The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1892-10-14
STATE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
Adopted at the Gubernatorinl Convention
August ., 1892.

August y, 1897
The Democracy of Tennessee, in State
convention assembled, reafirming an
abiding faith in the great truths Of human
liberty and constitutional government an
nounced by the author Of the declaration
Of American independence, illustrated by
him in his administration Of the Federal
Government, and inculcated by his State
papers and by his wise teachings, and
since, in the varying conditions of our ma
tionaI life, promulgated and enforced in
national Democratic platforms and adj
ministrations, hereby indorse the latest
utterances of the national Democracy as
embraced in the platform adopted at Chi
cage.
Embodying therein the fundamental
and unchanging truths of constitutional
representative freedom, the national De
mocracy placed thereon as candidates for
President and Vice-President Grover
Cleveland and Adlai f. Stevenson, men
worthy OF the faith Of the party; fully
qualified to be its opponents before free
people, and thoroughly equipped to eXer-
else the sacred functions of the high Off
ces for which they have been NOMINATED.
This convention of Tennessee Democ-
racy heartily and ungrudgingly indorse
their nomination and candidacy, because
freemen can trust men who believe that
"Public office is public trust" that con
stitutional government is an agency Of
the people; that taxation in whatever
form or guise, beyond the plain needs Of
government economically administered,
is robbery of the people; that the terror
of bayonets and the infamy of force bills
around the ballot boxes of ireemen are
not the safeguards OF honest elections
and independent States; that class legs-
lation, however framed, and paternalism,
however yelled, are the source of monop-
oily, and its enhenched fortress, whence
either boldly or secretly, come the men
ace to pure government and the corrupt
ing poison that emasculates individual
manhood; and who, believing these eter-
nal truths, will exemplify their virtues in
the performance of their administrative
duties and in the exercise of their official
powers.
With respect to State affairs, the De-
mocracy has no wish or purpose incon'
sistent with the rights Of the people and
the highest welfare OF our State. 1t has
no secrets and will conceal no aim ir
! vague words or behind'iniirect methods
We, therefore, declare for an economical
State Government, and that economy
shall rule in so far as our party can Sc
cure it, in all departments and subdiyis
ions Of our State government, so that thC
l product of labor may remain for those
T who made it.
: ID Labor in its various forms is thu
: source of individual wealth and the basis
) of vigorous Statehood, and that labo
: may receive its own it must not be unde
7 duress from convict labor and its corpor
: ate organization We, therefore, favo
f the abolition of the penitentiary lease
S system at the earliest date legally per
t missible, and the erection, at a prope
{ place, of prison of sufficient dimension
4 to hold our convcts, and constructed witt
g reference to their classification, SO tina
: youths and those convicted of the Jesse
ofenses shall not be subjected to the as
: ISOLATION and influences of the abandone
g and hardened criminals. While our pens
g institutions and theirmanagement shoul
S be founded in humanity and prompted b
= the aim Of reformation, still their supper
S should come from the labor of those L
: gally confined in them, and not from
70 tax upon the honest people and industrC
e Of the State.
If (2) Taxation, to be just and in ACCORD
II ance with the Constitution, should /
4 equa! and uniform, We therefore deman
IS that ourrevenue system shall be regulate
II in conformity to this plain dictate Of jul
e tice and equally plain provision of IL
r Constitution. Double taxation is obno,
II ious to sound principle, and the valuatio
r of property should not determine Il
e emoluments Of its assessors. We pledg
lie our party to the reduction of the rate
er taxation and the retrenchment of Sta
s. expenses rather than to exercise the pc,
g ers of government in searching out ne
a. and untounded sources Of taxation upC
er the people to meet extravagant expend
II lures.
ut (S) Allpublic and quasi-public agenci
ty and corporations owe duties to the publ
- -. = - Al. -. Il. -. I