Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-05-03
The Platform Pledges.

Mr.. Cleveland has sent letter, en-
closing check, to Hon. Chauncey F.
Black, president of the National Asso-
citation of Democratic Clubs.
This letter is of exceptional interes,
at this time, especially that portion in
which reference is made to the Demo
cratic pledges. Mr.. Cleveland says
that s.the National Association of Dem
ocratic Clubs and every other Demo
cratic agency should labor increasingly
and earnestly to save our party, in this
time of its power and responsibility,
from the degradation and disgrace of a
failure to redeem the pledges upon
which our fellow countrymen intrusted
US with the control of their sentiment" "
This is certainly a worthy sentiment
to express in any place and upon any
occasion, and it has q strong and reso-
nant sound even when addressed to the
National Association of Democratic
Clubs, which has no more power to
carry out the Democratic pledges and
no more influence on congress than
any collection of Democrats acting in
their capacity as private citizens.
But since Mr.. Cleveland has ad-
dressed the sentiment to the associa-
ton, let us look into the facts a little.
In what way can the National Associa-
ton of Democratic Clubs "labor un
ceasingly and earnestly to save our
party, in this time of its power, from
the degradation and disgrace of fail
ure to redeem the pledges" of the Dem
ocratic party? Would it avail any
thing for the association to send a
strong petition to MIR. Cleveland, or a
strong appeal to congress-?
At this moment the whole response
oility lies with the president and with
congress. The people, as well as the
National Association of Democratic
Clubs, have done what they could.
They have endorsed the pledges of
the Democratic platform by an over
whelming majority, and they have Civ
en- Democratic president and Dem
ocratic congress commissions to
redeem these pledges. What more
can the voters of the country and the
Democratic clubs do than they have
done?
The responsibility has been placed
on Mr.. Cleveland and on congress-, and
we do not see how, at this time, any
portion of that responsibility can be
transferred to any Democratic agen-
CIV outside of the admin istration
and the law-making powers. Mr..
Cleveland has had continuous oppor-
tunity during the past twelve months
to urge upon congress the necessity OF
saving the party from ''the degrada-
ton and disgrace of failure to re-
deem the pledges" of the Democracic
platform.
But has he ever told congress that
the unconditional repeal of the pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman act was
not platform legislation? Has he ever
urged upon that body the necessity OF
redeemiug the pledge which declares
that under Democratic rule both gold
and silver shall be the standard money
of the country? Has he ever informed
the house that the Wilson bill was not
a measure for revenue only, which the
platform pledged the people should be-
come law? Has ne ever told the SEN
ate that the tariff bill, which that body
is now discussing, so far from being a
tariff for revenue only, is simply a
modification of the Mckinley law?
To go further into this important
matter has Mr.. Cleveland ever inform
ed congress that it ought to carry out
the Democratic recommendation to re-
peal the 10 per cent tax on the circu-
lation of state banks? Has he ever in
structed Mr.. Olney, his attorney gem
eral, to enforce the law against trustsP
It is perfectly we'll known to every
person who is familiar with the tenn
per and attitude of congress that Mr..
Cleveland can have every pledge in
the platform literally carried out by
merely raising his hand and giving
the word. He could have had silver
restored to its old place as a part OF
the standard money of the country SIX
months ago. He could have had
framed tariff bill for revenue only.
He could have had the state bank tax
repealed. He could have instituted
proceedings against those trusts and
combinations that are notoriously vio-
lating the law.
Taking these things into considera-
ton, we are inclined to wonder how
Mr.. Cleveland expects the National
Association of Democratic Clubs to
have more influence on congress than
he has himself, or more influence with
the president than congress has.
Meanwhile, we cordially echo Mr..
Cleveland statement that the party
e