The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-10-25
TIE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
TEN PLAsKs IN WHICH ARE FORMULATED
THE PARTY's DOCTRINE.

TEN PLANKs IN WHICH ARE FORMULATED
THE PARTYs DOCTRINE.
The following is tue platform adopt
cd by the Democratic State Convention:
The Democracy Of Pennsylvania, in
convention assembled, declare:
"Ffrst. That all powers not expressly
granted to the General Government are
withheld, and sacred observance OF
the rule of construction contained in
the tenth amendment to the Constitu-
ton itself is essential to the preservs-
ton OF the principles of home rule and
of pure, honest and economical govern
ment, 10 the end that labor may not be
robbed of the bread it has earned
"ISecond We applaud the action of
President Cleveland and our Demo
cratic representatives in Congress look
ing to tariff tax reform, and we re-
affirm the declaration of principles
made by the Democracy of the Union
at st. Louis in 1888, especially that de-
manding revision and reduction of
tariff taxes for the relief at once of
American labor, American industries
and American taxpayers, by the re-
peal of such tariff taxes as now invite
and protect monoroly-a greed that
lessons production, lessons employment
OF labor, decreases wages and increases
cost to consumers, and by the admis-
sion of raw material free of duty in all
cases where it will enlarge our product,
multiply our markets and increase de.
mand for labor.
"Ihird. We regard trusts, in what
ever form organized, as the result OF
the existing monopoly tariff, and we
demand the repeal of such tariff taxes
as enable them TO control domestic
production, by unlawful combination,
and to extort from the people exhorbit-
ant prices for their products.
"FOurth We accept the decision Of
the people of Pennsylvania rendered by
the ballot on the prohibitory amend
ment as declaration in favor of a
reasonable, just and effective regula-
tion OF the traffic in ardent spirits. We
hold that the agreement of the Repub.
lican party, through its Representative
in the Legislature, TO the proposed pro-
hibitory amendment to the Constitu-
ton, and its defeat at the polls in
spite of the Republican majority OF
10000 votes, are facts that establish
beyond doubt the hypocrisy of the Re-
publican leaders in their treatment OF
the question of prohibition.
"FJth. We bold the Republican
party responsible for the failure-a
failure wiliully and corruptly incurred
to enforce by appropriate legislation
the sixteenth and seventeenth articles
of the Constitution, designed to pro-
tect the land and labor, the people and
industries of this Commonwealth.
"Sirth. We hold the Republican
party responsible for the failure to pass
any law for the relief of the manual
laborers of the State of Pennsylvania,
and we recommend the enactment of
such laws as will give equal protection
and equal opportunities in every branch
OF industry TO all citizens, irrespective
of race, religion or nativity. We also
hold the Republican party responsible
for the failure of the Legislature to
consider favorably the petition of the
workingmen and farmers of this State
for the equalization of the burdens of
taxation and for relief from the ex-
actions of monopoly.
",Seuenth. We hold the Republican
party responsible for the notorious cor.
ruptions which have for many wears
prevailed in the management of the
State Treasury, for the system of de.
posting loans without interest, en-.
riching favorites of the ring by the
use of the public money and for the
hagrant violation of law by the Com
missioners of the Sinking Fund, and
we pledge the faith of the Democratic
party that the candidate this day nomi
mated will, if elected, reform these
wrongs.
"Esghth. We favor the Australian
ballot system as adapted to meet the
requirements OF our Constitution and
the special wants of our people, in
order to secure the freedom and purity
of elections menaced by the combined
power of monopoly and the corruption
of the Republican rings and bosses.
"Ninth. That the sufferers by the
recent floods have our sincere sympathy
and that while we deprecate and con,
denim the management on the part OF
the State authorities by which relief
to our sorely-afiiicted fellow citizens
has been unnecessarily DELAYED, we
urge our representatives in the Legis-
lature 10 take such constitutional action
as will give substantial relief to the
stricken communities.
"Ienh. While we favor a liberal
system of pensions to such veterans of
the late war as have been honorably
discharged, and who from wounds or
other physical infirmities have been
rendered unfit for manual or other
labor, we deem it unjust to that large
class Of those faithful soldiers of the
Union who take just pride in the
heroic achievements of their comrades
in arms that there should be added to
the pension roll the names of any who
are not qualified therefor by reason of
honorable and faithful service in the
line of duty"
LABOR REFORM.