Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-15
Record of the. Pledge Breakers.


Record of the. Pledge Breakers.
The Lid. Congress, says the Tribune,
has repudiated every pledge except one
made by the Democratic National Con-
ventiOn in 1892. The single exception is
the repeal of the Federal Election laws.
That has been done, and break in the
Solid South has followed Every other
obligation assumed at Chicago has been
violated.
The convention committed the party to
the doctrine that the Federal Govern
ment has no constitutional power to i'm
pose and collect tariff duties except for
revenue only. A Democratic Congress
has failed to introduce a revenue tariff,
and has continued the levyiug of pfotec-
tive duties by methods which the con-
ventiOn had pronounced unconstitutional.
The convention demanded the rigid en-
forcement of laws for the regulation of
trusts with such further legislation in
restraint of their abuses as experience
cratic Congress has allowed the Refners'
Trust to dictate the sugar schedule, and
has done nothing TO restrain other in
dustrial combinations.
The convention recommended that the
prohibitory 1Oper cent. tax on State bank
issues should be repealed. A Democratic
Congress has not revised the banking
and currency laws.
The convention demanded the repeal
of the Sherman act of 1890, strongly fav-
ored bimetalism and demanded that all
paper currency should be kept at par
with and redeemable in dollars of equal
value. A Democratic Congress has re-
pealed a single clause of the act which
the convention denounced as a Coward
ly makeshift," and has done nothing
either to promote bimetallism or to set
tie the currency question, and has not
restrained the action of a monOmetallist
President, who has been held up bv for
eign gold syndicates.
The convention declared its "relent-
less opposition to the Republican policy
of prohigate expenditure, which in the
short space of two years has squandered
an enormous surplus and emptied an
Overflowing Treasury, after piling new
burdens of taxation upon the already
overtaXed labor of tie country" The
appropriations of the Lid. Congress
have amounted to $500, Do, ,2S9-a sum in
excess of the appropriations of the So
called Billion-Doll Congress. 1t has
emptied the Treasury, and compelled the
Administration to increase largely the
National debt in order to meet current
expenditures and it has revived the in
come tax in most iuqusitorial and un-
popular form.
The convention advocate a foreign pol
icy which would compel respect abroad,
inspire confidence at home, and cultivate
friendly relations with neighbOring Ma.
tions. A Democratic Congress has abro-
gated twenty reciprocity conventions,
brought on tariff war with European
beet countries and neglected to condemn
the Administration infamous Hawaiian
policy.
The convention favored the early con-
struction of the Nicaragua Canal, the re-
striction of immigration, various labor
reforms, radical changes in the puplic
land policy and the admission of Terri
tories. A Democratic Congress has re-
pudiated every one of these promises.
The convention declared public office
to be a public trust, upheld the princi-
pies of Civil Service Reform and con.
demned the political activity of Federal
office ce-hoiders. A Democratic Congress
has allowed the Administration without
protest or rebuke, to convert the diDlO-
matte and consular service into clear
ing house for the liquidation of political
debts, and to make scandalous use of
Federal appointments in forcing the re-
peal of the silver clause, and in other
wise influencing legislation.
One pledge only has been kept Every
other promise and obligation has been
repudated by party bankrupt in prln-
ciple, honor and virtue.