Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-24
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
TEXT OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMIT
TEE ON RESOLUTIONS OF THE CHICAGO
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

| NohNCh1loH dSseiHDleu, recognizes tndt,
as the nation grows older, new issues
are born of time and progress and old
issues perish But the fundamental
principles of the Democracy, approved
| by the united voice of the people, re-
main, and will ever remain, as the best
and only security for the continuance of
free government. The preservation of
personal rights, the equality of all citi-
zens 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 the
true basis of our liberties, and can
never be surrendered without destroy
ing that balance of rights and powers
which enables a continent to be deyel-
oped in peace, and social order to be
maintained by means of local and self
government.
But it is indispensable for the prac-
teal application and enforcement OF
these fundamental principles that the
government should not always be con-
trolled by one political party. FIRE.
quent change of administration is as
necessary rs constant recurrence to the
popular will Otherwise abuses grow,
and the government, instead of being
carried on for the general welfare, be-
comes an fundamentally for imposing
heavy burdens on the many who are
governed for the benefit of the'fcw who
govern. Public servants thus become
arbitrary rulers.
This is now the condition of the coun-
try. Hence change is demanded.
The Republican party, so far as prin-
10
practice, it is an organization for en-
| riching those who control its machinery.
The frauds and jobbery which have
/ been brought to light in every depart
ment Of the government are sufficient
to have called for reform within the Re-
publican party; yet those in authority,
made reckless by the long possession of
power, have suceumbed TO its corrupt
ing influence, and have placed in nomi-
nation ticket against which the indie
pendent portion of the party are in open
revolt.
Therefore a change Is demanded.
Such II change was alike necessary in
1876, but the will of the people was then
defeated by a fraud which can never
be forgotten nor condoned Again, in
1880, the change demanded by the
people was defeated by the lavish use
of money crontributed by INSCRIPTIONS
contractors and shameless jobbers who
had bargained for unlawful profits or
for high office.
The Republican party during its legal
its stolen, and its bought tenure of
power, has steadily decayed in moral
character and political capacity.
It's platform promises are now list
of its past failures.
1t demands the restoration of our
navy. 1t has squandered hundreds of
millions to create navy that does not
exist.
1t calls upon Congress 10 remove the
burdens under which American ship
ping has been depressed. 1t 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 a few railroads
and nonresident aliens, individual and
corporate, possess a larger area than
that of all our farms between the two
seas.
1t processes a preference for free in
stitutions. 1t organized and tried to
legaliZe a control of state elections by
Federal troops
1t Processes desire to elevate labor.
1t has subjected American workingmen
to the competition of convict and i'm
ported contract labor.
1t processes gratitude to all who were
disabled or died in the war leaving
widows and orphans. 1t left to Demo
cratic House of Representatives the first
/ IF tn both
pensions.
1t proifers u pledge to correct the ir-
Irregularities of our tariff. 1t created
and has continued them. Its own Tar
Itf Commission confessed the need of
more than 20 per cent. reduction. Its
! Congress gave a reduction of less than
4 per cent.
1t Processes the protection of Ameri-
can manufactures 1t has subjected
them to an increasing flood of manu-
featured goods, and a hopeless compe-
tition with manufacturing nations, not
one of which taxes raw materials
1t processes TO protect all American
industries 1t has Impoverished many
| to subsidize few
1t processes the protection of Ameri-
can labor 1t has depleted the returns
of American agriculture-an industry
followed by half our people.
1t Processes the equality of all men
before the law. Attempting to fix the
status of colored citizens, the acts of its
| Congress were oyerSet by the decisions
of its courts.
1t accepts anew the duty of leading
in the work of progress and reform"
Its caught criminals are permitted TO
escape through contrived delays or ac-
tual connivance in the prosecution. |
Honeycombed with corruption, out |
breaking exposures no longer shock its |
moral sense. It's honest members, its |
| independent journals, no longer main
tain Il successful contest for authority !
| in its counsels or a veto upon bad nomi- |
nations.
That change is necessary is proved |
by an existing surplus of more than
500, 200, coo, which has yearly been !
collected from suffering people. I'm
necessary taxation is unjust taxation |
We denounce the Republican party for |
having failed To relieve the people from
crushing war taxes, which have paral- |
yzed business. crippled industry, and
deprived labor of employment and of |
just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself 20 puri-
fy the administration from corruption.
to restore economy, to revive respect |
for law, and to reduce taxation to the |
| lowest limit consistent with due regard |
to the preservation of the faith of the
nation to its creditors and pensioners.
Knowing full well, however, that
legislation affecting the occupations of |
the people should be cautious and con
sentative in method, not in advance of
public opinion, but respective to its de-
mands, the Democratic party is pledged
to revise the tariff in a spirit of fairness
to all interests
But in making reduction in taxes it is
not proposed to injure any domestic in
dustries, 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 Federal revenue. Such they
continue TO be. Moreover, many in
dustries have come to rely upon legis-
lation for successful continuance. so
that any change of law must be at every
step regardful 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 must be limited to the
requirements of economical trovarn