The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-06-15
Full Text of the Document
Adopted by the Democratic
Convention in st. Louis.
President Ci"yeiand's Tariff
Policy Fully Endorsed and
HIS Administration Praised.
The Party Pledged to Struggle to Re
form the Tariff Laws, Judged by
Democratic Principles.
II Proposes to Check the Increasing
Surplus by Doing Away with the
Burdens Of Taxation.

TeuSHS tue pieuBc VI tJS uuclty W bctuO-
cratic faith aud reaffirms the platform
adopted by its representatives in the con-
vention of 1884, and Endorses the views
expressed by President Cleveland In his
last annual message to congress as the
correct Interpretation of that platform
upon the question of tariff reduction,
and also Endorses the efforts OF our DEM
ocratic representatives in congress to Sc
cure reduction Of excessive taxation.
Chief among its principles of party faith
are the maintenance of an indissOluble
union of free and indestructible states,
now about to enter upon its second CEN
fury of unexampled progress and re-
nown; devotion to plan of government
regulated by a written constitution
strictly specifying every granted power
and expressly reserving to the states or
people the entire ungranted residue Of
power; the encouragement of q jealous
popular Vigilance, directed to all who
have been chosen for brief terms to enact
and execute the laws, and are charged
with the duty Of preserving peace, en-
surfing equality and establishing justice
The Democratic party welcome an ex-
acting scrutiny of the administration Of
the executive power which four years ago
was committed to its trust, in the cleo
ton of Grover Cleveland president of the
United States, and it challenges the most
searching inquiry concerning its fidelity
and devotion to the pledges which then
invited the suffrages of the people. Dur
ing most critical period of our financial
affairs, resulting from over taxation, the
anomalous condition of our currency, and
public debt unmatured, 1t has, by the
adoption of a wise and conservative
course, not only averted disaster, but
greatly promoted the prosperity of the
people. 1t has reversed the improvident
and unwise policy of the Republican
party touching the public domain, and
has reclaimed from corporations and
syndicates, alien and domestic, and has
restored to the people nearly 100, 000, 900
of acres of valuable land to be sacredly
held as hOmesteads for our citizens.
While carefully guarding the interest
of the taxpayers, and conforming strictly
to the principles of justice and equity, il
has paid out more for pensions and
bounties to the soldiers and sailors of the
| republic than was ever paid before dur
ing an equal period.
BY intelligent management and a
| judicious and economical expenditure of
the public money it has set on foot the
! reconstruction of the American navy
upon system which forbids the recur-
renee of scandal and insures successful
| results.
1t has adopted and consistently pur-
sued firm and prudent foreign policy,
! preserving peace with all nations while
scrupulously maintaining all the rights
and interests of our own government and
people at home and abroad.
The exclusion from our shores of Chi
nese laborers has been effectually secured
under the provisions of a treaty, the
operation of which has been postponed
by the action of Republican majority
in the senate.
Honest reform in the civil service has
been inaugurated and maintained by
President Cleveland, and he has brought
the public service to the highest stand
ard of efficiency, not only by rule and
and precept, but by the example of his
own untiring and unselfish administra-
ton of public affairs.
In every branch and department Of the
| government under Democratic control
the rights and welfare of all the people
have been guarded and defended; every
public interest has been protected, ar
the equality of all our citizens before the
law without regard to race or color has
been steadfastly maintained.
Upon its record thus exhibited and
upon the pledge of a continuance to the
people of the benefits Of good govern
ment, the national Democracy invokes
a renewal of popular trust by the re-
election of a chief magistrate who has
been faithful, able and prudent
They invoke an addition to that trust
by the transfer to the Democracy of the
entire legislative power.
The Republican party controlling the
senate and resisting In both houses OF
congress reformation OF unjust and m
equal tax laws which have outlasted th2
necessities of war and are now under
mining the abundance Of long peace
law and the fairness and the justice
which are their right. Thus the cry 0i
American labor for y better share of t;,e
rewards Of industry are stified with frIsC
| pretenses, enterprise arc fettered and
bound down to home markets, capital il
disturbed with doubt, and unequal and
unjust laws can neither be amended mol
repealed.
The Democratic party will continue
with all the power confded to it to strug
gle to reform these laws In accordance
with the pledges Of its last platform, in
dorsed at the ballot box by the suffrage!
of the people.
or all the industrious freemen of oul
land an immense majority, including
every tiller of the soil, gain no advantag q
from excessive tax laws; but the price o
nearly every thing they buy is increase
by the favoritism of an unequal system
of tax legislation. All unnecessary taxa
ton is unjust taxation. 1t Is repugnRn
to the creed Of Democracy that by sucl
taxation the cost of the necessaries OF
life should be unjustly increased to al
our people. Judged by Democratic prin
ciples, the interests Of the people are be
trayed when, by unnecessary taxation
trusts and combinations are permitted
and fostered which daily enrich the few
that combine to rob our citizens by de
pIiving thtm of the benefit Of natura
competition. Every Democratic rule o
governmental action IL violated when
t4tSugh unnecessary taxation vest sun
SfMeney far beyond the needs Of an ecn
noniesl administrator is drawn from
the people and the channels of trade and
accumulated as demoralizipg surplus
IN the national treasury. The money
now lying idle In the federal treasury
resulting from superfuous taxation
amounts to more than Sl25, 600, 900, ali
the surplus collected Is reaching the sun
of more than $50, 600, 900 annually. De
bauched by this immense temptation tn,
remedy of the Republican party is to ex
haust it by extravagant appropriation
The Democratic remedy Is to enforce fru
gality in public expenditures and abolish
j unnecessary taxation. Our established
domestic industries and enterprises should
not and need not be endangered by re
duction and correction of the burdens o
taxation. On the contrary, a fair anC
careful revision of our tax laws with dut
allowance for the differences between the
wages of American and foreign laboI
must permit and encourage every branch
of such industry and enterprise by givins
them assurance of an extended marke
and steady and continuous operation. II
the interest Of American labor, which
should in no respect be neglected, the re
vision of our tax laws, contemplated b!
the Democratic party and to promote the
advantage of such labor, by cheapeninl
the cost of the necessaries Of life In thu
home of every workingman and at tn,
same time securing to him steady and
remunerative employment. Upon thii
question of tariff reform, so closely con
corning every phase of our national life
and upon every question involved in thu
problem of good government the Demo
cratic party submits its prime. pies an(
professions to the intelligent SURFACES o
the American people.