The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-30
THE PLATFORM
BY THE RECENT NATIONAL
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
"A Ringing Arrangement OF tho Kepubn-
can Party for Robbing the People
Through the Operation of tho NIcI<inlsy
Tarin Law--A Strong Document.
CHICAGO, June 23.-The following
is the platform of the National Demo-
cracy as read before the Convention ycs-
tcrday:
Section |. Representatives Of the
Democratic party Of the United States,
in national convention assembled, do
rcaflirm their allegiance to the PRINCIPLES
OF the party as formulated by Jefferson
and eXemplilied by the long and illus.
trlous line OF his successors in Demo"
cratic leadership, from Madison to
Cleveland; we believe the public well
fare demands that these principles be
applied TO the conduct OF the Federal
government through accession to the
power OF tho party that advocates them;
and we solcninly declare that the need
OF return to the principles OF free popu-
lar government, based on home rule
and Individual liberty, was never more
| urgent than now. when the tendency to
| centralize all power at tic Federal Cap
| ltal has become 4 menace to the reserved
| rights OF States that strikes at tue very
roots CT our government under the Con-
stiLutiOn as framed by the fathers Of the
republic.
Sec. =. We warn the people of our
| common country, Jealous for the prcscr-
walton Oftheir free institutions, that the
| policy Of Federal control Of elections,
to which the Republican party has COM
mitted itself, is iraught with the gravcst
! dangers, scarcely less momcutous than
| would result from q revolution practi-
cally establishing Il monarchy on the
ruins OF republic.
1t strikes AT the North as well as the
South and Injuries Colorcd citizens even
moro than white; il means Il horde OF
deputy marshals at every pollin place
armed with Federal authority; outrage
OF the electoral rights of the people in
several States; subjugation of the COL
ored people in control of the party in
power and the rcvivinG OF race antagon-
lsms now happily abatcd; OF the most
peril to safety and happiness Of all;
measure deliberately and justly dcscrlb-
ed by leading Republican Senator as
"thc most infamous bill that ever
crossed the threshold Of the Senate"
Such policy, If sanctioned by law,
would mean the dominan &c Of self
perpetuating oli"archy Of ollicc-holders,
and the party first entrusted with It's
machinery could be dislodgcd from
power only 10y an appeal to the reserved
rights OF the people to resist opposition
which is inherent in oil seli-goVeminy
communities.
Two years ago this revolutionary
policy was cmphatically condemned by
the people at the polls; but in contempt
OF that verdict the Republican party has
deiiantly declared in It's latest authorlta-
tive ut:erancc that its success in the
coming elections will mean the enact
ment of force bill and the usurpation
OF despotic control over elections in all
the States. Believing that the pleser.
vation OF republican government in
| the United States is dependent upon this
| policy OF legaliZcd force and fraud, we
invite The support OF all citizens who de-
sire to sec the Constitution maintained
in It's integrity with the laws pursuant
| thereto which have given our country
an Hundred years OF uncXamplcd pros
peuty. and VIC pledge the Democratic
party, II 1t be entrusted with the power.
not only TO the defeat Of the force bill,
but also TO relentless opposition to the
Republican policy of Droilgatc cXpendl-
lure, which, IN the short space of two
years, has sQuandercd an enormous sur
plus and emptiCd an OVcriloWin9 treas.
ury after piling new burdens OF taxation
upon the already OVcr-tnXcd labor OF
| The country.
Sec. ). We reitcrate the Ott-rcpcated
declaration ofthc Democratic party that
the necessity Of the government is the
only justification for taxation, and
whenever tax is unnecessary, it is un-
lustliablc; thai when the custom house
| taxation Is levied upon articles Of any
KIND produced in this country, dileren-
ces between the cost of labor hero and
labor abroad, when such difference eX-
lists, fully measures any possible bcnc-
llls TO labor, and the enormous addition
al imposition of the existing tarin fall
with crushln.: force upon our farmers
and Worklngmen, and for the mere adj
vantage OF few whom it cnriches and
exact from labor grossly unjust share
OF the expenses of the government, and
we demand such revision of the tariff
laws as will remove their iniquitous ine-
qualities, tighten their expressions and
| put thcm on constitutional and eUuit.
able basis. But III making reduction
in taxes, it is not proposed TO injurc any
| domestic industries, but rather to pro-
mote their healthy growth. From the
| foundation OF this government the taxes
collected at the custom house have been
the chief source of Federal revenue.
Such they must continue to be.
Moreover, many industries have come
to rely upon legislation for csslul
continuance, so that any changes of
law must be at every step rcgardlul of
the labor and capital thus involved.
This process Of reform must be the sub.
jcct in the execution Of this plain die
tate of justice.
We dcnouncc the Mckinley tariff law
enacted by the Fitty.lirst Congress as
The eliminating atrOcity Of class lcgis-
laton; we endorse the efforts made by
the Democrats of the present Congress
to modify Its most oppressive features