The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-30
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

The following is the platform adopted unan-
imously by the Democratic State Convention AT
Toledo, August 18th. Is g:
The Democracy of Ohio, in convention as
semb ed congratuates the country upon the
fact that the party OF the people has been re-
stored to power. and with it the promises o. its
leaders and hopes of its followers are being
fully realized.
President Cleveland. as we believe the people
of all parties are convinced that his official
conduct has been marked by great courage and
honesty.
sorrow and acknowledge their great loss by
the recent death of that distinguished soldier.
orator and statesman. General Durbin w ard.
We bear testimony to his courage, integrity
and patriotism. and realize that we are indebt-
ed to him for wise counsel and fearless advOca
cy of our cause in all our campaigns for many
years.
We ioin with the Democrats of the nation in
mourning over the still more recent loss of thai
illustrions man, Samuel j. Tilden, who. by
common consent. was for many years the leader
of the Democracy OF America, and who was
honestly and fairly elected the nineteenth Pres
ident of the United States.
We also deeply lament the death within II
short pei iod of time of those other distinguish
ed democrats. Thomas A. Hendricks, the idol
and trusted leader for many years OF The Dem
ocrats OF Indiana, and at the time OF his death
Vice President OF the United States; also. Ol
George Is. Mcclellan, ueratio seymour and
Winfield Scott Hancock, who have all been orr
leaders in contest for the highest office within
the gift of the people, and whose courage, wis.
dom AID patriotism have made them dear 10
every true American. The names and the ca
reers of these men remind us that as long as
we follow their examples and initiate their yir
tues, SO long shall We have brilliant leadership
and our cause and party be preserved.
Taxes should not be collected beyond the
needs OF government e, ,OnOmically administer
ed, and We hereby reaffirm the principles laid
down in our l1st state and National Platfo' ms
upon the tariff question. and demand thor
ough and just revision of existing tariff laws
in accordance with these principles
the surplus revenues heretofore accumulate In
the Treasury. on the interest-bearinE debt.
Every dollar OF unnecessary taxation state
or National, Is robbery, anu in GerOgation oi
the rights of the people; dn unnecessary sur
plus in the Treasury is an incentive to corrap
tion and Iongress Ional jobb ry, and an oppres-
sion OF the people, whose money Is thus locI ed
up beyond their control.
We denounCe the attam pit to change the meas
ure of values in the face OF the worlds vast
debts. from gold and silver To gold alone. as an
ACT of monsLrous injustice, aud demand thai
both gold and silver, as established hy the con
stitutiou, shall be maInLIIned Us the basis ol
our money system
We approve tue action of the Democratic
House OF Congress in iorfeiCIng and restoring
to the public duual III. tor hUmesteads Tor ua
settlers nearly hundred millions of acres Oi
unearned lands heretofore granted by RePub-
lican Congresses To railroad corporations. and
we also app. .ove the act preventing alien owI =
ership n large tracts Of public lands in Il G
United states
We approve the prompt firm and vigorous
actiyn oil tile State department anu the present
of Ameri IAN cit zeHs III foreign countries.
In common with the Democracy OF the III :
try, we express our sympathy with Ireland anu
her great struggle Tor n~ae rule. Lhe frieu.ts
of liberty tarOu ghouI the wlIld are deeply in
terested IN the ebert winch the supporters OF
Gladstone and Parnell dTe now IN tklng 10 give
the right to govern themselves 10 he ions sui.
fering and gIcdtly Wr0ngcu irIsn people anu
We sincerely hope tac struggle u: Ireland iUr
her just rights Shall be crowned with cOmpiete
success
We ienounce the usurputIons of the Repub
lican Lieutenant Governor ahd less than quo
rua, O.. hepublicin Senators Of the State sen
ate as u act OF revolution anu grave CRIME
against the constitution OF Ohio, amt prece-
d,nG dangerous t. pt rnIt 10 pass uncon-
deu unLd by the people OF the State.
MeG demand that every >ategu nd OF the bal
lot shall be maintained. that the votes of the
people shall be honestly cast and honestly
counted. aud that every crime against the pu-
rity OF the ballot DoX shall lie promptly and
vigoro sly punished. by whomsoever commIt-
ted
We denounce and condemn the partisan re-
organization of the penal ami benevolent msti-
tutions of tie state, not made with a view to
increase the efficiency of their IN Engagement
but for the purpose Of coE trolling their revenues
and incidental powers Tor partisan purposes,
ling gifts of the people for the ameii0latiun of
the unfortunate.
We hereby express our unbounded confidence
in the integrity and Democracy ui the Demo-
cratic naemDers of the senate OF the SiXty-sev.
snth General Assembly of ohio.
Believing that the evils growing out of the
traihc OF intoxicating liquors can best be pro-
vIded against by well-rcgulated license sys.
tenn we renew our declaration in favor of an
amendment to the constitution that will permit
judic Ious regulation of the trufiic and geprrss
ih abuses growing ont of it without des troy in e
the principles OF personal liberty or the rig ghL
OF private Judgment,
We heartily IndoIse the course of Hon II b.
Payne as the representative OF the State i'll the
Senate of the United states. The purity and
integrity of his character are well known to
the people of Ohio. and W. rejoice that the Re
puhIican Senate of the United States refused to
become the medium through which the Daf1led
and malicious Republican politicians sough to
iniure the fair fame OF Il man hose life Is hon
oraply interwoven with the history Of the state
for more than half a century.
The prosperity of a country must necessarily
depend largely upon the harmonious relations
between LABOR and capital, and we favor the
principle of arbitration in the settlement of all
differences between these great interests.