The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-07-02
THE MARDEMAN RESOLUTIONS.


THE HARDEMAN RESOLUTIONS.
The resolutions of our Democra-
tic Convention held in Hardeman
County on the Goth Of May, seem
to have disturbed many of our news
paper brethren verv much. The
Memphis Avalanche has given them
much courteous criticism.
The Nashville Union says they
will ruin the country, and many
other papers give smaller doses OF
criticism. The Memphis Scimitar
says that Alf Taylor viii be, and
ought to be, elected GoYernnr with
Republican majority in the Legis-
Iature on any such platform as the
Democracy of Hardeman adopted.
This moves us to reprint the resolu-
below. This is a strange world. The
Democracy of Hardeman simply
spoke out honestly. They said what
they believed without any reserva~
tons.
Double faced and ambiguous
platforms not only ruin the integrity
of the party, by leaving its represen-
tatives to an absolute independent
ism, but they destroy the confidence
of the voters in the party to which
they belong The Hardeman plat
form was honest, to say the least of
it. It deeeIves nobody and it Sc
cures party unity if repl esentatives
be true. 1t favors strict party or
ganization, and that all party repre- =
sentatives in the Legislature, or in
Congress, shall go into caucus and
abide by the action Of their party.
Have we not seen enough of
democratic Reorganization and
republican unity in the past 20 years
to appreciate the wisdom of this?
1t also makes a square declaration
for tariff reform. 1t IS so square
| that It leaves no room for the idea
of protection save in so tar as it may
be accidentally necessary, and re-
grets any such necessity.
If the greatest conservative in
terest in the country, to-wit, the
farmers could only understand how
tariff taxation had drawn out theil
life blood, if the laborers and work
ingmen could only realize how they
| had been cajoled and defrauded into
voting for this system, it would soor
be settled. But divers opinions pre-
vail, the voters do not examine and
our party representatives scatter in
their votes, and our party platforms
straddle the question.
Is it wrong to have a plain decla-
ration asto where the Democratic
party in Tennessee stands, so that
each voter can understand what he
is.voling for, and hold his represen-
tative to account.
Let us say what we mean. The
convention at Nashville should
speak plainly and honestly. 1t Il
said the platform at Chicago is sus,
ceptable of different constructions
Let us have one fjr Tennessee, anC
suggest to the next national conven
ton platform which can have bu
one construction Is this not right
Is there anything unfair in the
railroad plank of the platform
The Supreme Court of our OWL
state and Of the United States have
decided we have the right to regu
late these corporations within proper
limits. Our party has asserted thi:
right in Tennessee for many years
) All Democratic conventions of every
wing and every character have done
so. Is 1t not proper to re-assert i
IN our PLATFORM Who is harmed
2 by IT? tits right and just as all ad
NIT from the Supreme Court of thu
United States to the veriest tyro il
the law.
Is it wrong to take q position Oh
: the BLAIR Blll2 Is the question no
widely discussed as to It's effects upol
local, selfgovernment, upon tn,
relative rights and powers of tn,
states, and the central Government
as to the nurture and control Of the
D educational system, and the result
/ of the bill in connection Herewith
Z Whatever the truth may be, is i
, not right the Democratic party
. should speak out plainly on such al
r important question?
fit is a wise, constitutional and
benevolent measure, it should be
endor~ed. fit is a deliberate rob
! berry Of the treasury in order tC
keep it empty, and keep up tariff
taxation, as well as an unauthorized
division at the will of the centra
Government, and under conditions
by it imposed, of taxes not necessary
to be collected by the Government
from the people of the states it ought
to be denounced. Atany rate and
in any event, no honest man car
complain that the Hardemau