Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-08-31
DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORM
Adopted by the Democratic state Con.
rcntI0n at'Lit,le Rock,
Juue 18th, 1892.
THE PLATFORM.

THE PLATFORM.
We, shc delegates of the Democrtic party
of the State OF Arkansas, assembled in con
-ention at Little Rock, clare that the SUI
preme issue OF the day is tAe re'orm OF the
administration OF the Government; and that
the people can safely trust the party founded
by jefferson, and whose principles were en-
phaszed in the splendid, patriotic and non'
sectional administration of Grover Ceye-
land.
We denounce the Republican party for
its fagraut abus and prostitution of power
during the last four years. Coming into full
control of all branches of the Government
in 1888 by the use of unprecedented corrup-
ton fund; largely WED upon Government
| fayorites by those before and since, close,
personally and officially, TO the chief bene-
fciary, that party Immediately enter, d upo
a crusade of tyrany, fraud and profigate
extravaganza neveI beiore ventured upon by
any party In times of peace.
1t found the treasury with large aid
daily increasing surplus, and in times OF
great depression, accompanied by the uni
vcrsal demand for relief from the burdens
of taxation, it dissipated the surplus by
making annual appropriations # $500, 000,-
900, largely for unnecessary and utterly in
defeLsible purposes, and thereby failed to
meet and discharge the maturing bonded in
dehtedposs of the Government, and now finds
itself confronted with an imminent defcen-
cy. Moreover, it made many of its appro-
| priations permanent, for no other purpose,
than to prevent the people from correcting
the evils done, so long as the Republican
party retained control of either the Senate
or Chief Magistracy of the nation.
1t transcribed all precedents in vicious
class legislation, in the enactment of the Nc.
Kinley bill, and finally, frightened by the
extremities to which it had gone, sought to
appease the pubic discomfort by reciprocity
fraud, the adoption of which was a confess
sion Of the iniquity it had perpetratcd
1t deprived States of their just representa-
ton by a Ease census.
1t deprived, in the most insolent and ar
bitrary manner, and practically without an
opportunity to be heard, representatives OF
the people of their seats in the lower House
OF Congress.
And, finally drunk with its own excuses,
it sought to perpetuate the wrongs it had
done by depriving the people Of the right TO
hold their own elections and choose their
own servants by the enactment of the in
lannon's and exccrable force bill.
1t treated with utter contempt all ideas of
economy and honesty, both in rs pension
legislation and in its administration of that
bureau.
1t rejected Democratic territories ard adj
mitted Republican territories in order to re-
tain party supremacy.
This regime of tyranny, extravaganza and
wrong doing, contrasted with the c,esn,
honest, prudent and wise administration of
Grover Cleveland, brought upon the Rel ub-
lican party the most stupendous defeat that
ever befell my party in this country, and
inspired anew with confidence and hope all
the people in the possibility Of preserving
tree government for mankind.
We declare our abiding fidelity to the
Constitution of the United States in its let
ter and spirit.
We declare our faith in the capacity of
the people for self-government, and in their
inherent right TO enjoy it, free from all Fed
ersl interference,
We denounce the Republican party be-
cause it turned its back upon the interests
of the great masses of society, and sound,
stable government for all, and allied its for
tunes With corporate We 18th, squander ng
millions Of the public domain upon railroads
fostering legislation, the legitimate offspring
0, which has been combinations and trusts,
expressing the labor it professeo 70 protect
aud fastening ever increasing burdens on
agriculture. until the homes Of the people in
great sections of the country are covered
with mortgages, and the markets of the
al - 10 81 Ill
We denounce the Mckinley tariff as a
crime against honest government and free
people, not only because it levies an unnec-
essary tax and thereby imposes wanton and
cruel burdens on the people, but because it
destroys the markets for their surplus pro-
ducts.
We denounce it because it is class leglsla-
ton, enacted in the interest of the favored
few, who are wealthy, and at the expense
and tor the oppression OF the greet mass OF
the people.
We denounce it because it does not in
crease wages, but surrenders the taxing pow
er of the Government to the manufacturers,
and leaves it TO the employers to determine
whether they will divide the immense boun-
ty it yields With those they employ.
We denounce it because it Is an abuse
and perversion of the taxing power of the
Constitution, which was intended to be
used to raise necessary revenue for the sup
port of thu Government, into the means of
plundering all for the benefit of a class.
We denounce 1t because it lnauguratcd
for the first time in free Government, the
practice of taking from the public treasury
the money collected for public purposes
from all the people, and with it. nav boun-
ties to select industries.
We denounce it because it DESTROYS The in
dependence and self-reliance of the people,
which is a National characteristic, and
and teaches them to Iely upon government
tai favoritsm.
We denounce 1t because The inevitable
tendency OF this system is the destruction of
popular government, in the debauchment OF
the ballot, by tribute extorted from favored