Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-07-21
National Democratic Platform
Adopted by the National Democratic
Convention at Chicago, June
21st, 1892.

National Convention assembled, do rea1Erm
tbeir allegiance to the principles of the par
ty as formulate by Jefferson aud ezempli-
fed by long and illustrious line of his sue
cessors In Democratic leadership from Mad
ison to Cleveland. We believe that the pub
lie welfare demands that these principles be
appled to the conduct OF the Federal Gov
eminent through the accession to power OF
the party that advocates them; and wo sell
emnlv declare that the need of return 10
these fundamental principles of free pop
Mar government based on home rule and
Individual liberty was never more than now,
when the tendency to centralize all power
at the Federal Capital has become menace
to the reserved rights Of the States that strike
at the very roots of our Government under
the Constitution as framed by the Republic
A.To THE FORCE BILL.
Sec. 2, We warn the people Of our com
mon country, Jealous for the preservation OF
their free institutions, that the policy OF Fed
eral control OF elections, to which the Re
publican party has committed Itself, Is
fraught with tue gravest dangers, scarcely
less momentous that would result from
revolution, practically establishing monar-
chy en- the ruins of the Republic.
IL strikes Nv Inc ~ vi DC WOii &c S+O CONsp
and INJURIES tho colored citizens even more
tfan the whites. 1t means horde of dep
utv rnarshals at every polling place, armed
with Federal power, returning boards ap-
pointed and controlled by Federal author
ity. the outrage OF the electoral rights OF the
people in the several States, the subiugation
Of the colored people to The control of the
marry in power and tie reviving of race an
taeonlsm, now happily abated, Of the utmost
peril to the safety and happiness of ALI a
measure deliberately and Justly described by
leading Republican Senator "as the most
Infamous bill that ever crossed the thresh
old of the Senate" Such policy, if sane
toned by law, would mean the dominance
OF a self -perpetuating oligarchy of office
holders, and the party first entrusted with
is machinery could be dlslodged from pow
or only by an appeal to the reserved right
OF the people to resist oppression which is
Inherent in all self-governing communities.
Two years ago this revolutionary power
wss enphatically condemned by the people
at the polls; but In contempt of that verdict
the Republican party has defantly declared
ia its latest authoritative utteyance that its
succe S In the coming election will mean
the enactment of the force bill and theu
patton of despotic control over elections in
all the States.
Believing that the preser alton of repub-
lican government in the United States is
dependent upon the defeat of this policy OF
legalized force and fraud, We invite the
support of I'll citizens who desire to see the
Constitution maintained IN its integrity with
the laws pursuant thereto which have given
our country hundred years OF uneXsmpled
prosperity; and we pledge the Democratic
party, if il be init listed with power, not
0aly to the defeat of the force blu, but also
TO resembles opposition to the Republican
policy of prohigate expenditure, which in
the short space OF two years has squandered
an enormous surp us and emptled an over
flowing treasury after piing new burdens OF
taxation upon the already oVertaxed labor
of the country
TARIFF TAXATION.
Sec. 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
fundamental principle OF the Democratic par
ty that the Federal Government has no con-
: stitutionsl power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except tor the purposes Of revenue
only, and we demand that the collection Of
such taxes shall be limited to the necessities
of the Government when honestly and econ
onlcslly 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
the present Congress to modify its most cp-
presslve features in the direction OF free raw
materials and cheaper manufactured goods
that enter into general consumption, and we
promise Its repeal as one of the beneticent
rsuts that will follow the action of the
people in lntrust'ng power TO the Democrat
ac party. Since the Mckinley tariff went
into operation there have been ten Ieduc-
lions Of the wages OF laborng men TO one
increase We deny that there has been any
increase Of property to the country since
chat tariff went into operation; we point to
Che dizziness and distress which wage redue-
lions and strikes in tho iron trade as the
best possible evidence that no such pros
perity has resulted from the Mckinley act.
Ne call the attention OF thoughtful Amer
leans to the fact that after thirty years Of
restrictive taxes against the importation OF
ftreign wealth insexchauge for our agricul-
tural surplus the homes and farms OF the
country have become eIrdened with q real
estate mortgage debt OF over S2,60O,9OO,OUO
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 $lS5 per cap
its OF the total population; and that similar
conditions and Tenderness are shown to exist
in the othor agricultural exporting States
We denounce policy when fosters no in
dustry SO much as it docs that Of the sheriff.
ALLEGED RECIPROCITY.
Sec. 4. Trade exchange on the basis OF
reciprocal advantages TO the countries par
ticipatng is a timc-honored doctrine Of the
Democratic faith, but we denounoe the sham
Reciprocity which iuggles with the peoples
desire for enlarged foreign markets and
freer exchange by pretending to establish
closer trade relations with q country whose
articles of export are almost exclusively ag-
ricuItural products with other countries that
arc also AGRICULTURAL, while erecting GUS
tom.house barrier of prohibitiye tariff taxes
against the richest countries Of the world
tint stand ready to take our entire surplus
.of products and to exchange therefor com
unodties vince are necessares and comforts
OF life among our own people.
AGAINST TRUSTS.
Sec S. We recognize in the trusts and
combinations which are designed to enable
capital to secure more than its just share Of
the Joint product of capital and labor and
natural consequence Of the prohibtlve taxes
which prevent tho free composition, which
is the lilo Of honest trade; out we believe
their worst evils can be abated by law, and
We demand the rigid enforcement Of the laws
made TO control and prevent thom, together
witt such further legislation in restraint OF
ahcir abuse; as experience may show to be
necessary.
REPUBLICAN LAND STEALS,