Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1892-08-02
DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORM
Adopted by the Democratic State Con-
YentIOn ut Little Rock,
Jane 14th, 1892.
THE PLATFORM.

; THE PLATFORM.
f We, the delegates of the Democrrtic part,
of the State OF Arkansas, assembled in con
vention at Little Rock, clare that the su
preme issue OF the day is the reform OF IT,,
administration of the Government; and the
the people can safely trust the party founded
by jefferson, and whose principles were en-:
phssized in the splendid, patriotic and non
sectional administration of Grover Ceve
land.
We denounce the Republican party fol
its fragrant abuse and prostitution of power
during the last four years. Coming into tul
control of all branches of the Government
in 1888 by the use of unprecedented corrup-
ton fund; largely levied upon Government
fayorites by those before and since, close,
personally and officially, to the chief bene-
ticiary, that party Immediately entered upo,
a crusade of tyrany, fraud and pretligate
extravaganza never before ventured upon by
any party IN times of peace.
1t found the treasury with a large and
daily increasing surplus, and in times OF
great depression, accompanied by the uni
versal demand for relief from the burdens
of taxation, it dlssipated the surplus by
making annual appropriations Of S500,O00,-
| 900, largely for unnecessary and utterly in
defeLsible purposes, and thereby failed to
meet and discharge the maturing bonded in
debtedn2ss of the Government, and now finds
itself confronted with an imminent defcisn-
cy. Moreover, it made many of its appro-
priations permanent, for TO other purpose,
than to prevent the people from correcting
the evils done, so long as the Republican
party retained control of either the Senate
or Chief Magistracy of the nation.
| 1t transcribed all presidents in vicious
class legislation, in the enactment Of the Nc.
Kinley bill, and finally, frightened by the
extremities to which it had gone, sought to
appease the pubic discomfort by reciprocity
fraud, the adoption of which was a confess
sion of the iniquity it had perpetrated
1t deprived States of their just representa-
ton by ia Sc census.
1t deprived, in the most insolent ard ar
bitrary manner, and practically without an
opportunity to be heard, representatives OF
| the people of their seats in the lower House
| of Congress.
And, finally drunk with its own excuses,
it sought 70 perpetuate the wrongs it had
done by depriving the people Of the right to
hold their own elections and choose their
lannon's and execrabe force bill.
1t treated with utter contempt all ideas Of
economy and honesty, both in its pension
legislation and in its administration of that
bureau.
1t rejected Democratic territories and ad-
mitted Republican territories in order to re-
tain party supremacy.
This regime Of tyranny, extravaganza and
la,,, tod fhn nln
honest, prudent and wise administration Of
Grovel Cleveland, brought upon the Rel ub-
lican party the most stupendous defeat that
,yer befell any party in this country, and
inspired anew with confidence and hope all
the people in the possibility Of preserving
tree government for mankind.
We declare our abiding fidelity to the
Constitution ofthe United States in its let
ter and spi it.
We declare our faith in the capacity of
the people for self-government and in their
inherent right to enjoy it, free from all Fed
ersl interference,
We denounce the Republican party be-
cause it turned its back upon the interests
of the great masses Of society, and sound,
stable government for all, and allied its for
tunes with corporate we,lth, squander ug
millions of the public domain upon rairoads
fostering legislation, the legitimate offspring
d which has been combinations and trusts,
expressing the labor it protested 70 protect
| and fastening ever increasing burdens on
agriculture, until the homes of the people in
great sections Of the country are covered
| with mortgages, and the markets of the
world closed to the fruits of honest toll.
We denounce the Mckinley tariff as a
crime against honest government and flee
people, not only because it levies an unnec-
essary tax and thereby imposes wantoD and
cruel burdens on the people, but because it
| destroys the markets for their Surplus pro-
ducts.
We denounte it because it is class leglsla-
lion, enacted in the interest of the favored
few, who are wealthy, and at the expense
and for the oppression OF the greet mass of
the people.
We denounce it because it does not in
crease wages, but surrenders the taxing pow
or of the Government to the manufacturers,
| and leaves it to the employers to determine
whether they will divide the immense boun-
ty it yields With those they employ.
We denounce it because it is an abuse
and perversion Of the taxing power of the
| Constitution which was intended to be
| used to raise necessary revenue for the sup
! port OF this Government, into the means Of
plundering all for the benefit Of class.
We denounce it because it lnaugurated
| for the first time in free Government, the
| practice of taking from the public treasury
the oney collected for public purposes
| from all the people, and with it, pay boun-
| ties to select industries.
We denounce it because it destroys the in
| dependence and selfreliance Of the people,
| which is a National characteristic, and
and teaches them to rely upon government
| tal favoritsm.
We denounce it because the inevitable
| endency OF this system is the destruction Of
popular government, in the debauchment OF
the ballot, by tribute extorted from favored
| Glasses, whose enormous 5ounties depend
| upon the continuance of the system self.
We declare that the mission If tbs Demo-
cratic party is 10 SO reform the tariff by a
| reduction IF taxation as to limit the revenues
of the Government to its absolute necessi
ties when economically administered, and to
so frame its tariff schedules as to place the
burdens Of government upon the luXuries
and not npon the necessrries of lite.
We favor safe and sufficient currency,
| OOhposeu vi Solu anu SILVER anu leSal belueI
! paper, convertible into coin on dem md, and
maintained at par with each other.
v g declare 1t to be the duty Of the Demo-
cratic party to preserve the parity iE value
OF gold and silver, and TO provide the means
by the equal and fair treatment of both met
ais.
We 1enounce the Sherman Silver bill as
an obstruction TO the fair treatment of silver
and as sham AMI q pretense, intended to
postpone honest honest legislation and to
appease the silver producers while giving no
relief to the people.
We declare our purpose to continue to
maintain, support and develop our public
schools in the interest Of general intelligence