Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-07-18
The Democratic Platform.

mittccc. His appearance was greeted with
cheers The platform was read by one OF
the reading clerks as follows:
The Democratic party of the union
through its representatives assembled, rec
ogniZes that, as the nation grows older,
new issues are born of time and progress
and old issues perish but the fundamental
principles of the Democratic party, rs ap-
proved by the united voice of the people,
remain and will ever remain as the best
and only security for the continuance of
free government. The preservation of per
sonal rights the equality of all citizens be-
fore the law. the reserved rights of the
states, and the supremacy of the federal
government within the limits of the con
siitution, will ever form the true basis Of
! our liberties and can never be surrendered
without destroying the balance of rights
| and power which enables continent to
be developed in peace and social order and
to be maintained by means of local self
government. But it is indispensable for
the practical application and enforcement
of these fundamental principles that the
government should not always be control
led by one political party. Frequent
change of administration is necessary, 9th
erwisc abuses grow. an the government
| instrumcntaliiy for hta'. ui,lvns on the
many who are govc:ncd il the benefit of
| the few, who govern puhi.r >crvaniS, thus
become arbitrary rulers. This is now the
condition of the country; hence change
| is demanded. The Republican party, so
| far as principle is concerned, is a rcmnis-
ccncc. In practice il is an organization
for cnriching those who control its mach
ncry and the frauds. The jobbcay which
has been brought to light in every depart
mcnt of the government is sufficient to
have called for reform within the Rcpubli-
can party; vet those in authority, made
reckless by the long possession Of power,
have succumbcd to lis corrupting influence
and have placed in nomination Il ticket
against which the independent portion of
the party are in revolt. Therefore a change
| is demanded. Such change was Il like
necessity in 1876, but the will of the people
was then defeated by a fraud, which can
never be forgotten nor condoncd Again
in 1880 the change was demanded by the
people and was defeated by the lavish use
of money contributed by Inscriptions con-
tractors and STAINLESS jobberics, who had
bargaincd for unlawful profits or for high
office. The Republican party, during its
legal, its stolen, and its bought tenure of
power has steadily dccaycd in moral char
actcr and political capacity. Its platform
| promises are now Il list of its past failures.
Ii demands the restoration of our navy
| it has squandercd hundreds of millions TO
create navy that does not exist 1t calls
| upon congress to remove the burdens UNI
der which American shipping has been
deprcssed-it imposed and has continued
these burdens. 1t processes preference
for free instiiutions-it organized and tried
to lcgaliZc control of state elections by
federal troops. 1t processes a desire 10 Gle
waite labor - it has subjected American
workingmcn TO the competitor of convict
| and imported contract labor 1t processes
gratitude TO all who were disabled or died
in the war, leaving widows and orphans
it left to Democratic house of rcprcsen-
tatives the first effort to cqualizc both boun-
ties and pensions. 1t proficred pledge to
correct the irregularities of our tariff-it
created and has continued them. Its own
tariff commission confessed the need of
more than 20 Per cent reduction-its con-
gress gave u reduction of less than four per
cent. 1t processes the protection of Amer
lean manutacturcs-it has subjected them
to an increasing flood of manufactured
goods and hopeless competition with man.
ufacturing nations, not one of which taxes
raw materials. 1t processes to protect all
American industries-it has impoverished
many to subsidizc few 1t processes the
protection Of American labOr-it has de-
plctcd the returns of American agricultu-
re and industries, followed by half our
people. II processes the equality of all
citizens before the law, attempting to fix
the status of colored citizens-thc acts of
its congress are oycrsct by the decisions of
10 ANITA tI,. .t,,t,, .,f
leading in the work of progresses and re-
torm-its caught criminals are permitted
TO escape through contrivcd delays or act.
ual connivance in the prosecution, honey
cOmbcd with corruption. Outbreaking eX
poses no longer shock its moral sense It's
honest members, It's independent journals
no longer maintain u successful contest for
authority in lis councils or veto on bad
nominations. That change is needed is
proved by an existing surplus of more than
100000, 600 which has yearly been collect
ed from an unnecessary taxation, and an
unjust taxation.
We dcnounce the Republican party for
having failed To relieve the people from
the crushing war taxes which have para
lyzcd business. crippled industry and de.
prived labor of employment and of Just re-
ward. The Democracy pledges itself TO
purify 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
IFS creditors and pensioners. Knowing
full well, however. that legislation affecting
the life of the people should be cautious
and conservative in method, not in advance
OF public opinion but responsive TO its de-
mands, the Democratic party is pledged to
revise the tariff in Il spirit of fairness to all
interests But in making II reduction in
taxes 1t is not proposed TO injurc any do
nestle industries, but rather to promote
their healthy growth. From the founda-
ton Ofthis government taxes collected at
the custom house have been the chief
source OF federal revenue, and such they
must continue To be. Moreover, many in
duslrics have come to rely upon legislation
for successful continuance, so that any
change OF law must be at every step regard
full OF the labor and capital thus involved
The process Of reform must be subject in
execution to this plain dictate of justice;
all taxation shall be limited to the require
ments of economical government. The
necessary reduction in taxation can and
must be effected, without dcpriving Amer.
lean labor of the ability to compete sue
cessiully with foreign labor, and without
imposing lower rates of duty than will be
ample to cover any increased loss of pro-
duction which may exist in consequence
of the higher rate of wages prevailing in
this country. Sufficient revenue to pay all
expenses OF the federal government ecOnO-
mical!y administered, including pensions,
interest and principal of the public debt,
can be got under our present system of
taxes from custom houses on fewer import
Ell articles, bearing heaviest on articles of
luxury, and hearing Highest on articles of
necessity. We therefore denounce the
abuses of the existing tariff, and subject to
these 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 internal revenue is war tax, and
so long as the law continues, the duty de-
rived thcrefrOm should be sacredly aevoted
TO the relief ot thp pponlp from tho ro,,,;,