The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1888-08-16
THE PLATFORM.

Cleveland and the Mills Bill Endorsed
Republican State Officers Scored.
The Democrats of Minnesota congrat-
ulate the taxpayers of this state and the
nation upon the unanimous nomination
and the assured election of Grover Clevre-s.
land as president, and of Allen G. Thur
man as vice president of the United
States. The national Democracy invites
the country to no experiment with un-
tried men; it offers the tested fidelity
and craftsmanship of it's candidates as
the best argument for their election.
No suspicion of jobbery, timidity or
official dereliction taints the adj
ministration of Grover Cleveland.
To him we owe it that the great ques-
ton of the abolition of supelfuous rev.
enue by a reduction of the excessive
taxes upon necessaries is made the prom
jnent issue of this campaign. This issue,
as declared in the national Democratic
platform, meets our unqualified ap-
proval. At the same time we reiterate
the more advanced principles set forth in
the platform adopted by the last Demo-
cratic state convention as an explicit
statement of that policy of rev.
enue reform which we believe
should be adopted gradually, but as
rapidly as practicable, until the
entire system of taxing the many for the
substituting of the few shall be forever
abandoned. We hope that the slight re-
duction of ~ per cent in the existing Al
per cent tariff, as provided by the So
called Mills bill, will, when put into
practical operation, fully satisfy the peo-
pie that a greater and more thorough re-
duction in the same system of taxation
can safely be made.
The same influences that have created
extravaganza, profigacy and corruption
in the national Republican party have
worked out their inevitable results in
the administration by that party of the
affairs OF this state. For years past the
Republican party has held undisputed
control of all branches of the state gov
eminent, resulting in the rapid de-
velopment in its legislation of the Re-
publican conception of government as
the surest fountain of easily acquired
wealth. The complaints of the people
have been either unheeded or, under the
pretense Of giving relief, have been met
with remedial laws which, through ig-
norance or design, have but aggravated
the evils complained of.
Grain Inspection-The farmers of the
state complained that they were suffer
ing from the extOrtions of the elevators;
that these, by perversion of the pow
ers and duties of the railroads, were
though built and owned by the roads,
given into the exclusive control of indi-
viduals, Sssh0 operated them in their own
interests, thus creating a monopoly Of
grain blu. :; with the usual concomit-
ants OF S. power in dockage of weight
and sys: tic undergrading of grain.
The onl medy a Republican legisla-
ture o1fe was the present cumbrous
and inc. mt grain inspector act, which,
il ho1el stupid, and if not is malevo-
lent. l es annually from the treas
Try abois $4,000 to feed the officers it
cI9ates,
Aous5 : 157-While under arbitrary
'cEzs ate enforces the payment of
-. I = of tax levied upon the prop
Of thu humblest citizen, Republic
can legisFGt IRE by that measure, noto-
. a railroE, company, enriched by
sI~pt Of Sc public domain, the taxes
u1on its land evaded by it for years, and
amOunted to about 81, O0O, 900, under the
specious > pfetense of IAN act to relieve
settlers' Oh these lands.
Multiplicity of Offices-Successive Re-
publican legislatures have busted them
selves in the discovery of places in the
civil service of the state in which officers
could be planted and cultured, until the
charge lies against the Republican party
which century ago our forefathers laid
against their king: ''He has erected
a multitude of new offices, and sent
hither swarm of new officers to harass
Our people and eat out their substance
Extravagance-It has greatly increased
the amount of taxes imposed upon our
people, and with lavish hand it has wan
tOnly squandered the funds thus col
lected.
We particularly arraign the present
executive of the state for he has persist
emily refused to interpose his veto for the
protection of the public treasury against
the extravagant schemes of an extrava-
CANT legislature. He has debased the
civil service of the state by removing
officers of mature experience in order to
pay the debts and discharge the ebliga-
tions of a political campaign.
We insist upon thorough revision of
the existing methods of state govern
ment, to the end that taxation may be
radically and permanently reduced; that
superfuous offices shall be abolished
and necessary Offices consolidated; that
appropriations shall be restricted to OBJ
jects of general public benefit; that our
railroad and warehouse legislation shall
be 50 framed as to afford just facilities to |
our people for the sale and Transports
tion of their products; that the rates of |
transportation of freight and passen-
gers on such roads be reduced |
to the lowest point consistent, |
and that the entire railroad |
system of the state shall be so regulated |
as to discharge the duties of common |
carriers without discrimination; that |
competency and trustwoythiness shall be |
the only tests in appointments to the !
civil service; and, finally, that the legis- |
lation and administration of public af |
fairs shall be wholly and only such as |
will conduce to the prosperity of all our
people and the development of the entire
state.
We favor reform of our methods of |
voting, based upon the principles of the
Australian system, thus making impos-
sible the coercion or purchase Of voters.
ssu.sp % kur xpuulnuu -. |