The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-07-16
CLEVELAND AND HENDRICKS
The PAST week at Chicago.

Our last weeks paper, went TO press
shortly after the National Democratic
Convention had assembled in Chicago.
The attendance was very large and the
clashing OF rival clans filed the streets
with confusion, and the air with noise,
both day and night. for six successive
da IS. beginning with Sunday.
The Convention was a splendid rep
resention Of the Democracy. having
more men Of prominence and character
than any National Convention for a
number Of years.
The John Kelley, Tammany Hall,
Ben Butler element oon made itself
heard by clamoring for a Minority
Representation" The Cleveland men
in the New York delegation had a
majority of about five votes, and then
insisted that the entire - votes Of the
State should be cast for their man. The
Tammany men. and a large portion Of
the Convention fought tue nit Rule
Oh LL4e -LOul4A lA-tAL = ~ GA-A(tAA4CAAa
tic: being a gag upon the minority.
4 long and embittered struggle result
ed in the triumph Of the C~leyelanders;
though the k~elleyites managed to get a
number OF speeches which viii be used
BY the Republicans to damage the ticket
finally nominated. Meantime. the COM
mittee on the Platform was having a
long Pow-W ow. 1t was composed OF
one from each State Maj. Julian ;.
Carr representing North Carolina. The
committee diyided-22 to % on the
tariff plank North Carolina and sew
erol Southern States leaning TO the
Randall theory rather than to the Nor
rison "low-tariff." Finally a very
difuse, dodgery. omnibus-circumbend:-
bus platform was agreed upon, and
adopted BY all the committee except
Ben Butler who has but one eye, and
it single to the interests" of the fellow
who owns it. The gist Of the platform
(Which would fill two columns Of this
paper IS as folIoWs:-
we denounce the Republican party
for having failed to relieve the people
from crushing val taxes, which have
paralyzed business, crippled industry,
and deprived labor of employment and
Of Just reward.
The Democracy pledges itself to puri-
fy the administration from corruption,
A. m pny1y-n rncrnnt
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 we'll. however. that
legislation affecting the operations Of
The people should be cautious and on
~servative in method, not in advance Of
public opinion, but responsive 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 iniure 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
must continue to be. Moreover, many
industries have come to rely upon leois-
lation for successful continuance, so
that any change of law must be at every
step re@ardful of the labor and capital
thus involved. The process of reform
must be subject, in the execution, to
this plain dictate of justice. All taxa
ton shall be limited to the requirements
of economical government. The neces-
sarv reduction in taxation can be and
must be effected without depriving
American labor Of the ability to COM
pete successfully with foreign labor. and
without imposing lower rates OF duty
than viii be ample to cover any increas-
ed cost Of production which may exist in
consequence of the higher rate Of wages
prevailing in this country. Sufficient
revenue to pay all the expenses Of the
Federal Government economically adj
ministered, including pensions and in
terest and principal of the public debt.
can be got under our present system Of
taxation. from Custom House taxes on
fewer imported articles, bearing heaviest
on articles Of luxury. and bearing light
est Oh articles of necessity.
We therefore the 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 ex-
coed the needs of the Government eco
nomically administered.
The system of direct taxation known
as the internal revenue" is a wal tax,
and so long as the law continues the
money derived therefrom should be sa-
credly devoted to the relief Of the peo-
pie from the remaining burdens of the
war and be made a fund to defray the |
expense of the care and comfort of
worthy soldiers disabled in the line of
duty in the wars Of the republic, and for
the payment of such pensions as Con-
gress may from time TO time grant to
such soldiers, a ike fund for the sailors
having been already provided, and any
surplus should be paid into the treasury.
We believe in honest money, the gold
and silver coinage of the Constitution,
and a circulating medium convertible
into such money without loss.
Asserting the equality OF al men be-
fore the law, we hold that it is the duty
of the Government in its dealings with
the people to mete out equal and exact
justice to all citizens of whatever ma
tivity, race, color, Oh persuasion, reli-
gious or political.
We believe in a free ballot and a fair
and we recall to the memory of
the people the noble struggle of the
in the Forty,ffth and Forty
sixth Congresses, by which a reluctant
Republican opposition was compelled to
assent to legislation making everywhere
Illegal The presence of troops at the
polls, as the conclusive proof that a
Democratic administration will preserve
liberty with order.
We oppose sumptuary laws which
veX the citizen and interfere with indi-