Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-07-11
WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC PLAT
FORM is ON THE TARIFF.

The plank or resolution in the dem
ocratic platform which was prepared
by the committee on resolutions, and
which is known as the ''straddle'' is
as follows:
Sec. 3. We reiterate the oft-repeat-
ed doctrines of the Democratic party
that the necessity of the government
is the only justification for taXat1on,
and whenever tax is unnecessary 1T
is uniustifable; that when custom
house taxation is levied upon articles
of any kind produced in this country,
the difference between the cost of Ia
Dor here and labor abroad, when such
a difference exists, fully measures any
possible benefits to labor, and the
enormous additional impositiOns of
the existing tariff fall with crushing
force upon our farmers and working
men, and for the mere advantage Of
the few whom it enriches, exact from
labor grossly unjust share of the ex-
penses of the government; and we
demand such q revision of the tariff
as will remove their iniquitous in
equalities, tighten their expressions,
III and put them on constitutional and
Equitable basis.
But, in making reduction in taxes,
lit is not proposed to injure any do
mestic industries, but rather to pro
mote their healthy growth. From the
Foundation of this government taxes
collected at the custom house have
been the chief source of federal rev
lenue. Such they must continue to be-
Moreover, many industries have come
ITO rely upon legislation for successful
Continuance, SO that any change of
llaw must be at every step regardful
of the laborland capital thus involved.
IfThe process of reform must be sub
Ihect in the execution to this plain
idictate of Justice.
When the above was reported the
convention was in furor of opposi-
|tion and Mr.. Neal of Ohio substituted
Ihs an amendment the following:
We denounce the Republican pro
tection as a fraud upon the labor of
Hthe great majority of the American
7people for the benefit of the few.
Ill We declare it to be a fundamental
principle of the Democratic party
that the federal government has no
constitutional power to impose and
0eollect tariff duties, except for the
purposes ofrevenue only, and we de-
hnand that the collection of such tax
Hpf the government when honestly and |
Economically administered.
# We denOunce the Mckinley tariff |
law enacted by the Fifty-first Con-
bress as the eliminating atrocity of !
klass legislation; we indorse the eff |
Forts made by the democrats of the |
present congress to modify its most |
Oppressive features in the direction of |
tree raw materials and cheaper man
#hfactured goods that enter into gen
Rral consumption; and we promise |
Its repeal as one of the beneficent re-
bults that will follow the action of the |
people in intrusting power to the I
Democratic party.
II The above as a substitute is purely I
Ind simply free trade declaration,
hnd it was adopted by majority of
R22.
The plank proposed by the commit
i tee, as vii be seen above, showed a
tlesire to promote the healthy
krowth" of domestic industries, and
Recognized the fact that ''many in
5lustries have come to rely upon leg
3slation for successful continuance''-
Iuaight republican doctrine, but dele
hates from the South and Southwest
buried this idea out of sight. AS the