The Democratic advocate., 1888-06-09

| gain, levy by law contributions for the neces-
saries oflife from every man; woman and child
in the land; that TO lower the tariff is not free
trade. 1t is to reduce the unjust profits oil
monopolists and boss manufacturers and allow
consumers to retain the rest The man who
asserts that to lower the tariff means free trade
insults intelligence. We brand him as fall
sifer. 1t is furthest from thought to imperil
capital or disturb enterprises. The aim is to
uphold wages and protect the rights of all.
ssThis administration has rescued the public
domain from would-be barons and cormorant
corporations faithless to obligations, and re-
served it for free homes for this and coming
generations.
"There is no pilfering. There are no jobs
under this administration. Public Office is
public trust. Integrity stands guard at every
post of our vast empire.
'While the President has been the medium
through which has flowed the undying graft
tude of the republic for her soldiers, he has
not hesitated to Withhold approval from special
| legislation if strictest inquiry revealed want
of truth and justice.
"Above all, sectional strife as never before
is at end, and sixty millions of freemen in the
ties of brotherhood are prosperous and
happy
istration. Under the same illustrious leader
we are ready TO meet our political opponents
in high and honorable debate, and stake our
triumph on the intelligence, virtue and pa
triotism of the people. Adhering to the con-
stitution, its every line and letter, ever re-
membering that powers not delegated to the
United States by the constitution nor prohib
tied by it to the States are reserved to the
States respectively or to the people, By the
authority of the Democracy of New York,
backed by the Democracy ofthe entire Union,
| | give you name entwined with victory. |
nominate Grover Cleveland, of New York"
Several other short speeches were made,
when the roll of States was called and Grover
Cleveland was renominated by acclamation,
and an adjournment was taken until Thursday
morning
Third Days Proceedings.
At 1880 on Thursday morning the conyen-
ton met and prayer was offered by Rev. r
G. Brank, of st. Louis. Mr.. Watterson, of
the committee on resolutions reported the
following as
THE PLATFORM.
The Democratic party of the United States,
i'll national convention assembled, renews the
pledge of its fidelity to Democratic faith and
reaffrms the platform adopted by its repre-
sentatives in the convention of 1884, and indor-
ses the views expressed by President Cleve-
land in his last earnest message to Congress
as the correct Interpretation of that platform
upon the question OF tariff reduction; and
also indorses the efforts of our Democratic
representatives in Congress to secure re-
duction of excessive taxation. Chief among
its principles of party faith are the mainte-
nance of an indissoluble union of free and
iudestructible States, now about to enter upon
its second century of unexampled progress
and renown, devotion to plan of government
regulated by written constitution strictly
! specifying every granted power, and expressly
reserying to the States or people the entire
ungranted residue of power, the encourage
ment of a 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, ensuring
equality and establishing justice.
The Democratic party welcome an exaeting
scrutiny of the administration of the execu-
| tive power, which four years ago was COM
mitted to its trust in the election 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 oe
the people. During most critical period of
our financial affairs, resulting from overtax-
alton, the anomalous condition ofour currency
and public debt unmatured, it has, by the
adoption of wise and conservative course,
not only averted disaster, but greatly pro-
NOTED the prosperity of our people.
1t has reversed the improvident and unwise
policy of the Republican party touching the
| public domain, and has reclaimed from cor
porations and syndicates, alien and domestic,
and restored to the people nearly one hun
dred millions of acres of valuable land to be
sacredy held as homesteads for our citizens.
| While carefully guarding the interest to the
principles of justice and equity it has paid out
/ Co o,lb brn trt H..
and sailors of the republic than was ever paid
before during an equal period. 1t has adopt
ed and consistently pursued firm and pru-
dent foreign policy, preserving peace with all
nations, while scrupulously maintaining all
the rights and interests OF our own govern
| Ment and people at home and abroad. The
! exclusion from our shores of Chinese laborers
has been effectually secnred under the provis-
ions of 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 main
tanned by President Cleveland, and he has
| brought the public service to the highest
standard of efficiency, not only by rulo and
precept, but by the example of his own untir-
| ing and nnselash administration Of public af.
| fairs,
| In every branch and department of the
government under Democratic control, the
rights and the welfare of all the people have
been guarded and defended; every public
interest has been protected, and the equality
of all our citi2ens before the law, without re-
gard to race or color, has been steadfastly
maintained. Upon its record thus exhibited
and upon the pledge Of continuance to the
people of the benefits of Democracy, it in
vokes renewal of popular trust by the re-
| election of Chief Magistrate who has heen
faithful, able and prudent, To invoke in ad-
dition to that trust by the transfer also to the
Democracy Of the entire legislative power.
| The Republican party controlling the Sen
| ate, and resisting in both houses of Congress
reformation Of unjust and unequal tax laws,
which have outlaSted the necessities of war,
and are now undermining the abundance of a
long peace, deny to the people equality be-
fore the law, and the fairness and the justice
which are their right. Then the cry of
American labor for better share in the re-
wards Of industry is stiffled with false pre-
lenses, enterprise is fettered and bound down
to home markets, capital is discouraged with
doubt, and unequal, unjust laws can neither
be properly amended or repealed.
The Democratic party will continue with
all the power conGded to it the struggle to
reform these laws in accordance with the
pledges of its last platform, indorsed at the
.ballet-box by the suffrages of the people. Of
all the industrious freemen OF our land, the
immense majority, including every silleF of
the soil, gain no advantage from excessive
tax laws, but the price of nearly everything
they buy is increased by the favoritism of an
unequal system of tax legislation. All un-
necessary taxation is unjust taxation.
1t is repugnant to the creed of Democracy
that by such taxation the cost of the neces-
sares of life should be unjustifably increased
to all our people. Judged by Democratic
principles, the interests of the people are be-
trayed when, by unnecessary taxation, trusts
and combinations are permitted to exist
which, while unduly enriching the few that
combine, rob the body of our citizens by
depriving them of the benefits of natural com
petition. Every Democratic rule ofi govern.
mental action is violated when, through un-
necessary taxation vast sum of money, far
beyond the needs of an economical admins
tration, is drawn from the people and the
channels of trade and accumulated as de-
moralizing surplus in the national treasury.
The money now lying idle in the federal
treasury, resulting from superAuous taxation,
amounts to more than one hundred and twen-
ty five millions, and the surplus collected is