Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-09-03
DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORM
Adopted by the Democratic state Con.
yent,on at Little Rock,
June 14tl, 1892.


THE PLATFORM.
We, tho delegates of tho Democrrtlc party
of the State OF Arkansas, assembled in con
vention at Little Rock, d clare that the SUI
preme issue OF the day is the reform OF the
administration of the Government; and that
the people can safely trust the party foun led
by Jefferson, and whose principles were en-
phasized in the splendid, patriotic and nom
sectional administration of Grover Q eve-
land.
We denounce the Republican, party for
its fragrant 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 eorrup-
ton fund; largely lvied upon Government
fayorites by those before and since, close,
personally and officially. TO the chief bene-
iiciary, that party Immediately enter,d upo-
crusade of tyrany, fraud and prehigste
extravaganza never before ventured upon by
any party IN times of peace.
1t found the treasury with a large and
daily increasing surplus, and in times OF
great depression, accompanied by the uni
versal demand for relief from the burdens
of taxation, it dlssipsted the surplus by
making annual appropriations If S5O0.OO0.-
900, largely for unnecessary and utterly in
defeEsible purposes, and thereby failed to
meet and discharge the maturing bonded in
debtedposs of the Government, and now finds
itself confronted with an imminent deticisn-
cy. Moreover, it made many of its appro-
priations permanent, for no other purpose,
than to prevent the people from correcting
tie 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
Knley 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 perpetrated.
1t deprived States OF their just representa-
ton by Ease census.
1t deprived, in the most insolent and ar
btrary 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 ections and choose their
own servants by tho enactment of the in
lannon's and execrablc force bill.
1t treated with utter contempt all IDEAS OF
economy and honesty, both in its pension
legislation and in its administration of that
bureau.
1t rejected Democratic territories and adj
mitted Republican territories in order TO re-
tain party supremacy.
This regime of tyranny, extravaganza and
rong-d6ing, contrasted with the clean,
honest, prudent and wise administration of
Grover Cleveland, brought upon the ReEub-
| lican party the most stupendous defeat that
ever befell any party in this country, and
| inspired anew with confidence and hope all
the people in the possibility Of preserving
| free COVE rnment for mankind.
We declare our abiding fidelity to the
| Constitution of the United States in its let
ter and spi it.
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
erpl 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
|
| millions of the public domain upon railroads
fostering legislation, the legitimate offspring
OF which has been combinations and trusts,
expressing the labor it professed 70 protect
and 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
world closed to the fruits of honest toll.
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 legisa-
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 1t because it does not in
crease wages. but surrenders the taxing pow
or 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 ths Government into the means OF
| plundering all for the benefit of r class.
| We denounce 1t because it lnaugurated
| 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, pay boun-
| ties to select industries.
We denounce it because it destroys the in
| dependence and self-relance of the people,
which is a National characteristic, and
and teaches them TO iely upon governments
| tai favoritsm.
We denounce it because the inevitable
tendency OF this system is the destruction OF
popular government, in the debauchment OF
the ballot, by tribute extorted from favored
classes, whose enormous bountes depend
upon the continuance of the system itself
We declare that the mission Of tho Demo-
cratic party is 10 so reform the tariff by q
reduction Of taxation as to limit the revenues
of the Government TO its absolute necessi.
ties when economically administered, and to
so frame its tariff schedules as to place the
burdens OF government upon the luxuries
and not npon the nccessrrios of lite.
We favor safe and sufficient currency
composed OF gold and silver and legal tender
paper, comfortable into coin on demand, and
maintained at par with each other
We declare 1t to be the duty Of the Demo
cratic purity to preserve tho parity in value
of gold and silver, and 10 provide the meanl
by the equal and fair treatment of both met
ais.
We denounce the Sherman Silver bill al
an obstruction to the fair treatment Of silver
and as sham and a pretense, intended Il
postpone honest honest legislation and t.
appease the silver producers while giving ne
relief to the people. s.. s N
We declare our purpose to continue L
maintain, support and develop our publ,
anhnnla In iha iniarnst of nnnnral intnll inon a,