The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-29
STRONG ON THE TARIFF.
The CONVENTION INSISTS ON A
VIGOROUS DECLARATION
Although the Committee Recommends an
EquivocaI Plank - On This Point the
Convention Takes tho Matter In Hand
and Adopts "a Declaration Calculated to
CamDa.rn.

Greater In adversely than In victory was
Henry Watierson, the distinguished dem
ocratic leader who marched to the plat
form the indomitable exponent of the
proudest principle of tariff reform, and as
sailed the committee on resolutions so
successfully that he carried the
convention by storm and succeeded in
defeating the majority report and adopt
ing the minority report presented by the
Hon. Lawrence I. Neal of Ohio. The lat
ter unequivocally disputed the constitu-
tional right of congress to impose tariff
duties in excess of the actual revenue
necessities of the government.
Tne mutation of politicsswill never bet
ter be exemplified than in the ballot cast
upon this momentous question. Arrayed
side by side with Henry Watterson, and
solidly In favor of plank
tersely declaring against ali pro-
lection to American industries
were the 70 votes OF the Empire state and
the 20 votes of Iowa In the short but
decisive debate, Watterson proved more
than a match for the great Wisconsin
senator, for he answered all the latters
quotations of past democratic plat
forms by simply asserting that it
was the duty of the democratic
party TO be always advancing, and that the
tariff declar atoms of eight years ago were
no longer sufficient to satisfy the masses,
who were now clamoring against the tariff
robbery. Once more, too, Henry Waiter
son proved, despite all the bubbles OF the
recent state convention, he is still the I'M
crowned monarch of the Blue Grass state.
Every admirer OF the great Kentucky
leader-and they numbered thousands on
the floor and in the galleries-joined in
the applause which quickly followed the
announcement that the solid vote of Ken
lucky had been cast in favor OF sustaining
Henry Watterson in his fight against the
committee on resolutions.
1t fell to the lot of Illinois, however, at
the critical moment, to turn the tide
which for few minutes threatened des-
truction to the cause of the radical tariff
reformers. Until Illinois WAS reached
the vote had been rather against
the substitute of the gentleman
from Ohio, but when that state
threw it's solid forty-eight votes in favor
of the amendment, 1t being known that
Cleveland was the choice of the prairie
state for the presidency, ali doubts as to
purport of the substitute were removed
and the call OF the succeeding states de-
veloped an overwhelming sentiment in
favor of a most radical declaration that the
democratic party has ever made upon the
question OF tariff reform as follows:
Such question we now have in the federal
system OF protective taxation. Tariff reform
has been the leading political issue in this
country since the democrats commenced to
battle for revision of tariff taxation more than
forty years ago. 1t must continue to be
ill 1t shall be as firmly established as any funda
mental principle can be that the federal gov
eminent has no constitutional power to
impose and collect tariff duties, except for
revenue alone; and that even then the col
lection of such taxes shall be limited TO the
necessities OF the government when honestly
and economically administered. A protective
tariff lie d robbery of the great majority OF the
people for the benefit of the few; we believe
it to be SUCH and we ought to have the courage
of our convictions. We should not delay
the enunciation OF II. The fact that
Its iusidious purpose under the forms
of law is called taxation renders ii none the
less robbery; and the claim that II is ac-
cOmplshed under the gulse of law is as great
crime and aggravates rather than lessons the
enormity of the otense. Republican protection
is as hostile to our form Of government as was
the principle of taxation without representa-
tion, for which our fathers rebeled and fought
aud achieved independence. The longer we
heed the cry of protection, 1t will be to consent
10 the degradation of the masses in the interest
Of the classes.
We denounee the republican policy of pro-
lection as fraud, taxing the labor OF the great
majority of the American people for the benefit
of the few.
We declare it to be fundamental principle
OF the democratic party that the federal gov
eminent has constitutional power TO lmp pose
\
OF revenue only and we demand that the col
lection of such taxes shall be limited to the
necessities or the government when honestly
and economically administered.
The contest over the silver question was
brief and decisive. Mr. Patterson of Col
orado presented minority report declar-
ing in favor of free coinage, but after a
brief argument by him twas promptly
defeated by an overwhelming vote.
In a general way the remainder OF the
platform was well received, although a
slight evidence that civil service reform is
not yet accepted as good democratic re-
ligion by the rank and file of the party
was furnished by the Kisses which
promptly greeted the reading of this reso-
ton.
The following Is the platform..as reported
by thetmajority of the committee through
Chairman Jones:
Section /. The represe natives of the
democratic party of the United States, in
national convention assembled, do reaffirm
their allegiance to the principles of the
party as formulated by Jefferson and ex-
emplifed by long and illustrious line of
his successors in democratic leadership
from Madison to Cleveland; we believe
the public welfare demands that these
principles be applied to the conduct of
the federal government through the &C
cession to power of the party that advo-
Gates them and we solemnly declare that
the need of a return to these fundamental
principles of a free popular government,
based on home rule and individual lib
erty, was never more urgent than now,
when the tendency TO centralize ali power
at the federal capital has become a me-
mace of the reserved rights of the states
that strikes at the very roots OF our gov
eminent under the constitution els framed
by the fathers of the republic.
Sec. 2. We warn the people OF our COM
mon country, jealous for the preservation
of their free institutions, that the policy of
federal control OF elections, to which the
republican party has committed itself, is
less momentous than would result from
revolution practically establishing mon
archy on the ruins of the republic 1t strikes
at the North as well as the South. and in
lures the colored citizens even more than
the white il means a horde of deputy
narshals at every polling place armed