Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-08-01

the principles of the platform on which
they were placed before the people, and
also the platform of the Democratic can
didates. He held copy of the Republican
platform in his hand. 1t was good plat
form, very good platform. but if any
body should come along and tell him that
the devil wrote tine New Testament he'd
never read it again daughter The Re-
publican platform is what the Republican
party sag. Now look at the record of
what they do, which is the important
thing.
REFORMING THE TARIFF.
During their long lease of power. for
twenty-five years. they have not made one
real effort to reduce the unjust burdens of
the tariff. In 1882, the Republicans ap-
pointed a Tariff Commission to revise the
Tariff. That Commission reported to
Congress in favor of a reduction of % per
cent, ard yet. when the Democrats pro-
pose reduction of only 20 per cent. they
abuse us. How can you trust the sinceri-
ty of such party
LABOR.
On the Labor question the Republicans
say that the Chinese must not come here.
And yet you will remember that when a
Democratic congress passed bill prohib-
ting their coming, a Republican Pres1-
dent retoed the BILL They denounce the
Importation of contract labor. and yet
when the Democratic House of Represen-
tatives passed bill forbidding it, the bill
went to the Republican Senate and there
it was put to sleep. What single step has
the Republican party taken to carry out
its professions with respect to labor?
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
They say the public lands must not be
squandered. What has been their history
in this respect? Who are the authors of
the system of public lands in the United
States? The Democrats. Itwas Thomas
Jefferson in 1887, when Ohio was donated
to the country by Virginia, who provided
that certain sections of that land should
be devoted to school purposes, and to this
day Democratic congresses have followed
that plan. They have given 100000
acres of the public lands to the schools,
while the Republican party has only given
81 600, 900 acres and even that was given
during a Democratic Administration.
The Republican platform denounces the
donation of the public lands to railroads.
Since 1861 that party has given away to
railroads 296 GOO, 0O0 of acres of the public
lands-enough to make several States the
size of Virginia. The Democratic party
a railroad, except in Stephen A. Doug
lass time, it made donation to the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, but accompanied
it with special clause requiring 10 per
cent. of the earnings of the road to go to
the public schools of that State, and to-
day the schools of Illinois cost her moth
ing. And now this party that has given
away 296 100000 acres OF our lands to rail-
roads comes out with platform denounc-
ing the gift of land TO railroads! Look at
the 47th Democratic Congress. 1t for
feited the railroad rights in over 100 ,O00,
600 acres of public lands, Notwithstanding
the forfeiture was opposed by the Repuh-
licans. They complain about the Demo-
cratic party defeating the educational bill
which came from the Senate late in the
session and few days before its close,
but which party are you willing to trust,
the party that gives the lands of the pub
lie schools to the railroad corporations or
the party that takes it back from them?
Mr.. Blaine, in his remarkable statement
about the growth of the country under
Republican lule, goes back to time when
there was not a telegraph, nor railroad,
nor steamboat, nor mower or reaper in
the land, and makes comparison of
growth In such crude times as those, with
such fast times as these when all these
things are aHxliaries to increase. Since
1868. the increase of immigration alone.
has been one million month From
Germany in one ten years more people
have come than there was population in
the United States at the early times at
which Mr.. Blaine begins. Countries grow
without party action; railroads are built
without political parties to build them
there are many things in country g
growth with which political parties have
nothing to do. If Blaine attributes all
growth to his party he might also attribute
the increase in crime to the same party.
Looking back in Ohio's history 1 can call
to mind the time when she only had 800
criminals in the penitentiary, but under
Republican rule the number has grown to
l 500. If Biaine's theory is correct.
then the increase in criminals can be at
tributed to the party in lower. Some
things are brought about and other things
bring themselves about. John Sherman
claimed that he brought about the re-
sumption of specie payment, but the peo-
pie know that it was brought about by
their hard work by good crops; by good
foreign demand for their produce created
by war, and by that wise action of the
Democratic party which retained the
Greenbacks and prevented the demone-
tization of silver.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
Let us look at the Democratic platform. 1t
is true that man has right to buy where
he can buy cheapest and to sell where he
can sell highest. But Free Trade is mis-
homer when applied to this country. Our
government must be supported. There is
no authority in the Constitution by which
three men may be taxed for the benefit
Of one man, and no authority for any
tariff except for revenue, and so want
the tariff which is laid for revenue, so adj
justed as to protect our manufactures.
Both parties promise to revise the tariff.
The Democrats propose to revise it so as