The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-05-24
MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS.
They Meet In Convention, Make a
Truce and Build a Platform.


The Democrats OF Minnesota have for
some time been troubled by war between
| the Michael Doran and DR.. Amcs footing
| and n vigorous contest was looked for in
| the State Convention which met in ST. Paul.
| But in that the people were disappointed,
| for though there was u lively shuttle the
| feud was partially healed by the
| election OF both DOran and Ames to the
| st. Louis Convention. The d eIegates and
| alternates were as follows:
Delegates at large: Michael Doran, OF lie
| SGeur; Albert A. Ames, OF Hennepin; Rob.
ert A. Smith, OF Ramsey; John Ludwig OF
| Winona.
ALTERNArEs.
Frank l.. Morse. Hennepin; f. w. Du-
| rant, Washington; William Quinn, Wright;
John Adams, Dodge.
| THE PLATFORM.
The following resolutions were passed:
! The Democrats of Minnesota. in harmony
with the Democracy of the Union, declare
| that the longer continuance of taxes levied
| for the conduct OF war which ended nearly
| n quarter century ago is needless and un-
| justitable burden upon the people OF this
| country.
To the already accumulated $3.50 O00,-
! 600 surplus lying unused and useless III the
| treasury there is being added under our eX-
listing revenue laws an increasing surplus OF
| $50 900 900 each year. This money Is not
| needed for any legitimate purposes OF gov
| ernment; it is withdrawn from circulation;
| it plays no part in the business transactions
| of the people; it Is a constant temptation, q
| standing inducement for schemes OF plumber
| and corrupt extravaganza.
| We demand as right that the people shall
| be at once and forever relieved from this un-
necessary and oppressive burden. Super
| fiuouS taxation is tyranny
The time has come tor thorough revision
| and radical reduction of the existing reye-
nue. taxes. We insist that this work be at
| once began and speedily consummated with
out farther evasion or DELAY; and that in the
doing of it the following principles shall oe
| adhered to as the true basis OF genuine revc-
nue. reform. viz.
| First-That taxation is not public bless
ing, nor an element of national prosperity.
! That while sufficient revenue should at all
| times be collected for the support OF an eco
nomicaI government in the discharge Of its
| legitimate functions, for the payment of the
public debt, and liberal pensions to deserv-
ing veterans of the Union armies, not one
dollar of supertiuous tax should be imposed
| for the purpose of enhancing the prices OF
| commodities consumed by the people, and
as a tribute to the private business of a
| favored few.
Second-That whatever taxation it may be
| necessary to retain for governmental pur-
poses, should be imposed as far as practical
| ble upon articles or luxury and indulgences
which mainly minister to the enjoyment OF
the rich and the habits of the dissolute.
Third-That the taxes should be greatly
reduced, and. when practicable. altogether
abolished upon all articles and materials in
| such general use as to be rightly classed as
| necesslres for our people, which are essen
| tial to their health, comfort and prosperity,
| which enter into their domestic life, their
industrial pursuits, and their personal hap
| piness.
Fourth-That the purchasing power of the
products of our labor shall be no longer
| diminished by tax uDOn the things Tor
which we exchange these products; the
| value of what we sell no longer curtailed by
| enhancing the cost of what we buy with the
| proceeds of our sales; that a tax upon in
ports is in effect tax upon exports, and that
the best way to render our agricultural and
manufacturing industries profitable and
| prosperous is to inch ease the purchasing
| power OF their products in the markets of the
world by abolishing taxes upon the things
purchased.
Fifth-That our foreign and internal COM
merce should be increased and the cost OF
| transportation reduced by repeating taxes
upon the materials which enter into the con-
| struction and equipment of the railways and
| marine
Sixth-That our manufacturing industries
should have the benefit OF untaXed raw ma
terias used bv them, thus enabling them ID
|
| markets than our own.
| Seventh-That the workingmen in those
industries should have that steady employ
| menb and fair remuneration which can never
exist so long as the sale of the products OF
their labor is confined to the limited Ge-
mands of an easl " overstOcked home market
Eighth-That the cunningly complicated
system of specific and ad voorem duties
! upon the same article. whereby the heaviest
taxation is imposed upon the cheaper grades
! of materials used MAINLY by our working
| people, should be wholly abandoned, aad the
equal percentage OF taxation with the poor
| est laborer.
Nintil-Final!y, that all taxation shall be
equal and impartial; that our people shal
have free access to the markets OF the world
| to blv as we'll as to sell to the best advantage
and with equal terms with the peoples ol
other lands; that our power to produce anC
| our ability to purchase shall no longer bt
| confined to Il monopolized home market, in
fiuenced by combinations and at the mercy
OF pools an'! trusts
This is what we mean by revenue reform
The existing traffic was created and is now
| maintained by the aggregated seifishness Of
tue particular interests which have SO long
and bonnteously fattened upon its profits
| Originally imposed as i necessary Swal
| measure" it has since been perpetuated and
its enormities concealed by deluding credu
| lous people with false issues and keeping
alive the sectional ha:reds engendered by
the war. For more than twenty years the
| bloody shirt has protected protection" from
scrutiny and popular Indignation. A com
bination of favored monOpOists SO pow eT-
full aud SO deeply interested in the mainte
nance of such a system is not to be easiiy
broken. Iuch by inch the cause of reform
must win its way: we therefore welcome
congress the first aggressive advance
which deserves the united support of al
men who honestly favor revenue reform.
| While we recognize the growing sentiment
for tariff reform among the Republican vot
ers of Minnesota, we hereby cali their at
tentiun to the recent utteranca of the plat
form adopted by the late Republican state
convention-a platform which makes n(
demand for q reduction of tariff taxes, but
il an outspoken endorsement OF q protective
tariff. But we respectfully suggest to their
thao such a reform is not to be expected al
the hands OF men who are benefciaries O
the abuses to be reformed, but can only come
from those VINO are in hearty sympathy viii
the reform to be accomplished.
In conformity with these principles wt
specify as among the articles which shoult
be placed upon the free list salt, coa,, lum-
ber, sugar, iron and steel, glass, binding
twine material. drugs and medicines, WOO
and all wearing apparel, carpets and house
hod goods. tools, implements and ma
chineIy used in agricultural and mechanics
employments, and all raw materials con
sumed by our manufactures.
While we are not unmndfui of the grow
ing interest of the people OF the State o
Minnesota in this great question: we declare
our firm conviction that tariff reduction Ii
not local issue merely, but one OF trans
cendent national importance affectin.
the prosperity, welfare and happiness OF al
the people OF the whole country; it wa
made SO by the fearless and uhequivocal po
sition assumed by President Cleveland in hi
last annual message. Tariff reform unt.e
his leadership is the vital. single issue Of tn,
present campaign. With such cause unde
such q leader we cannot fail
The bureanx OF the French senate hav,
elected committee to examine the Pana
ma canal lottery loan bill. A majority q
the committee favor the bill.
John CORES. charged with murder, was
&oLou frou1 RoJ,vooI EnI1a %bo Ncw