The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-07-05
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.
It's Reaf1irmation of Free Whisky, High
Tariff. and a Vicious, BurdensOme,
MOnstrous Taxing System.
A Bid for the Vote of Every MouOpOlist
and Every Vote Controlled
by Monopoly.


A Bid for the Vote of Every MouopoIist
and Every Vote Controlled
by Monopoly.
The Washington Critic says of the
stand made by the two parties on OPP
pOsite sides of the tariff question:: "The
verdict one way or the other is likely to
be very decided, and it will exert very
material influence upon national politics
for years to come"
Col. A. K. Mcclure, in the Philadel-
phia Times, writes of the platform as
follows: ''It is the only republican ma
tional platform ever made that is entire
ly meaningless and intended to be so. 1t
is a bundle of low and cunning political
expedients, and it will carry conviction
to no intelligent and dispassionate citi-
Zen."
The Chicago Times says: Gas the
apolOgist and defender of a system of
customs taxation which compels thir-
teen Peters to pay one Paul the republi-
can party will be repudiated by the
sires lower taxation. AS the friend and
abettor of free whisky the republican
party will be denounced and deserted
by every prohibitionist.
The New York Herald SAYS of the re-
publican platform: 1T reminds us of
that gentleman in scripture who conde-
scended to make a few remarks to the
Almighty. in the course of which he
said-we adapt his language to the lon
gitude and latitude of ChicaGo-'Lord, |
thank Thee that L am not as other men
are, taritf-reformers, free-traders, Of
fice-seekers, or even as these poor-aent
ocrats.'"
The New York Times say: This is the
position which the Republican party has
deliberately and defiantly taken in re-
sponse to the Presidents calm and mod
crate plea for a reduction of taxes. 1t
is Inconsistent with its own record and
promises, it is inconsistent with sound
principle and common sense, and if there
were any chance of giving it effect in
legislation it would be dangerous to the
prosperity of the country, if not to the
perpetuity of free institutions.
The Louisville Courier journal has
this to say of the Chicago platform: at
is an extreme deliverance and has no
parallel in American politics. 1t is Il
bid for the support of combined capital
as against the taxpayer. 1t is made in
the belief that money is greater power
in American politics than men. 1t is
not consistent with any public policy
maintained by any American statesman
until to-day, for its avowed purpose is
to check importations, to stifie competi-
tinn, and give the American consumer
over, bound, to the tender mercies of
American trusts"
The Philadelphia Record says. "Ex-
cept for its stand on the tariff question
the platform is weak. On the tariff
question-while we believe it to be hope
lessly wrQng--=we are ready to admit the
pandor of the platform utterance. The
party has thereby declared itself unre-
seryedly in favor of using the power of
taYation, intended to keep the wheels of
government going, to keep other wheels
going at the. general expense in the pur-
Suance of a policy of deliberate favorit-
ism. Every monopolist in the land and
every vote controlled by monopoly will
come forward to support the ticket
launched upon this national declaration
of partisan belief and intention"
The st. Louis Republic says; "This
Chicago platform has changed the issue
and the aspect of the campaign. The
surplus issue is now a secondary one.
The question before the people is: Shall
the government absolutely corner the
''home market" by absolutely prohibit
ing the import of all such articles as are
offered for sale in the "home market?
publican party has revolutionlzed its or
ganizatiOn, 1t cannot hold its voters.
They will desert in regiments through
all the west and northwest. There are
not Pacific ring millions nor Atlantic
trust millions enough to prevent over
whelming republican defeat in Novem-
ber as the result of the revolutionary ae-
ton at Chicago"
The Chicago Herald says, 'The Re-
publican platform of 1888 delivers the
right and its keeping into the further
custody of the democratic administra-
ton. The issue between high tax and
low tax, between prohigacy and eoono-
my, is as clearly made as the Herald
has, at any time, drawn it, Whatever
of evil this journal has alleged to lie in
present Republican doctrine this authen-
TIC declaration of principles proudly af-
firms. 1t matters not at all who shall
have the political obloquy of facing an
indignant nation with this Immoral
document as the charter of his nomina-
ton. The battle will be one of princi-
pies. The popularity of no man could
overshadow the true question involved
the true issue now Joined.
The Philadelphia Times says: Under
all its verbiage the Republican declara-
ton is as distinctly in Favor of a reten-
ton of the present system of extrava-
gantly high taxes as the other was for
revenue revision and reduction. No al
luslon is made to the alarming accumu-
lation of the money of the country in
the United States Treasury, but numer-
oGs methods are proposed for increasing
the expenditures of the United States by
increased pensions, subsidies, internal
improvements, free ''institutions of
learning" cheaper postage and countless
other schemes for promoting dependence
upon the Federal power. The whole
$500 words might have been boiled
down into a simple expression of this
general line of policy-a paternal gov
ernment supported by exorbitant taxes
for the enrichment of millionaires.
The Springfield Republican says of the
tariff plank in the Chicago platform:
'It is the most astounding programme
that great party ever laid before this
people. 1t Is so obnoxious to common
sense that one asks what possible reason
induces it? The answer is twofold. 1t
gives sensational cry of protection to
labor by which it is hoped to sweep in
the ignorant and unthinking. But,
gentlemen, the decisive force in Ameri-
can politics is the vote that is neither
ignorant nor unthinking! And, second
ly, it is concession to a great moneyed
those manufacturers who. |
in their eagerness for greater profits, are
blind alike to justice and to expediency,