Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-08-02
National Democratic Platform
Adopted ny The National Democratic
Convention at Chicago, June
21st, 1892.

their allegiance to the principles of the par
ty as formulate by Jefferson and ezempli-
fed by long and iluStrious line of his sue
cessors in Democratic leadership from Mad
ison to Cleveland. We believe that the pub
lie welfare demand: that these principles be
applied to tho conduct OF the Federal Gov
eminent through the accession to power OF
the party that advocates them; and we sol.
EMMY declare that the need of a return to
these fundamental principles of free pop
ular government based on home rule and
individual liberty was never more than now,
when the tendency to cen.ralize all power
at the Federal Capital has become a 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.
Az 70 THE FORCE BILL.
Sec. 2. We warn the people OF our com
ION 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 the gravest dangers, scarcely
less momentous that would result from
revolution, practically establishing monar-
civ en- the ruins of the Republic.
II strikes at the North rs well rs the South
and INJURIES the colored citizens even more
than the whites. 1t means a horde Of dep
uty marshals ut every polling place, armed
with Federal power, returning boards APP
pointed and controlled by Federal author
ity, the outrage OF the electoral rights OF the
people in the several States, the subjuggtion
OF the coored people to the control Of the
parry in power and tie reviving Of race an
tagonism, now happily abated, of utmost
peril to the safety and happiness OF all;
measure deliberately and justly described by
a 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 sell perpetuating oligarchy OF office
holders, and the party first entrusted with
its 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 selt-goyerning communities
Two years ago this revolutionary power
was emphatically CONDEMNED by the people
at the polls; but in contempt Of that verdict
the Republican party has defantly declared
in its latest authoritative utterance that its
succe In the coming election will mean
the enactment of the force bill and the usur-
patton Of des uotie control over elections in
all the States.
Believing that tse preser alton of repub-
lican government in the United States is
dependent upon tie defeat Of this policy Of
legalizod force and fraud, We invite The
support Of II 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 W. pledge the Democratic
party, it il De int uFted with power, not
only to the defeat OF the force bill, but also
to resembles opposition to the Republican
policy of proaigate expenditure, which in
the short space OF two vars has squandered
an enormous surp lis and emptled an over.
flowing treasury after piing new burdens OF
taxation upon the already oyertaxed labor
OF the country
TARIFF TAXATION.
Sec. B. We denounce Republican pro-
lection us a fraud. Tn" 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-
stitutional power to impose and collect tariff
duties, except tor the purposes Of revenue
only, and we demand that the collection o.
such taxes shall be limited to the necessities
of the Government wien honestly and econ
.omlcally administered.
We denounco the Mckinley tariff law en-.
acted by the Fitty-first Congress as thu cul
.minating atrocity of class legislation; we in
dorse the efforts made by the Democrats OF
The present Congress to modify its most OPP
.pcessve features in the direction of free raw
materials and cheaper manufactured goods
that enter into general consumption, and we
promise It's repeal as one Of the beneticant
results that will follow the action Of the
people in ntCustng power to the Democrat
&c party. Since the Mckinley tantf went
into operation there have been ten Ieduc-
tions of the wages Of laborng 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 dizziness and distress which wage reduc-
tons and strikes in the iron trade as the
best possible evidence that no such pros
perity 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
ierelgn wealth in exchange for our agricul-
tural surplus the homes and farms OF the
country have become burdened with a real
estate mortgage debt Of over ~ 0,0O0,0OO
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 $l55 per cap
ita OF the total population; and that similar
conditions and tenderness are shown to east
in the other agricultural exporting States,
We denounce policy which fosters no in
ouS'ry 80 Duc" us IL ''oos 'i"' Vi 'ne ''oi'i'
ALLEGED RECIPROCITY
Soc. A. Trade exchange on tho basis OF
reciprocal advantages TO The countries par
tcpating is "A time -honored doctrine of the
Democratic faith, but we denouncetne sham