The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-23
Of the State Committee

DEMOCRATIC STATE EA. LOMMlIikf,
Raleigh. N. C.. July 10th, ISL.
IL is fitting that, before he beginning
Of a campaign. those who, ia a sense, are
eDtr listed with its dlres ion, should utter
some words Of cheer and counsel to those
WHO are To fight the battles- While
much depends on the skill Of the leaders
In these battles, the result, victory or
defeat, l. dependent at last on the cour-
age and taithtulness of the rank and hle.
The contrast between the two national
platforms is striking. The Republican Is
in the main but a repetition OF those OF
past campaigns, deals 10 vague generali-
ties and offers NJ warrant that the cor
rupt practices which nave di>graced past
administrations are not To be continued.
Worse than that, 1t contains a deliberate
attempt to revive the issue OF ctrtI rights,
after good men every where were led to
believe that question mad been settled,
as well BY enlightened public opinion as
by a decision Of the highest court OF the
land. Thus to throw tirebrand between
the two races at the South now friendly
and yearly becoming more SO, is a des-
perate venture or a political crime. The
National Democratic platform after ar
raigniDg the party IN power for It's frauds
aud shortcomings, pledges those who are
to fight the battles Of the cam aign upon
it, ito purify the administration from
corruption, to restore economy, to revive
respect for law, and to reduce taxation
to the lowest limit consistent with a due
regard to the preservation OF the faith OF
the nation" aud demands that ~ laying
the tariff, it should be made u bear heav-
lest on articles of luxury and lightest on
those of necessity. While insisting on a
reduction to the revenue standard So as
to avoid a surplus in the treasury, 1t free
" admits that in changing the law, to eff
feet this end, care should be taken that
American labor l. not deprived of the
ability to compete successfully with
cheaper foreign labor, and that some re-
gard must be had for the capital inv tied
in industries which have relied oil. l~egisla-
ton for successful continuance. The
very existence of a tariff negatives the
idea of absolute free trade, an the intent
of the platform Is to approximate the
ideal standard for the good Of the many,
as nearly as may be without injury to our
home industries and those who make an
honest living (and not great fortunes put
of them.
A similar contrast can be observed in
the Republican and Democratic State
platforms, and a careful study Of them is
recommended to all who have the oppor-
tunity. We only call attention to the fact
that ours demands the immediate and uD-
conditional abolition of the odious inter-
nal revenue system, and admits the nec-
essity Of retaining the present, or adopt
ing another similar system of county gov.
eminent, for the protection Of the white
people of our eastern counties. The con-
trast between the candidates Of the two
parties for the Offices of President and
Vice President is not less striking. While
the country, alarmed by the frauds and
corruptions in almost every department
of the national administration was de-
manding reform and, tired of long con-
tinued strife, was signing for peace and
fraternal feeling between the different
sections, the Republican party, as if in
defiance, offers for the sutfrages Of the
American people James G.. Blaine, con-
yicted by public opinion of corruption in
high places, himself the champion of the
corrupt elements of his party and the
embodiment of machiLe methods in poll
tics and John A. Logan, whose hatred
of the South is his chief ground of sup
port by his party. Against such men
the Democrats offer Grover Cleveland,
the tried reformer in the government
successfully of a great city aud a great
State and selected because he has given
evidence that he has the ability and the
courage to reform the existing abuses in
the government of the Union, and Thos.
A Hendricks, an experienced statesman,
upon whose honor there has never been
u breath of suspicion, and the very man
from whom the office, now about to be
pressed upon him, was stolen by the
great national crime Of 1876.
Between the two tickets many of the
great and most influential Republican
journals of the North, impelled by a high
sense of public duty and spurning party
domination have not hesited to choose
Cleveland and Hendricks. That these
potent leaders of public opinion have a
large following of honest Republican vo-
tiers is certain. One of these Journals,
perhaps the ablest of them, puts the issue
in these words Shall the next President
be a man who has weakly yielded to temp
ion, or i man who has uHswervingly adj
herCd to the right against powerful en-
ticements to do wrong A man who begs
recuniary rewards of those his official ac
ti0n has enriched. or one who defies cor
rupt dlctation and seeks only by Just
courses to deserve the approval Of right
thin king men, A candidate attacked,
im peached. tainted and besmirched al
over or a candidate beyond reproach .? A
Grover Cleveland. whom honest msn he
Spect. or a James G.. Blaine whom rogues
lover
We will not discuss the State ticket
tItrfhar fhon To Snv thof OF NO tin,a =, !
its history has the Democratic party in
North Carolina offered for the votes Of
the people a ticket representing greater
ability, integrity and energy than that
headed by the name of Hon. Alfred NJ
Scales, or one that was more favorablv
received by the people in all parts ofthe
Republican ticket, haying less than two
years ago been elected to Congress in
part by Democratic votes. on the claim
that he was still a Democrat Though he
threw off the mask and stood displayed
a staunch Republican as soon as he
took his seat), cannot command the full
vote of his party, because many of the
toithtHt say, 1t was an outrage to prefer
so recent a convert to ADLER men who
have long fought in their ranks.
With such candidates as the Demo-
cratic party presents, and such princi-
pies as it Las enunciated. we have moth
ing to fear, if we are but true to our
selves. If we will properly organize
u forces and go to work we shall sure
ly win. After twenty-four years of ex-
clusion from administration of National
affairs, all indications point TO a tri-
Gmphant return of Democracy to power
on tie 18th of March next, and if the
people will but remember what Demo-
cracy has done for them in this State.
we shall elect our whole ticket by a |