South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-07-08
THE PLATFORM
Adopted BY the Democratic National
Convention.

AS AcpASoSh t8tlVCo VI Viz Dtul-
ocratic party of the United States,
In national convention mbled,
do reaffirm their allegiance to the
principles Of the party as formula
ted by Jefferson and exemplified by
the long and illustrious limo Of his
successors in Democratic leader
ship, from Madison to Cleveland;
We believe the public welfare de-
mands that these principles DO APP
piled to the conduct of the Federal
Government through the accession
to power Of the party that ad-
yocatss thor; and we solemn
ly declare that tho need of q
return to these fundamental prin-
ciples Of free popular government,
based on homo rule and individual
liberty, was never more urgent than
now, when the tendency to cent trail
ize oil power at tho Federal capital
has become menace to the reserv-
ed rights Of tho States that strikes
at the very roots OF our govern
ment under tho Constitution as
framed by the fathers of the Re-
public.
FEDERAL CONTROL OF ELECTIONS.
We warn the people of our COM
mon country. jealous for the pre-
servation of their free. institutions,
that the policy of Federal control
of elections to which the Republic
can party has committed itself is
fraught with the gravest dangers,
scarcely less momentous than would
result from a revolution practically
establishing monarchy on the ruins
of the Republic. 1t strikes at the
North as we'll as at the South, and
Injuries the colored citizen oven
moro than the white; it means a
horde of deputy marshala at every
polling place armed with 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 colored peo-
pie to the control of the party in
power and the rcviving of race an
tagonisms, now happily abated, Of
the utmost peril to the safety and
happiness of all; q measure DELHI
erately and justly described by o
leading Republican Senator as ''the
most infamous bill that ever cross
Cd the threshold OF the Senate.''
Such policy. if sanctioned by law,
would mean the dominance of q
self-perpetuating oligarchy Of Of
fee holders, and the party frat in
trusted with it's machinery coald
be dislodged from power only by
an appeal to tho reserved right OF
the people to resist oppression
which is inherent in all selt-govern-
ing communities. Two years ago
this revolutionary policy was en-
phatically condemned by the pco-
pie at the polls, but in contempt Of
that verdict the Republican patty
has defiantly declared in its latest
authoritative ntterance that its
success in the coming elections will
mean the enactment of the force
bill and the usUrpation of despotic
control over elections in all the
States.
Believing that the preservation
of republican government in the
United States il dependent upon
the defeat of this policy of legalized
force and fraud, we invite the sup
port Of all citizens who desire to
see tae Constitution maintained in
its integrity with the laws pursuant
thereto which have given our com
try q hundred years of unexampled
prosperity; and VIC pledge the DOM
ocratic party, if it be- intrusted
with power, not only to the defeat
OF the force bill, but also to relent-
less opposition TO the Republican
policy Of proGigsto expenditure
which, in the short space Of two
years, squandered an enormous
surplus and emptied an overflow
ing Treasury, after piling new bur-
dens of taxation upon the already
overtaxed labor Of the country.
PROTECTION DENOUNCED.
We denouncs Republican pro-
lection as q fraud; a robbery Of tho
great majority OF the Amer can
people for the benefit Of the few.
We declare it to be fundamental
principle Of the Democratic party
that the Federal Government has
no constitutional power to impose
and collect tariff duties except for
the purpose Of revenue only, and
we demand that the collection OF
such taxes shall be limited to tho
necessities of the Government when
honestly and economically admin
We denounce tho Mckinley tar
iif law enacted by the Fifty fret
Congress as tho eliminating afro
city OF class legislation; We indorse
the efforts made by the Democrats
Of the present Congress to modify
It's most oppressive features in tho
direction Of free raw materials and
cheaper manufactured goods that
enter into general consumption,
and we promise its repeal as one of
the benefcent results that will fol-
low the action OF tho people in in
trusting power to the Democratic