Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-07-12
THE PLATFORM.

Mr. Morrison OF Illinois, chairman of
the committee on resolutions, 1T 1920,
stepped TO the platform TO present the
report of that cummi;tee. His APP
pearauce was greeted with cheers.
The democratic party OF the Union,
through its representatives i'll the ma
tional convention assembled, recognize
that, rs the nation grows older, new
issues are born Of time and progress
and old issues perish. but the fuhda-
mental principles OF the democracy,
| approved by the united voice of the
peoplc. remain and will yer remain as
the best and only security for tie con
tinnance OF free government. Tie
preservation of personal rights. the
equality of all persons before the law,
the reserved rights OF the states and the
supremacy of the federal government
within the limits: the cons i alton VIII
ever form the true basis OF on: iiuar-.
ties and can never be surrendered
without destroying that balance of the
rights and powers which enabled n
continent 10 be developed i'll p!cace,
and order 10 be maintained by means
of Scli-%ovcrnment. But it is iIdispcn-
sable for the practical application and
enforcement OF these fundamental
principles that the government should
not always be controlled by II poll
teal party. Frequent change OF adj
miuIStration is ~ necessary Is constant
recurrence to Ike popular will, other
wise abuses grow .nnd the government,
instead Of being carried OH for tl!r"cn-
A., ,-,itnrn l,.n,.nS IN int rI,t.a,t-
atty for imposing heavy burdens III
the many who ~. governed. for the
benefit OF the few who govern. Public
servants thus becomes arbitrary rulers.
This is now the condition of the coun-
try: hence Il change is demanded. The
republican party, SO far rs principle is
concerned, is Il Renaissance: in prac-
tice, il is an organization for enriching
those who control its machinery. The
frauds and jobbing which have been
brought To light in every department
of the government are sufficient 10
have called for reform within The re-
publican party, yet those IN authority,
made reckless b. the
LONG POSSESSION OF POWER,
have sliccumbed TO lis %corrupting in
iluenceS, and have placed III nomina-
ton Il ticket against which The indie
pendent portion of The palir are III
open revolt. Therefore Il change is
demanded. Sucu a change WAS alike
in 1876, but the will Of the
people was detiei by ii fraud which
can W be forgotten not coud0ned.
Again in 1880 the change demanded by
the people was defeated hy the i..lish
49,, - ,,,,. 49,, .f-r, .ll 80,
scrupulous contractors and shameless
jobbers. who had b%argah.ed for unlaw
iul profits or high offices. The repub-
iican party during its legal, its stolen
and its bought tenurcs of power, has
steadily dcu.yed in moral character
and political capacity. Its platform
promises are now Il list of its past fail
ures; ii demands the restoration of our
navy, it has squandered hundreds of
millions TO create a navy that does not
exist. 1t calls on congress to remove
the burdens under Which American |
shipping has been depressed. Ii i'm
posed aud has continued those bur-
dens. ID processes the policy Of reserv-
ing the public lands for small holdings
by actual settlers. 1t mas given away |
the peoples heritage till now Il few
railroads and non-residemts, aliens, III
dlvIdiial and corporate, possess n larg- /;
cr area than that of ali our farms be-
tween the two seas 1t processes a
preference for free Institutions; it or
ganized and tried to legalize a control
of the state elections by federal troops.
1t protessed Il desire to elevate labor.
1t has subjected American working
TO the competition of convict and
imported contract labor. 1t Processes
gratitude to all who were disabled or
died i'll war, leaving widows and or
1t left to Il democratic house
Of representatives the first effort to
.qualize both bounties and pensions.
IL processes 4 pledge to correct the
irregularities Of