The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-03-14
MIR. CIeveiand's Declaration.

ment in his inaugural address that he
proposes to exhaust every effort to full
ill the solemn promises made in the dem
ocratic platform. On this point he leaves
no room for misunderstanding. His dec
laratiOn, indeed, is SO clear that it cannot
be misinterpreted. He says:
Anxiety for the redemption of the pledges
which my party has made, and soliciude for
the complete Justification of the trust the
people have reposed in us, constrains me to
remind those with whom L to cooperate
that we can succeed iii doing the work which
has been specially set before us only by the
most sincere, harmonious and dsinterested
effort Even if insuperable obstacles and OPP
position prevent the contamination of our
task, shall hardly be excused, and if
failure can be traced to our fault or neglect
we may be SURE the people will hold us to
swift and exacting accountability.
We reproduce this declaration and en-
phasize it because it is III such complete
harmony with the utterances Of The Con
stitution in regard to democratic duty.
The pledges made by the party cannot be
misunderstood. They are clear and di-
rect In discussing them there is no eX-
cuse for confusion; in carrying them cut
there is no excuse for faction. This is
why MI Cleveland dwells with so much
emphasis OH the necessity of harmony.
This necessity has been brought home to
his attention by the efforts Of a faction
In the last congress to ignore the demo
cratic platform in its treatment Of the
silver issue. and he will doubtless be
under the necessity of repeating his adj
monition before he will be able to con-
vince the legislative agents of the eastern
money power that the democratic party
has been called 10 act for the whole peO-
pie and not for a greedy and an unscru-
pulous minority.
What are these democratic pledges for
which Mr.. Cleveland declares his solicit
tude with so much emphasis? Perhaps
it would be well to refresh the minds of
our readers by reprintng the pledges that
give strength and vitality to the demo
cratic platform and commanded the sup
port of the people The first is the pledge
of the party in regard to the reform of
the tariff:
We deuounce republican protection as n
fraud; robbery of the great majority of
American people for the benefit of a few. We
declare it 10 be fundamental principle of the
democratic party that the federal government
has constitutional power to impose and col
lcct tariff duties except for the purpose OF
revenue only-tapplaUsc and cheers)-and we
demand that the collection Of such taxes shall
be limited to the ecessarics of government
whom honestly and economic lily administered.
Cheers and applause We denouncc the Nc.
kinney tariff law enacted 10y the iifty-first
congress as the eliminating atrocity of class
legislation; endorse the efforts made by
the democrats of the present congress to mod
ify its most oppressive features in the direc-
tion of free raw materials and cheaper manu-
featured goods that enter into general con
sumption: and we promise its repeal as one
of the benedcent results that will follow the
action Of the people in cntrusting power to
the democratic party. Since the Mckinley
tariff went into operation there nave been ten
reductions of wages of Iaborng men to one
Increase. We deny that there has
been any increase of prosperity
TO the country since that tariff
went into operation and we point to the dull
ness and distress, wage reductions and strikes
In the iron trade the best possihl" evidence
that no such prosperity has resulted from the
Mckinley act. We call the attention of
thoughtful Americans to The fact That after
thirty years of restrictive taxes against the
importations Of foreign wealth. in exchange
for our agricultural surplus, the homes and
farms Of the country have become burdened
with a real estate mortgage debt of over two
elusive of all other forms Of Indebtedness:
that in one Of The chief agricultural states OF
the west there appears a real estate mortgage
debt averaging $165 per capita of the total
population, and that similar conditions and
tendencies are shown to exist i'll other agr
cultural exporting states. We denounce a
policy which fosters industry 50 much as
it does that OF the sheriff
The next pledge is in regard TO the sill
yer question 1t is just as clear and as
uneQuivocaI as the tariff pledge. It says:
We deHounce The republican legislation
known as the Sherman act Of 1890 as a cow.
ardly makeshft, fIaugbt with possibilities Of
danger in the future which SHOULD make all its
supporters, as well its author anxious f0l
It's speedy repeal. We hold to the use ol
both gold and silver as the standard money
Of the country and 10 the coinage OF both gold
and silver without discriminating against
either metal or charge for mintaga but the
dollar unit Of coinage Of both !
metals must be Of equal intrin.
sic and interchangeable value or be adjusted
through international agreement or by such |
safeguards of legislation as shall insure Tho
maintenance of parity of the two metals
An equal power of every dollar at all times |
in the markets and in the payment of debts |
and we demand that all paper currency shall |
be kept at par with and redeemable in |
such coin. We insist upon this policy as es |
pecialy necessary for the protection of the |
farmers and laboring classes, the first and most |
defenseless victims Of unstable money and 4 |
fiuctuating currency.
These are the vital issues before the
country, and these the solemn pledges of |
the democratic party.
Can any honest man find a lOophole in |