Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-30
The Platform of the National Demo.
tcratic Party.

sues born OF time and progress, and old issues
perish. But the fundamental principles OF the
Democracy approved by the united voice Of the peo
pie, remain, and will ever remain, as the best and
only security for the continuance Of free govern
ment. The preservation Of personal rights; the
equsty Of all citizens before the law the reserved
rights Of the States, and the supremacy OF the Fed
eral Government within the limits Of the Constttu-
tion will ever form the true basis OF our liberties
and can neser be surrendered without destroying
that balance of rights and powers which enables q
continent to be developed, and social order to be
maintained by means local self-government.
UBut 1t Is indispensable for the practical applica
ton aud enforcement of these fundamental princi-
pies that the Government should not always be con-
trolled by one political party. Frequent change OF
administration is as necessary constant recur-
rance to the popular will. Otherwise abuses grow;
and the Government instead of being carried on for
the general welfare becomes an instrumentality 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 ia now the condition df the country
change is demanded. The Republican party, so far
as principle is concerned, is reminiscence In prac
tice II is an organization for enriching those who
control It's machinery. The frauds aud jobbery
which have been brought to light in every depart
nent of the Government 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 corruptng influence
and have placed in nomination ticket against
which the Independent portion OF the party are in
open revolt.
0Therefore change is demanded. Such change
was alike necessary in 1876 but the will Of the peO-
pie was then defeated by 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 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 teuurcs of power has steadily de-
cayed in moral character and political capacity Its
platform promises now list ofits past failures.
1t demands the restoration of our navy: 1t has
souandered hundreds of millions to create a navy
thate does not exist
II calls upon Congress to remove the burdens I'M
der which American shipping has been depressed;
IL imposed and has continued those burdens.
II processes the policy of reservng the public
lands for small holdings by actual settlers; it has
given away the peoples heritage till now few rail-
roads and onresident aliens, individual and corpo
rate posses larger area than that of all our farms
between the two seas.
It processes preference for free institutions it
organized and tried to legalize control OF State
elections by Federal troops.
1t processes desire to elevate labor; It has SUBJ
iected American workingmen to the competition of
convict and imported contract labor.
It processes gratitude to all who were disabled or
died In the war, leaving widows and orphans; it left
to a Democratic House Of Representatives the first
effort to equalize both bounties 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 per cent.
It processes the protection of American manufsc
lures; 1t has subjected them to an increasing flood
OF manufactured pOOus anu UOpelesb CbmpbEuO0
with manufacturing nations, not of which taxes
raw materials.
has impoverished many to subsidize few.
1t processes the protection of American labor; it
has depleted the returns of American agrcultul e.
an industry followed by half our people.
II processes the equality of all men before the law;
attempting to fix thestatus of colored citizens the
acts of Its Congress overset by the decisions of
the courts.
aud tfa rrotn ole
permitted to escape through contrived delays or
actual connivance In the prosecution.
Honeycombed with corruption, outbreakng ex
posures longer shock Its moral sense Its honest
members, its independent journals, no longer main
tain successful contest for authority in its
ellis or q veto upon bad nominations.
That change ia necessary is proved by existing
surplus of more than 100000 000 which has yearly
been collected from suffering people. Unnecessary
taxation is unjusi 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
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 oil the nation to 1ts credit
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
ooratc party pledged to revise the tariff in aspirt
of fairness to all interests.
But in making reduction in taxes 1t is not pro-
posed to njure 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 Fedeaal 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
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
Inents of economical government The necessary
reduction in taxation and must be effected with
out deprivng 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
ali the expenses of the Federal Government econo-
micay administered, including pensions and inter-
est and principal Of the public debit can be under
our present system of taxation, from Custom House
taxes on fewer imported articles bearing heaviest
on articles of luxury, and bearing ghtest on articles
of necessity
We therefore denounce the abuses of the existing
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
ternal revenue" liz tax, and go long the law
continues the money derived therefrom should be
sacredy devoted to the relief of the people from the
remaing burdens of the war and be made fund to
dpfraV the
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
ders like fund for the sailors having been 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 entanglng alliances
with none.
We believe in honest money, the gold and silver
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 its
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 q free ballot and fair count. and
we recall to the memory of the people the noble
struggle of the Democrats in the Forty-ffth and
Forty-sixth Congresses, by which reluctant Re-
publican opposition 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
erder.
should be restricted to citizens previously resident
therein.
We oppose sumptuary laws which vex the citizens
and interfere with individual hbertv
We favor honest civil service reform and the COM
uensation of all United States officers by fixed sal
arl es the separation of church and State and tile
diffusion of free education by common schools, so
that every child in the land may be taught the rights
and duties of citizenship.
the equitable distribution of property, to the pre-.
yenton of monopoly, and to the strict enforcement
of individual rights against corporate abuses, we
hold that the welfare Of society depends upon
scrnpulous regard for the rights of property de-
fined by law. We believe that labor is best rewarded
where it is freest and most enlightened. 1t should,
therefore, be- fostered and cherished We favor the
repeal of all laws restricting the free action of labor
= nfl la awe Inv