The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-06-14
The Platfnrm.


We print the platform entire SO
that the people way be their own
Judges OF its meaning. To our
mind it is satisfactory and void of
daplicity. The old platform of "a
was double-faced, or at least it ad
mitted OF two constructions. The
new platform reitterates the old one
and declares that the presidents
views upon tariff reduction" shall
be the proper Interpretation OF its
meaning. On what point? His
views on tariff reduction cannot be
made to interpret its meaning upon
protection to labor, or incidental
protection to manufactures, or in
ternal revenue reduction, or any
other subject to which it bears no
relation. How could it? The con-
vention did not mean to endorse the
whole message for it expressly dis
agreed with the president when it
endorsed the Mills bill. The mes
sage and the Mills bill are at direct
variance on the internal revenue
question. " e are thus forced to
conclude that the convention in
tended to limit it's endorsement of
the message, or its adoption OF it IS
az instrument of Interpretation, to
the sole point of tariff reduction.
That is what 1t says. If we try to
make it mean more and take the
whole message as the Interpretation,
then we get the convention into a
dispute with itself, in that it en-
dorsed internal revenue reduction in
favoring the Mills bill and then re-
pudiated it in endorsing the mes
sage.
II seems to US clear that the con
vention intended the "a platform to
stand intact in all its parts and
that the reference to the message
was only to give commanding en-
phasis to the Importance and neces
/ sity of red ucing the revenue within
the limit of governmental needs
That is all. 1t leaves its incidental
| protection feature intact. 1t leaves
its protection to labor feature in.
tact. 1t leaves intact that fea-
ture which says that any tariff leg
islation shall be regardful of tn
capital invested in manufacture
which have been induced to 60 int
: operation by its protective char
: acter.
r The presidents message does no
repudiate any Of these features, to
be sure, but there is running
charge that it leans to free trad
and that the general intend nent G
the party is in that direction, an
now the party in national conven
! tion expressly denies that charg
and reitterates it's old doctrine wit
an express limitation that does nc
affect any of its salient features.
No man who reads or thinks eve
= imagined that the democratic part
o intends to establish free trade.
: is impossible even if the party d.
e sired it, and that the party does nc
a desire it is now emphatically settle
# by declarations to the contrary.
The platform means in short ths
there is too much revenue bein
/ collected and that it ought to be r.
= duced, taking it. off Of necessitit
" and thus tighten the burdens of tal
l. alton to the consumers, but that tn
re reduction should be made with
q careful eye to the maintenance {
wages and to the protection of mai
k ufacturlng enterprises called in'
. being by its protective features.
- thus redeems it's pledges to the PEI
:. pie, gives the lie to the republica
!, charge of free trade, and Statistic
y every democrat in the land.