance of pub
lie opinion but responsive its demands the DEM
ocrstc party pledged to revise the tariff In aspirt
of fairness to all interests.
posed to njure any domestic industries but rather to
promote their healthy growth. From the toundation
of this Government taxes collected at the custom
House have been the chief source OF Fedeaal reve-
nna Snch they must continue to be. Moreover,
many industries have come to rely upon leSlsiauoh
for successful continuance, so that any chahge OF
law must be at every step regardfu Oh tne aoor anu
oapital thus involved. The process OF reform must
he subject in the execution to this plain dictate OF
justce All taxation shall be limited to the require
ments of economical government. Inc necessary
reduction In taxation can and must oe enecteo WIN
ont denpiypg American labor of the ability to COM
nete successfully with foreign labor, and without
imposing lower rates of duty than Will be ample to
cover any increased cost OF prodnctlon "nicn may
eyist in consequence of the higher rate of wages
prevailing in this country Sufficient revenue to pay
ali the expenses of the Federal Government econo-
mically administered, including pensions and inter-
ast md principal Of the public debt can be got under
onr nresent system of taxation, from Custom House
taxes on fewer imported articles, bearing neaIlest
n articles of luxury, and bearing ghtest on articles
of necessity. , ~ ., o.;.;,
tariff and subject to the preceding limitations, we
demand that Federal taxation shall be exclusively
for public purposes, and shall not exceed the needs
Of the Government economically administered.
Thc system of direct ia xation known as the sin
ternal revenue is war tax ana 20 long as the Ia"
continues the money derived therefrom should be
sacredy devoted to the relief OF the people from ne
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
djers like fund for the sailors having been already
provided, and any surplus should Dc paid 1nto tne
treasury. ,..,
We favor an American continental policy based
and pOlitical rpln-
tions with the fifteen sister republics OF North
Central and South America, but enangling alliances
with none.
coinage of the Constitution, and circulating medi
nm convertible into such money without loss
Asserting the equality of all men before the law,
we hold that it is the duty Of the Government in its
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-fif and
Forty-sixth Congresses, by which reluctant Re-
publican opposition was compelled to assent to leg
isation making everywhere illegal the presence oil
troops at the polls, as the conclusive proof that
Democratic administration will preserve liberty with
order.
should be restricted to citizens previously resident
therein.
and interfere with individual lihertv.
We favor honest civil service reform and the COM
pepsaton of all United States officers by fixed sal
ari es the separation of church and State and tile
diffusion of free education by common schools, so
that every child in the land may he 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 we
hold that the welfare of society depends upon
scrupulous regard for the rights of property as de.
fined by law We believe that labor is best rewarded
where n is freest and most enlightened; It should,
therefore. be fostered and cherished We favor the
repeal of oil laws restricting the free action of labor