Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-07-23
National Democratic Platform
Adopted by the National Democratic
Convention at Chicago, June
21st, 1892.

their allegiance to the principles OF the par
ty as formulate by Jefferson and ezempli-
fed By long and illustrious line of his sue
cessors in Democratic leadership from Mad
ison to Cleveland. We believe that the pub
lie welfare demands that these principles be
applied to the conduct OF the Federal Gov
eminent through the accession to power of
the party that advocates them; and we sol
EMMY declare that the need of a return to
these fundamental principles Of q free pop
ulsr government based on home rule and
individual liberty Yves never more than now,
when the tendency to centralize all power
at the Federal Capital hiss become menace
to the reserved rights of the States that strike
al the very roots Of our Government under
the Constitution rs framed by the Republic.
As 70 THE FORCE BILL.
Sec 2, We warn the people of our COM
mon country, jealous for the preservation OF
their free institutions, that the policy of Fed
eral control OF elections 10 which the Re-
publican party has committed itself, is
fraught with the gravest dangers, scarcely
less monentous that would result from
revolution, practically establishing monar-
civ en- the ruins of the Republic.
1t strikes at the North as well as the South
and Injuries thu colored citizens even more
than the whites. 1t means horde of dep
uty marshals at every polling place, armed
with Federal power, returning boards APP
pointed and controlled by Federal author
ity, the outrage OF the electoral rights OF the
people in the several States, the subjugation
of the coored people to the control of the
parry in power and the reyiving Of race an
tagonism, nov happily abated. the utmost
peril to the safety and happiness of all; a
measure deliberately and Justly described by
leading Republican Senator "as the most
infamous bill that ever crossed the thresh
old of the Senate" Such policy, if sane
toned by law, would mean the dominance
of a self -perpetuating oligarchy of office
holders, and the party first entrusted with
its machinery could be dIslodged from pow
or only by an appeal to the reserved right
OF the people TO resist oppression which is
inherent in all selt-goyerning communities.
Two years ago this revolutionary power
WAS emphatically CONDEMNED by the people
at the polls; but in contempt Of that verdict
the Republican party has defantly declared
in its latest authoritative utteranco that its
succe 10 the coming election will mean
the enactment of the force bill and the usur-
patton of des ootic control over elections in
all the States.
Believing that the preser- alton of repub-
lican government in the United States is
dependent upon the defeat Of this policy of
legslized force and fraud, We invite the
support Of I'll citizens who desire to see the
Constitution maintained IN its integrity with
the laws pursuant thereto which have given
our country hundred years OF unexampled
prosperity; and we pledge the Democratic
party, if il be init listed with power, not
only to the defeat of the force bill, but also
to resembles opposition to the Republican
policy of pro1igate expenditure, which In
the short space OF two years has .squandered
an enormous surp US and emptled an over
flowing treasury after piling new burdens of
taxation upon the already oYertaxed labor
of the country
TARIFF TAXATION.
Sec g. We denounce Republican pro-
lection as fraud. The robbery of the great
majority OF the American people for the
benefit Of The few. We declare it to be
fundamental principle of the Democratic par
tv that the Federal Government has no con-
gtitutional power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except for the purposes Of revenue
only, and we demand that the collection Of
such taxes shall be limited to the necessities
Of the Government when honestly and econ
omically administered.
We denouuce the Mckinley tariff law en-
acted by the FiIty-frst Congress as the cul
minating atrocity of class legislation; we in
dorse the efforts made by the Democrats OF
the present Congress TO modify its most OPP
presslve features in the direction of free raw
materials and cheaper manufactured goods
that enter into general consumption, md we
promise Its repeal as one Of the benetlcent
results that Will fOi9V TIE action OF the
people in lntrp,.lg powerto the Democrat
&c party. Since the Mckinley tariff went
into operation there have been ten Ieduc-
tions Of the wages of laboring men TO one
increase. We deny that there has been any
increase Of property to the country since
that tariff went into operation; VIC point to
the dizziness and distress which wage reduc-
tions and strikes in the iron trade as the
best possible evidence that no such pros
perity has resulted from the McKilley act.
We call the attention OF thoughtful Amer
leans TO she fact that after thirty years of
restrictive taxes against the importation OF
fereign wealth in exchange for our agrcul-
tural surplus the homes and farms Of the
country have become burdened with real
estate mortgage debt of over So 500, 100000
exclusive Of all other forms Of indebted
ness; that in one Of the chief agricultural
States of the West there appears a real es-
tate mortgage debt averaging $l65 per cap
ita o. the total population; and that similar
conditions and Tenderness are shown to exist
in the other agricultural exporting States.
We denounce policy when fosters no in
dustry 50 much as it does that Of the sheriff.
ALLEGED RECIPROCITY.
Sec 4. Trade exchange on tho basis OF
reciprocal advantages to the countries par
tcipating is tme-bonored doctrine of the
Democratic faith, but we denounce the sham
reciprocity which juggles with the peoples
desire for enlarged foreign markets and
freer exchange by pretending to establish
closer trade relations with country whose
articles Of export are almost exclusively ag-
ricultural products with other countries that
are also agricultural, while erecting u GUS
tom house barrier ofprohibitlve tariff taxes
81, aipst the richest countries Of the world
tbst etDnd ready to take our entire surplus
Of nro dlcts and to exchange therefor COM
moditie vince are necessarles and comforts
of life am,1 ng our own people
AGAINST TRUSTS.
Sec. s. We recognize in the trusts and
combinations which are designed TO enable
capital to secure more than its just share OF
tho Joint product of capital and labor and
natural consequence of the prohibitve taxes
which prevent the FREQ competition, which
is the lie Of honest trade; but we believe
their worst evils can DO abated by law, and
we demsnd the rigid enforcement Of the laws
made to control and prevent thom, together
with such further legislation in restraint OF
their abuses rs experience may show to BIO
necessary.
REPUBLICAN LAND STEALS.