Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-09-25
The Platform OF the National Demo.
cratic Party.

80 aIc uuru OF time nuQ progress. ana Ol0 Issue
perish. Bat the fnndAmenill principles OF IN
Dmocraey, approved by the united voice Of the peo-
ps, remain, and will ever remain. a. the beat and
only security for the continuance OF FREE govern.
ment. The preservation Of personal rights; the
equality Of all etizeas before the law the reserved
rights Of the States, aud the supremacy Of the Fed
erAl Government within the hmits Of the Constttu-
tou Will ever form the true basis Of Liberties,
and can nefsr be surrendered without destroying
that balance Of rehts and powers which enables !
continent TO be developed, and social order to be
maintained BY means OF local seif-government.
But is Indispensable for the practical applica-
tlon and enforcement Of these fundamental princi.
Piles that the Government should not always be con-
trolled by one political party. Frequent change of
administration is as necessary as constant recur-
rance 10 the popular will. Otherwise abuses grow,
and the Government, instead Of being carried for
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 couDtTy-hence q
change is demanded. The Republican party, so far
a. principle Ia concerned, s remniscence. In prae-
tice 1t Is an organization for enrichins those who
control Its machinery. The frauds aud jobbery
which have been brousht to light in every depart.
ment 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 corruptnR influence
and have placed in nomination q ticket against
which the Independent portion OF the party are In
open revolt.
UTherefore change Ia demanded. Such change
alike necessary in 1878, but the will OF the peo-
pie was then defeated by fraud which can never be
forgotten nor condoned. Again, in $780, the change
use of money contributed by unscrupulous contrac.
tors and shameless jobbers who had bargained for
unlawful profits or for high office.
The Republican party, during its legal its stolen,
and its bought tenures OF power. has steadily de-
cayed in moral character and political capacity. Its
platform promises are now list Of its past failures.
1t demands the restoration Of our navy: 1t has
squsndered hundreds of millions to create navy
thate does not exist.
1t 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 it has
given away the people's heritage till now few rail-
roads and nonresident aliens, individual and corpo-
rate, posses larger than that Of s our farms
between the two seas.
Itprofesses preference for free institutions 1t
organized and tried to legalize control of State
elections by Federal troops.
It processes desire to elevate labor 1t has sub
jected American workngmen to the competition of
convict and imported contract labor.
1t profeeses gratitude to all who were disabled or
died In the war leaving widows and orphans; IL left
70 q Democratic House OF Representatives the first
effort to equalize both bountes and pensions.
It proffers pledge to correct the Irregularities of
our tariff: it created and has continued them.
Its own Tariff Commission confessed the need Of
more than twenty per cent, reduction Its Congress
gave reduction Of less than fourper cent.
IL processes the protection of American manufac
tures IL has subjected them to an increasing flood
Of manufactured goods and hopeless competition
with manufacturing nations not one of which taxes
raw materials.
1t processes to protect all American industries 1t
has impoverished many to subsdize few.
II Processes the protection OF American labor: IT
has depleted the returns Of American agriculture
an industry followed by half our people.
1t Processes the equality Of all before the law:
attempting to fix thestatus of colored citizens the
acts Of Its Congress were oyerset by the decisions of
the courts.
1t accepts anew the ddty Of leading in tine 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. It's honest
members, Its independent journals no longer main
tain successful contest for authority in its
ellis or a veto upon bad nominations.
That change is necessary is proved by ar existing
surplus Of more than 900, which has yearly
been collected from suffering people. Unnecessary
taxation Ia unjust taxation.
We deuounce the Republican party for having
failed to relieve the people from crushing taxes
which have paralyzed business, crippled industry,
and deprived labor of employment and of just re-
ward.
The Democracy pledges itself to purify the ad.
ministration from corruption, to restore economy,
to revive respect for law and to reduce taxation to
thelowest limit consistent with due regard to the
preservation of the faith of the nation to its credit
Ors and pensioners.
Knowing full we'll, however, that legislation affect
ing the operations of the people should be cautious
and conservative in method, not in advance of pub
lie opinion, but responsive to its demands the Dem
ocratic party is pledged to revise the tariff in spirit
of fairness TO all interests
But in making reduction in taxes 1t is not pro-
posed injure any domestic industries but rather to
promote their healthy growth. From the foundation
Of this Government taxes collected at the Custom
House have been the chief source of FedeaaI reve-
nue.. Such they must continue to be. Moreover,
many industries have come to rely upon legislation
for successful continuance, so that any change of
law must be at every step regarfu Of the labor and
capital thus involved. The process Of reform must
be subject in the execution, to this plain dictate of
Justice All taxation shall be limited to the require
ments Of economical government. The necessary
reduction in taxation and must be effected with
out depriyng American labor OF the ability to COM
pete successfully with foreign labor and without
imposing lower rates of duty than will be 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 to pay
all the expenses of the Federal Government econo
mically administered, including pensions and inter-
est and principal Of the public debt can be got under
our present system Of taxation, from Custom House
taxes fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest
on articles of luxury, and bearing ghtes on articles
of necessity.
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
The system of direct taxation known as the Sin
continues the money derived therefrom should be
sacredly devoted to the relief Of the people from the
remang burdens of the war and be mnde fund to |
defray the expense Of the care and comfort of worthy
soldiers disabled In the line of duty In the of the
republic, and for the payment of such pensions as
Congress may from time to time grant to such SOL
diers like fund for the sailors having betn already
provided, and any surplus should be paid into the
treasury.
We favor an American continental policy based
upon more intimate commercial and political rela-
tions with the fifteen sister republics of North
Central and South America but entangling alliances
with none. E@F
coinage of the Constitution and circulating medi-
um 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 it's
dealings with the people to mete out equal and ex
act justice to all citizens Of whatever nativity, race
color, or persuasion, religious or political.
We believe in free ballot and a fair count. and
we recall to the memory Of the people the noble
struggle Of the Democrats in the Forty fifth and
Forty-sixth Congresses, by which reluctant Re-
publican oppoAtion was compelled to assent to leg
islation making everywhere illegal the presence Of
troops at the polls, as the conclusive proof that
Democratic administration will preserve liberty with
order.
The selection of Federal officers for the Territories
should be restricted to citizeus previously resident
therein. .
We oppose snmptuary laws which vex the citizens
and interfere with individual ihertv.
We favor honest civil service reform and the COM
pensation Of all United States officers by fixed sal
sr es the separation of church and State, and the
diffusion of free education by common schools, SO
that every child In the land may be 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
mold that the welfare of society depends upon a
scrupulous regard for the rights Of property de-
fined by law We believe that labor is best rewarded
where II 10 freest and most enlightened 1t should,
therefore, be fostered and cherished We favor the
repeal of all laws restricting the free action of labor
lama oh ahor ni1