Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-11-03
National Democratic Platform
,,.rtoc M the National Democratic
convention at Chicago, June
21st, 1892.

.,..tior I. The Representatives of the
SoC't.at;o marty of the United States, in
DeLnUoi Cs6yention assembled, do reatirm
Na!L' aIIagIance to the principles of the par
thelL faa,ry7ulatei by jefferson and ezempli-
ty u 10 long and illustrious line of his sue
heu ~ in democratic leadership from Mad
cassoIS cleveland. We believe that the pub
liz i;Cl welfare demands that these Prlhclples De
orIied to the conduct OF the federal GoV.
aaIpIPrent through the accession TO power OF
40 marty that advocates them; ana we sol
.no declare that the need OF return to
g.ili fundamental principles OF a free pop
!.iar government based on home rule and
u'sI;ridral liberty was never more than now,
.-iS', tbe tendency to centralize all power
S.t5e Federal Capital has become menace
a. tbe reserved rights ofthe States that strike
" The very roots of our Government under
~ ~, w T-Jonstitution as framed by the Republic
AZ 70 THE FORCE BILL.
soc. ., We warn the people of our com
.,1n country, Jealous for the preservation Of
t io free institutions, thatthe policy OF Fed
s wi control of elections, to which the Re-
1,,,b,ican party has committed itself, is
sS.oTobt with the graVest dangers, scarcely
Ia Tnonentous that would result from q
ILoo ,S practically establishing monar-
.bv On the ruins of the Republic.
0'l Il strikes at the North as well as the South
a iDinres the colored citizens even more
t G.u tbe whites. 1t means horde of dep
, s'.,, marshals at every polling place, armed
'.;{b Federal power, returning boards ap-
,",a;ntad and controlled by Federal author
~, tbo outrage OF the electoral rights OF the
IVY, in the several States, the Subjugation
~ he coIored people to the control Of the
v " in power and the reviving of race an
tPaoI1sn' now happily abated, of the utmost
,o22iI to the safety and happiness of all;
p,oosIre deliberately and Justly described by
leading Republican Senator "as the most
:,.fsn1ons bill that ever crossed the thresh'
aiJ Of the Senate" Such policy, if sane
Gonod bv law. would mean the dominance
ga sari.perpetuating oligarchy of office
5oIlars. and the party first entrusted with
ito machinery could be dlslodged from pow
nr onIv bv an appeal to the reserved right
NJ tbe people to resist oppression which is
Inherent in all self-governing communities.
Two wears ago this revolutionary power
wa. empbatically CONDEMNED by the people
Of the polls; but in contempt of that verdict
tbo Republican party has defantly declared
in its latest authoritative utterance that its
oes1n the coming election will mean
tbe enactment of the force bill and theusur-
nation of despotic control over elections in
all the States.
Believing that the preser0 alton of repub
Iicsn Government in the United States is
donendent upon the defeat of this policy OF
ioGajized force and fraud, We invite the
.rnnort Of ell citizens who desire to see the
Constitution maintained IN its integrity with
the laws pursuant thereto which have given
our country hundred years OF uneXampled
prosperity; and we pledge the Democratic
party, if it be intIusted with power, not
oDlv to the defeat Of the force bill, but also
to rosentloss opposition to the Republican
policv of prohigate expenditure, which in
The short space OF two years has squandered
an enormous surp us and emptled an over
lowing treasury after pi)ing new burdens OF
taxation upon the already oYertaxed labor
Of the country
TARIFF TAXATION.
See. 3. We denounce Republican pro-
lection as q fraud. The robbery of the great
majority OF the American people for the
benefit Of The few. We declare it to be a
fundamental principle OF the Democratic par
sy that the Federal Government has no CON
stitutonal power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except for the purposes Of revenue
onIv. and we demand that the collection Of
such taxes shall be limited to the necessities
Of the Government when honestly and econ
omCally administered.
We denounce the Mckinley tariff law en-.
acted by the Fitty-frst Congress as the cul
minating atrocity of class legislation; we in
dorse the efforts made by the Democrats OF
sbe present Congress to modify its most OPP
presgIve features in the direction OF free raw
materials and cheaper manufactured goods
that entsr into general consumption, and we
promise ITS repeal as one Of the benefcent
results that will follow the action Of the
people in lntrusting power to the Democrat
icparty. Since the Mckinley tsIitf went
into operation there have been ten reduc-
tions Of the wages of laboring men to one
increase. We deny that there has been any
increase OF property TO the country since
that tariff went into operation; we point to
the dulIness and distress which wage reduc-
tons and strikes in the iron trade as the
best possible evidence that no such pros
peritv has resulted from the Mckinley act,
We call the attention of thoughtful Amer
leans TO the fact that after thirty years Of
restrictive taxes against the importation OF
loregn wealth in exchange for our agricul-
tural surplus the homes and farms of the
country have become burdened with real
estate mortgage debt of over 81 500, OOO,OOO
exclusive Of all other forms Of indebted
ness; that in one Of the chief agricultural
States Of the West there appears real es-
tate mortgage debt averaging $3.50 per cap
TIA Of the total population; and that similar
conditions and Tenderness are shown to exist
the other agricultural exporting States.
We deDounGe policy when fosters no in
iu8try so much as it does that Of the sheriff,
ALLEGED RECIPROCITY.
Sec, 4. Trade exchange on The basis OF
reciprocal advantages TO the countries par
ycpNting is a time-honored doctrine Of the
Democratic faith, but we denounce the sham
reciprocity which juggles with the peoples
desire for enlarged foreign markets and
lIeor exchange by pretending to establish
closer trade relations with country whose
articles Of export arc almost exclusively ag-
HcuItural products with other countries that
are also agricultural, while erecting a Gus
tom'houso barrier ofprohibtive tariff taxes
against the richest countries Of the world
mat stand ready to take our entire surplus
OIL products and to exchange therefor com
modties vince are necessares and comforts
Oh lie among our own people.
AGAINST TRUSTS,
See 5. We recognize in the trusts and
combinations which are designed to enable
capital to secure more than its just share o.
hojont product Of capital and labor AND
natural consequence of the prohibitlve taxes
winch prevent the free competition, which
Is the lite Of honest trade; but we believe
.noir worst evils can be abated by law, anc
we demand the rigid enforcement Of the law
made to control and prevent them, together
T such further legislation in restraint o