The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-07-18
MisCellancnus.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

The Democratic party of the Union
through its representatives in national con-
vention assembled, recognizes that as the
nation grows older new issues are born of
time and progress and old issues perish But
the fundamental principles ofthe Democracy,
approved by the united voice of the people,
Iemain, 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 citizens before the
law, the reserved rights of the States and the
supremacy of the federal government with
in the limits of the constitution will ever
form the true basis of our liberties, and can
never be surrendered without destroying
that balance of rights and pc Sers which
enables a continent to be developed i'm peace
and social order to be maintained by means
of local selfgovernment but it is indspen-
sable for the practical application and en-
forccment of these fundamental principles
that the government should not always be
controlled by one political party. Frequent
change of administration is as necessary as
constant recurrence to the popular will
Otherwise abuses grow, and the government
instead of being carried on for the general
welfare becomes an fundamentally tor inn
posing heavy burdens on the many who are
governed for the benefit of the few who
govern. Public servants thus become arbi-
trary rulers
REPUBLICAN FALSE PRETENCEs.
This is now the condition of the country
hence chance is demanded. The Repub-
lican party, so far rs principle is concerned,
is "Reminiscences. In practice it is an Or
ganization for enriching those who control
its machinery. The frauds and jobbery
which have been brought to light in every
department of the government are sufficient
to have called for reform within the Republic
can party, yet those in authority, made reck-
less by the long possession of power, have
succumbed to its corrupting influence and
placed in nomination ticket against which
the independent portion of the party are in
open revolt. Therefore II change is demand
ed. Such change was alike necessary in
1876. but the will of the people was then de-
feated 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 unscru-
pulous contractors and shameless jobbers
who had bargained for unlawful profits or
for high office. The Republican party dur
ing its legal, its stolen and its bought tenure
of power has steadily decayed in moral char
acter and political capacity, Its platform
promises are now a list of its past failures !;
| it demands the restoration of our navy it has
squandered hundreds of millions TO create a
| navy that does not exist it calls upon Con-
gress to remove the burdens under which
American shipping has been depressed; it
| imposed and has continued those burdens.
1t processes the policy of reserving the
public lands for small holdings by actual set
| tiers; it has given away the peoples heritage,
| till now II few railroads and non resident
| Aliens individual and corporate, possess
larger area than that of all our farms between
the two seas. 1t processes preference for
| free institutions; it organized and tried to
legaliZe q control of State elections by federal
troops. 1t processes desire to elevate labor !;
| il has subjected American workingmen to
the competition of convict and imported con-
tract labor. Itprofesses gratitude to all who
were disabled or died in the war leaving
widows and orphans 1t left to Democrat.
ic House of Representatives the first effort to
equalize both bounties and pensions. 1t
proffers pledge to correct the Irregularities
of our tariff it created and has continued
them. It's own tariff commission confessed
the need of more than 90 per cent reduction {;
its Congress gave reduction of less than
per cent.
1t processes the protection of American
manufactures it has subjected them to an in
creasing flood of manufactured goods and a
| hopeless competition with manufacturing M
tions, not one of which taxes raw materials
1t processes to protect all American indus
tries it has impoverished many to substitute
a few it processes protection of American
labor il has depleted the returns of Ameri-
can agricuture-an industry followed by
half our people; it processes the equality OF
all men before the law, attempting to fix the
status of colored citizens; the acts of its Con.
gress were overset by the decisions OF its
courts; il accepts anew the duty of leading
in the work of progress and reform; its
caught criminals are permitted to escape
through contrived delays or actual conni-
vance in the prosecution. Honeycombed
with corruption, outbreaking exposures no
longer shock its moral sense Its honest
members, its independent journals, no longer
maintain successful contest for authority
in its counsels or n veto upon bad nomina-
tons. That change is necessary is proved
by an existing surplus of more than $780,
000, 900 which has yearly been collected from
a suffering people.
Unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation
We denounce the Republican party for hay.
ing failed to relieve the people from crushing
war taxes which have paralyzed business
crippled industry and deprived labor of en-
ployment and of just reward. The democ
racy pledges itself to purify the admnistra
l hohh epiiupbichJ w iCptoiC CCoHobly, u
revive respect for law, aud to reduce taxa
ton to the lowest limit consistent with due
regard TO the preservation of the faith of Til,
nation to its creditors and pensioners
THE TARIFF PLANK
I Knowing full well, however, that legisla
ton affecting the occupations of the peopl,
should be cautious and conservative in meth
cd, not in advance of public opinion, but re
sponsive to its demands, the Democrat,
party is pledged to revise the tariff in spiri
Of fairness to all interests.
But in making reduction In taxes II is moi
proposed to iniure any domestic industries
but rather to promote their healthy growth
From the foundation of this government
taxes collected at the custom house hay
been the chief source of federal revenue sucl
L they must continue to be Mnrenyer man,