The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-01-14

me councils and in .hr field work o
me f"pnbiIcau party day by day morn
ing, noon and night, until the frosts O
next November come to withsr ant
bihSt alike their falsehOOds and thei
h"p"S- The initial point, As well as tn,
KEY 1" The arch OF the political canvas,
"t 1888, on the part OF the republican
managers u, to assume and bnldl,
charge, IN season and out of season
mat the present democratic chief mag
lSirate and his followers, the entire
democratic party, are in open and bit.
Ter hostility to all the manufacturing
industries of the United States wish
them nothing but evil, and are In
league with British tree trade, 6ribed
| win British gold tor their destruction
The cnlussal caiumny embodied in this
charge, now ringing all along the lines
oi the republican, party, like bugle
| call tn action, stands refuted, over.
whelned and trampled INTO the dust by
every act Of the democratic party dur
my the glorious and ever to be remem-
ncred cpoch1 OF its former history, and
also by every ufteramce of the president
now in power, including especially his
recent message now under discussion
TIE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
Sir, il is proper under these circum-
| stances TO 90 TO the record of facts, and
| take careful and reliable reckoning
1t is true the saying has been that
falsehOod travels with seven-leagued
stride, while truth follows afterward
| with slower gait, yet have faith that
truth will prevail even in such an uu-
equal race. Let us look for few mo
| meh's into that grand declaration OF
national principles and purposes put
forth al Chicago in 1884, by the au
| ihnl1Zed representatives of the demo.
| cracy OF every state in the Union, and
| on which the confidence of the people
was secured and great victory won.
Let Us see, first, whether the charge
that the democratic party is in favor of
free trade, and therefore hostile to our
own manufacturing industries, can be
sustained, and, second, whether it is
true that the president has departed in
single iota, iot or little from the dis
tinctly declared policies on which he
was elected. The pledge of the demu-
cratic party at the Chicago convention
III 1881 10 reduce the taxes of the
American people was bold, explicit
| "'t bNi II WINS tuLuC III IL
lew plain, strong words, the mcanin.
of which it was impossible to pervert
or misunderstood:
"All taxation shall be limited to the
reqnirments OF economical govern
ment
And again:
| "fhe democracy pledges itself to
| purify the administration from corrup-
| uion; to restore economy, to revive
respect for law, aud to- reduce taxation
to the lowest limit, consistent with due
regard to the preservation of the faith
OF the nation to its creditors and pen
| sioners p
Sir, IT is not to be wondered at that n
| political platform containing such
pledges as these should encounter the
fierce opposition OF those who, like
| the senator from Ohio, regard an idle
| surplus in the treasury n fortunate
| thing, and the overtaxalion which
placed it there II blessing TO the people,
OF OF those who, like the senator from
Colorado, turn up their noses disdain-
fully AT $50 ,UOU, 900 abstracted without
any lust cause whatever from The chan-
nels OF trade ar Il tritling circumstance.
TARIFF REVISION.
The reduction of taxation thus
pledged by the democratic party neces.
sarily implied Il revision of our system
ol revenue, and many material changes
III our present legislation, This great
| fact was not evaded by the Chicago
convention nor treated in any donb!e
or doubtful sense. IL was pointed out
| that the tariff commission created bv
congress IN 1882 reported in i.vor OF Il
general reduction If import duties Ia
The extent of twenty per cent and
that by the tariff act of 1888 reduc-
ton OF less than four per cent. ha-
been made. 1t was very obvious ther,
fore, that ii was the purpose OF the
democratic party, il placed in power,
To reduce taxation by u still further
reduction OF the duties paid on import
ed merchandise. II pledged itself .'tu
revise the tariff in u spirit of fairness
to all interests" and proceeded to say.
'but i'll making reduction in taxes it is
not proposed TO injure any domestic
industries, but rather to promote their
healthy growth, Nrom the foundation
sourca or federal revenue; such the,
must continue TO be; moreover, many
Industries nave ceme TO rely on leYis-
latIon tor successful continuance. SD
that amy change of law must be al
every stop regardful OF the labor and
capital thus involved. The process OF
reform mIst be subject III The execution
TO this plain dictate OF Justice" And
again the following assurances were
+given:-"The necessary reduction in
taxation can and must be effected
without depriying American labor OF
the ability to compete successfully with
foreign labor, ana without imposing
lower rates OF duty than will be ample
to cover any increased cost of produc-
ton which may exist in consequence
OF the higher rate ot wages prevailing
in this country. Sufficient revenue r.:
pay the expenses OF the federal govern
ment, economically administered, in
clnding pensions, interest and principal
OF the public debt can be got under
our present system OF taxation from
custom houses taxes on fewer imported
articles bearing heaviest on articles of
luxury, and bearing lightest on articles !
OF necessity. We, therefore, denouncc
the abuses of The existing tariff, and |
subject To the preceding limitations, we
demand that federal taxation shall De !
exclusively for public purposes, and |
sha | not exceed the needs of the gov |
ernmer., economically administered !
These provisions Of the democratic |
platform on which democratic success |
va, secured in lSSi, contain full |
notice to the country that federal take.
were 10 be reduced to II point where
NO SURPLUS
Wonld be lcit in the treasury after pay
ing tor an economical administration OF !
the government, and they also gave
ample and timely notice that this re-
ducIun was 10 be made in the
custom house duties now levied on /
foreign impOrtatiums. 1t will also be
seen as "a strikjEs feature OF these
demucratI0 declarations with what
careful consideration the Misunderstanding
md labor interests arc 10 be treated i'm
he impending and absolutely necessary
revisions of Our system of tariff taxa
ION. The policy put forth by the
iemnCratic national convention ia 1854
VI the subject of the tariff and of taxes
was the policy OF tho founders, the
great !oadcrs and statesmen Of the
party. Ii mas the sanction OF such
lames as Jefferson, Madison, Jack.o.,,
Polk. Marcy, Silas Wright. I!oratio
Seymour and others, who, by their
talents and patriotism.
nave Illuminated and adorned Amerl.i
;an history. Ii was the policy ns riyid
and TAXATION, not a dollar
beyond actual public expenses: but ia
raising revenue to that extent by
hnuE..