The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1892-11-04
STATE DEMOCRATIC PLATFRoM.
Adopted ut the GubernatorlaI Convention
August o, 1899.

The Democracy Of Tennessee, in State
convention assembled, reailirming an
abiding faith in the great truths of human
liberty and constitutional government an
nounced by the author of the declaration
OF American independence, illustrated by
him in his administration Of the Federal
Government, and incnlcated by his State
papers and by his wise teachings, and
since, inthe varying conditions of our ma
tional life, promulgated and enforced in
national Democratic platforms and adj
ministrations, hereby indorse the latest
utterances of the national Democracy as
embraced in the platform adopted at Chi
cago.
Employing therein the fundamental
and unchanging truths of constitutional
representative freedom, the national De-
mocracy placed thereon as candidates for
President and Vice-President Grover
Cleveland and Adlai f. Stevenson, men
worthy Of the faith of the party; fully
qualified to be its opponents before free
people, and thoroughly equipped to exer-
else the sacred functions of the high Off
ces for which they have been nominated.
This convention OF Tennessee Democ-
racy heartily and ungrudgingly indorse
their nomination and candidacy, because
feemen can trust men who believe that
"Public office is public trust - thatc
stitutiohal government is an agency of
the people; that taxation in whatever
form or guise, beyond the plain needs of
government economically administered,
is robbery of the people; that the terror
of bagonets and the infamy of force bills
around the ballot boxes of freemen are
not the safeguards of honest elections
and independent States; that class legis-
lation, however framed, and paternalism,
however yelled, are the source Of monop-
oily, and its entrenched fortress, whence
either boldly or secretly, come the men
ace to pure government and the corrupt
ing poison that emasculates individual
manhood ), and who, believing these eter-
nal truths, will exempify their virtues in
the performance of their administrative
duties and in the exercise of their official
powers.
With respect to State affairs, the De-
mocracy has no wish or purpose inCon-
sistent with the rights of the people and
the highest welfare of our State. It has
no secrets and will conceal no aim in
vague words or behind indirect methods.
We, therefore, declare for an economical
State Government, and that economy
shall rule in so far as our party can Sc
cure it, in all departments and subdivis-
ions OF our State government, so that the
product of labor may remain for those
who made it.
"a Labor III its various forms is the
source Of individual wealth and the basis
of vigorous Statehood, and that labor
may receive its own'it must not be under
duress from convict labor and it's corpor-
ate organization. We, therefore, favor
the abolition of the penitentiary lease
system at the earliest date legally per-
missible, and the erection, at proper
place, Of a prison ofsutncient dimensions
to hold oupconvlcts, and constructed with
reference to their classification, so that
youths and those convicted Of the lesser
offenses shall not be subjected to the as
ISOLATION and influences ofthe abandoned
snfhardened criminals. While our pena
institutions and theirmanagement shoult
be founded in humanity and prompted by
the aim of reformation, still their supper
should come from the labor of those lie
aally confined in them, and not from !
tax upon the honest people and industries
of the State.
(2l TaKation, to be just and in accord
anee with the Constitution, should b
eonal and uniform. We therefore demand
that ourrevenue systemshall be regulated
in conformity to this plain dictate Of jus
tice and equally plain provision OF tn
Constitution. Double taxation is obnoX
ious tosound principle, and thevaluatiol
of property should not determine tn
amoluments Of its assessors. We pledg
cur party to the reduction of the rate {
taxation and the retrenchment Of Stat
expenses rather than to exercise the pow
ers of government in searching out ne
and unlounded sources Of taxation upo
the people to meet extravagant expend
lures.
49,, All public and quasi-public agencit
and corporations owe duties to the public