Marble Hill press., 1892-06-30
ADOPTED
Heated Controversies Take Piaee OVer
the Tariff and Silver Planks-The
Full Text OF the Platform ~ Finally
Adopted.

assembled do reaffrm their allegiance to The
principles of the party as formulated by Jeher
son and exemplihed by the long and illustrious
line of his successors in Democratic leadership
from Madison to Cleveland. II
We believe the public welfare demands thai
these principles be applied to the conduct OF
the Federal government through the accession
to power of the party that advocates them
solemnly declaring that the need OF q return TO |
these fundamental principles OF free popular
based on home rule and individual |
liberty was never more urgent than now. when !
the tendency to centralize all power ut the |
Federal capital has become a menace 10 the re- /,
served rights of the States that strikes at the |
very roots of our government under the consti-
tntion as framed by the fathers of the Republic.
We warn the people of our common country,
Jealous for the preservation of their free inst-
tutions. that the policy OF Federal control OF
elections. to which the Republican party has
committed ITSELF is fraughl with the greatest
danger, scarcely less momentous than would
result from revolution practically establish.
ing monarcny on the ruins Of the Republic.
1t strikes at the North as well as the South,
and Injuries the colored citizen even more than
the white. 1t means a herd of deputy marsha!s
at every polling-place on the Federal power.
returning boards appointed and controlled by
Federal authority. the outrage OF the ELECTORAL
rights of the people in the several States, the
subjugation Of the colorcd people to the con-
troll of the party in power. and the reviving OF
race antagonisms now happily abated; OF the
utmost peril to the safety and happiness OF the
people. measure deliberately and justly de-
scribed by leading Republican Senator as
''the most infamous bill that ever crossed the
threshold of the Senate"
Such policy if sanctioned by law would
mean the dominance of o self perpetuating
foeRa md ha ri vrb
were intrusted with its machinery could be
dislodged from power only by an appeal to the
reserved right of the people to resist op
preston, which is inherent in all Self-gOvern-
ing communities
Two years ago this revolutionary policy was
emphatically condemned by the people at the
polls; and in contempt of the verdict the Re
publican party has defantly declared in its
latest authoritative utterance that its success
in the coming elections will mean the enact
ment of the force bill and the usurpation of
1espotic control over elections in all the
States. F
Believing that the preservation OF Republi-
can government in the United States is depen-
dent upon the defeat OF this policy Of legalized
force and fraud, we invite the support Of all
citizens who desire to see the Constitution
maintained in its integrity, with the laws pur-
suant thereto which have given Our country
hundreds of years Of unexampled prosperity;
| and We pledge the Democratic party. II it be
| intrusted with power, not only to the defeat OF
the force BILL but also to, relentless opposition
| to the Republican policy OF profligate expendi-
| ture, which in the short space OF two years has
squandered an enormous surplus and emptied
| an overfowing treasury after piling new bur
/ dens Of taxation upon the already overtaxed
1 labor OF the country.
| We dcnounce Republican protection as
| fraud. The labor Of the great majority OF the
American people for the beneht OF tne lew,
/ We declare it to be the fundamental principal
/ OF the Democratic party that the Federal gov
ernment has no constitutional power 70 impose
and collect tariff duties. except for the purpose
of revenue only. and we demand that the col
| lection OF such taxes shall be limited TO the
necessities OF the government when honestly
and economically administered
We denounce the Mckinley law enacted by
i the Fifty-irst Congress as the enormity and
atrocity OF class Legislation. We indorse the
efforts made by the Democrats OF the present
Congress to modify its most oppressive feat
ures in the direction Of free raw materials and
cheaper manufactured goods that enter into
general consumption; and we promise repeal
as one Of the beneficial results that will follow
the action Of the people In intrusting power te
the Democratic party.
Since the Mckinley tariff went into operation
there have been ten reductions OF the wages o
laboring men to one increase.
We denv that there has been any increase o
| prosperity to the country since that tarif
went into operation; and we point to the dull
ness and distress OF wage reductions ant
strikes in the iron trade as the best possible
evidence that no such prosperity has resulte'
from the Mckinley act.
} We call the attention Of thoughtful Ameri
|
strictive taxes against the importance o
foreign wealth in exchange for Our agricultural
surplus the homes of farmers Of the countr
have become burdened with realestate mort
gage debt of over 81. 800, 100000 exclusive OF al
other forms OF Indebtedness and that in on
, of She chief agricultural States Q
the West there appears real estat
! mortgage debt averaging sle5 per capita to tn
total population. and that similar condition
and tendencies are shown to exist in the othe
t agricultural exporting States.
= We denouncc policy which fosters no II
dnstry SO much as it does that OF the sheriff.
: Trade interchange on the basis of reciproca
:, advantages to the countries participating is
time-honcred doctrine OF the Democrati
faith. but we denounee the sham reciprocit
when Jugglts with the peoples desire Tor Ell
larged foreign markets and freer exchange
by pretending TO establish closer trade rela
1 NonS TOT country whose ArtlcteS Z
export are almost exclusively agricultul
al products, with other countries tina
/ are also agricultural while erecting custor
house barrier of prohibitive tariff taxes agains
l the richest countries Of the world that stan
' ready to take our entire surplus OF product
| and to exchange therefor commodities whic
, are necessaries and comforts Of life among ou
| | people We recognize in the truSts and con
binati0ns which are designed to enable capt.;
to secure more than its just share Of the joir
product of capital and labor o natural cons
| quence OF the productive taxes which prever
the free competition which is the life Of homes
8 trade but we believe their worst evils can
4 abated by law. and we demand the rigid el
forcement Of the laws made to prevent mn
Q control them, together with such further legi
| iation IN restraint Of their abuses - exper
ence may show to be necessary. VI
: The Republican party, while protesting
a policy Of reserving the public lands for sma
holdings by actual settlers, has given away "
}. peoples heritage until now 3 few railroad %
4 non.resident aliens. individual and oogpofat
I. possess larger area than We with our farm