The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-07-05
The Keystone of the Platform.

taxation" That is the text of the
pleasing sermon the Democracy of
the country breaches in its platform.
It bears to the people a message of
relief from the burdens under which
they groan, the weight that Expresses
agriculture, the letters that bind
trade and industry, the incubus that
rests upon the vast majority in order
that the pampered few favored alone
by the Republican system of protec-
ton may live in luxury, may roll in
wealth, may be afforded enormous
profits at the expenses of their fellow
citizens.
The Democratic position is that
only 30 much shall be taken from the
people, from the channels of trade
and industry, as is actually necessary
to the maintenance of the govern
ment economically administered. All
its action has been in support of this
position. Uniformly and constantly
it has endeavored to bring about a
condition so much to be desired, but
at every point it has been opposed
by the Republican party. That party
has sought at whatever cost to the
people generally to "protect" it's mo.
nopolistic favorites in the enjoyment
of unnaturally large profits. Its
course has been unpatriotic, section
al, unjust in the highest degree, and
it persists still in its opposition to
the stoppage of war taxation in these
piping times of peace and the lessen
ing of the revenues to the point of
actual public needs.
There is now lying idle in the Fed
eral Treasury upwards of one hun
dred and twenty-five millions of dol
lars, and the enormous sum is being
annually increased by sixty millions
and more. This is over and above
airy and all needs of the Government.
The Republicans say meet it with e1-
travagant appropriations, whether
constitutional or not. The Democrats
say put stop to the excessive reve-
nue. at once and enforce frugality in
the future in public expense. They
say unnecessary taxation is unjust
taxation, and they act as they have
ever acted, earnestly and consistently
on the principle thus announced.
The issue is clear before the peo-
pie. It is between return to the
old-time extravaganza and corruption
of the Republican party and the
maintenance of Democratic honesty,
economy and care of the peoples in
terests which have already accom-
plished wonders, as all are aware, in
improvement of the general situation
and especially of the outlook. I'm
fortunately the Democratic party has
not had the reins of government fully
in it's hands. It has labored to it's
utmost for relief to the people in all
respects, but it has been thwarted at
every turn so far in the matter of the
correction of unjust taxation by the
power still permitted the Republi-
cans. It asks full control in order
that it may correct fully the evils that
exist. 1t asks full charge of affairs
to the end that its policy, which has
already been endorsed by the people
at the polls and which is simply the
honesty and economy of ordinary life
applied to public business, may be
developed. Unnecessary taxation is
unjust trxation," it maintains, and
the people of the country will have to
decide between this position and a
return to the extravaganza and cor
ruption, the jobbery, the colossal
frauds, the public scandals of the
Republican era. The indications are
that the decision will be in favor of
continuing the Democratic party at
least in the measure of power it has
already attained and used so much to