Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-08-12
National Democratic Platform.

The representatives of the Democratic
party of the United States, in National
Convention assembled, reailirm their
alleglence to the principles of the party
as formulated by Jefferson and exempli-
fed 10y Il long and illustrious line of sue.
cessors in Democratic leadership from
Madison To Cleveland. We believe the
public welfare demands that these prin-
ciples be applied to the conduct OF the
federal government through tho aCces-
sion to power of The party that advocates
them; and we solemnly declare that need
of return to these fundamental principles
Of Tree popular government, based on
home rule and individual liberty was
never more urgent than now, when the
tendency to centraliZe all power at the
federal capital has becone, a. LnepYce. Ia
strikes at the roots of our government
under the constitution as framed 10y the
fathers of the republic.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
We warn the people OF our common
country, jealous for the preservation OF
their free institutions, that the policy of
federal control of elections, to which the
Republican party has committed itself, is
fraught with the gravest danger, scarcely
less momentous than would result from
revolution practically establishing
monarchy on the runs of the republic
1t strikes at the North as well as the
South, and Injuries the cOlOred citizen
more than the white: it means hordeS of
armed deputy marshals at every polling
place, returning boards appointed and
controlled by federal authorities, outrage
of the electoral rights of the people i'll the
States, subiugation of the colOrcd people
to the control of the party i'll power, and
reving race antagOniSm, now happily
abated. of the utmost danger to the safety
and happine SIS of all; measure deliber-
ately and justly described by leading Re-
publicans as the most infamous bill that
ever crossed the threshold of the Senate.
Such policy, If sanctioned by law,
would mean the dominance of a Self-per-
petuating oligarchy of Office holders, and
the party first intrusted with the machin-
ery could be diSlOdged from power only
by an appeal to the reserved rights of the
people to resist oppression, which is inner
ent in all self.gOverning communities
Two years ago this revolutionary policy
was emphatically condemned 10y the peo-
pie at the polls; but in contempt of that
verdict the Republican party has defiant
iy declared in its latest authOrative utter
ances that its success in the coming elec-
tions will mean the enactment of force
bill and usurpation OF despotic control
oyer elections in all States. Believing
that the preservation of Republican gov
ernment is dependent upon the defeat of
a policy of legalizvd force and fraud we
invite the support of all citizens who dc.
sire to see the constitution maintained
in its integrity, with the laws pursuant
thereto, which have given our country a
hundred years of unexampled prosperity.
THE TARIFF.
We denOunce Republican protection as
fraud on the labor of the great majority
| of the American people for the benefit OF
n few. We declare it to be the fundamen-
| tai principle of the Democratic party that
| the federal government has no constitu-
/ IN
duties except for the purpose of revenue
| only, and we demand that the collection
| of such taxes shall be limited to the me-
essities of the government when honest
! ly and ecOmically administered We de-
nounce the Mckinley tariff law as the
eliminating atrocity of class legislation.
| We indorse the efforts of the Democrats
OF the present congress to modify its most
oppressive features in the direction OF
! free raw material aud cheaper manufact'
ed goods that enter into consumption
and we promise repeal of that law as one
of the beneticeLt results that will follow
the action of the people in intrusting pow
er to the Democratic party. Since tho
Mckinley tariff went into operation there
have been ten reductions in the wages o
laboring men to one increase. The pros
perity of the country since the tariff went
into operation has gone to the point o.
duliness, and the distress following wage
reductions and strikes in the iron trade
| is the best evidence that no prosperity
has resulted from the Mckinley act. We
call the attention of thoughtful Ameri'
cans to the fact that after thirty years OF
| of foreign goods i'll exchange for our az
| ricultural surplus, the homes and farms
OF the country have beceme burdened
with real estate mortgages OF over 81. 5OO
OOO, COO, exclusive of all other forms of in
debtednesS; that in one of the chief agri
| of
real estate mortgages averaging Sl65 pei
capita for the total population, and thai
similar conditions are shown to exist In
other agricultural exporting States. We
denounce that policy which fosters no in
dustry so much as it does that OF the
Sheriff. Trade interchange on the basis
of reciprocal advantages to the countrie.
participating is a time-honored doctrine
of Democratic faith, but we denOunce tn,
sham reciprocity which iuggles with the
peoples desire for enlarged foreign mar
kets and freer exchanges by proposing t,
establish closer trade relations for a coun
try whose articles of export are aim os
exclusively agricultural products will
other countries that are also agriculture
while erecting custom.house barrier o
prohibitive tariff taxes against the riches
countries of the world. that stand read.
to take our entire surplus products an.
exchange therefor commodities whicl
are necessaries and comforts OF lif
among our people.
TRUSTS.
We recognize trusts and combination
which are designed to enable capital l.
secure:more than its just share OF the join
product of capital and labor, as a natura
consequence of prohibitive taxes this
prevent free competition. which is the lii
Of honest trade, but believe their wors
evils can be abated by law, and we d,
mand rigid enforcement OF the law
made to prevent and control them. Z