The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-06-14

| of opinion on the tariff question. 1t is che
most transparent straddle and shallow de.
cepton that was ever attempted by
party. 1t reads:
| The Platform
The Democratic party of the United States, in
National Convention assembled, renews the
pledge of its fidelity to the Democratic faith and
reaffirms the platform adopted by its represen-
tatives in the convention of 1884. and endorses
| t,e views expressed by President Cleveland In
| his last earnest message to Congress cor
| rect Interpretation of that platform upon the
question OF tariff redu elton. and also endorses
| the efforts of our Democratic representatives
| in Congress- to secure reduction of excessive
| taxation.
| Among it's principles of party faith are the
maintenance of an iDdssoluble union of free
| and indestfuctiSle States now about to enter
| it's second century of unexampled progress and
| renown devotion to the plan of govern ment
| regulated by the written Constitution strictly
| specifying every granted power and expressly
| reserving to the States or to the people the en-
| tire ungranted residue of power. encourage
| ment ofjealous popular vigilance, directed to
| all who have been chosen for brief terms to
act and execute the laws and are charged with
| the duty of preserving peace, insurIng equality
| and establishing justice.
| The Democratic party welcomes exacting
scrutiny of the admin istration of the executive
| power which four years ago was committed to
| It's trust in the election of Grover Cleveland
| President of the United States, but it chal-
! fidelity and devotion to the pledges which then
| invited the suffrages of the people during q
|
| sulting from overtaxation. alous con-
| dition of our currency. and public debt I'M
matured 1t has by the adoption of a wise and
| conservative course not only vlu.d disaster.
| but greatly promoted the prosperity of our
people.
| 1t has reversed the improvident and unWjse
| policy of the Republican party touching the
public domain, and has reclaimed from cOrpo.
| rations and syndicates, alien and domestic, and
| r. stored 10 the people nearly one hundred mill
| lion acres OF land to be sacredly held as home
| stead tor our ctiZsns
1 q afrrllx H.
principles ofjustice and equity. 1t has paid out
| more for pensions and bounties to The soldiers
and sailors of the republic than was ever paid
before during an equal period,
| 1t has adopted and consistently pursued q firm
and prudent foreign policy. preserving the
peace with all nations, while scrupulouly main
| tanning all rights and interests of orr own gov
ernment and people at home and abroad.
| The exclusion from our shores of Chinese Ia
borers has been effectually secured under the
provision OF q treaty, the operation of which
| publican majority in the Senate.
Honest reform in the civil service has been
inaugul ated and maintained by President
Cleveland, and he has brought the public ser
vice to the highest standard of efficiency, not
only by rdie and precepl, but by the example
of his own untiring and unselfish adminlstra-
tion of public affairs.
In eve-y branch and department of the Gov
eminent under Democratic control the rights
and welfare of all people have been guarded
and defended every public Interest has been
protected, and the equality of all our citizens
under the law without regard to race or color
bias been steadlastly maintained. Upon its
! record-thus exhibited-and upon pledge OF
the continuance to the people of the benefits
of Democracy il invOkes renewal of popular
TRUST by the reelection of a Chief Mag Sti ate
who has been faithful able and prudent, and
| inyokes in addition to that trust BY the trans
fer also to the Democracy of the e1tire legisla-
tive power.
The Republican party controlling the Senate
and resisting in both houses of Congress the re-
| formation OF unjust and unequal tax laws,
| which have outlasted the necessiths of war aud
are now undermining the Abundance of long
| peace, deny to the people equality before the
law and the fairness and the justiGe which are
| their right. The cry of American labor for
better share in the rewards of industry is
stifed with false pretences; enterprise is fet-
| tered and bound down to home markets; cap
ital is discouraged with doubt, Ind unequal,
| unjust laws can neither be prOpely amended
nor repealed The Democratic patty will con-
tnue with all the power confdedfO it to strug-
gle TO reform these laws in accordance with the
pledges of its last platform, endorsed at the
ballot box by the suffrages of the people. Of
all the industrious freeman of oulland an i'm
mense majority. including everytiller of the
soil, gain no advantage from excessive tax
| laws but the price of nearly everything they
blu, is increased by the favOritisn of an I'M
| equal system of tax Legislation. All unneces-
sary taxation is unjust taxation.t 1t is repug-
nait to the creed of Democracy hat by such
taxation the costs of The necesaries of life
should be unjustiably increased t. all our peO-
pie. Judged by Democratic prindples the in
ieresis of The people are betrayedwhen by un-
necessary taxation trusts and combinations
are permitted to exist VIII oh, while unduly en-