The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-11-01
THE PLATFORM
The Following is the Platform Adopted by tn,
williamsport Convention.

The Following is the Platform Adopted by tn,
williamsport Convention.
First. The Democratic party. In state Con.
vcntlon assembled, hereby rrnews Its allie
glance to and declares Its faith In the prn.
ciplss of Democracy as formulated By Jciicr.
son and Illustrated by Madison. Monroe.
Jackson and Cleveland. 1t congratulates the
American people upon the first fruits OF the
Democratic administration, which inherited
from Its Republican predecessor bankrupt
Treasury and unwise financial lcglSlatlou
impaired public credit and widespread dlsas.
ter, and which. under the sagacious. courag-
cOus and patriotic leadership OF its great
President, Grover Cleveland. led the people
out OF the slough OF dependency to the
high ground OF substantial and increasing
prosperity.
We challenge the fairness OF our country
men and ask that the Democratic party now
receive the benefit of that renewed pros
pcrity whose welcome note Is heard Oh every
side.
Second. The enactment OF the Sherman
siv'r-purchasing act ard the Mckinley
nrln law found, as accurately predicted by
MIR. Cleveland. their results In bankrupt
railroads, closed factories, ruined FARMS
| abandoned fields. impaired national credit
and general disaster. The repeal of such
iniQuitOus legislation ana the substitution
Of more moderate tariff laws have found
their immediate results In the resumption
of business and the restoration OF the ma
tionnl credit.
Third. As ylndcating the principles OF
tarln reform. to which the Democracy Is un-
alierably pledged, we challenge especial at
tcntion to the fact that such prosperity and
the consequent material Increase OF wages
has been most pronounced In the Industries
whose existence our opponents claimed were
dependent upon high tariff duties. The
gloomy prediction that the iron and steel In
dustrirs OF Pennsylvanla would be destroyed
by a reduced tarn has been contradicted by
their present unexampled prosperity.
Fourth. We invite the attention OF the
voluntary Increase OF wages OF those en-
ployed In the manufacturing industries,
amounting to not less than S25o'oooW0, was
absolutely unknown under the Mckinley
tariff act. To prevent the reactionary legis-
iatlon threatened by the Republican party
OF PENNSYLVANIA In their recent State Con-
yention which would again depress bust
ness by destroying faith In the stability OF
present conditions, we invite our fellow
countrymen throughout the land, irrespec-
tive OF party. 80 so act together as to In
sure. by the VI ection of Democratic PrcsI.
dent In 1890, the maintenance of the present
prosperity.
the platform Of the last Democratic National
Convention as calls for the use OF both gold
and silver as the standard money OF the
country; but the dollar unit of coinage OF
both metals must be of equal intrinsic and
exchangeable value, or be adjusted by Inter.
national agreement, or by such safeguards OF
legislation as shall Insure the maintenance
of the parity of the two metals and the
equal power of every dollar at all times Ia
the payment Of debts. We believe that such
parity could not be maintained by the free
coinage Of silver at the ratio of lG to l.
and we are. therefore, opposed to any legis-
atlon looking to that end
sixth, We arralgn and condemn the pres
ent administration, both In the executive
and legislative branches Of the government,
for Its refusal to reapportlon the state, In
accordance with the mandates Of the Con
stItutlon: for Its prongate waste OF public
money; for Its creation OF private awards
and useless public Offices; for It's degradation
of the public service In factiOnal contests;
for Its unnecessary Increase OF official sala-
rles to the detriment OF many deserving
charities Of the State; for Its legislation IA,
yorable to the Interests OF corporations and
monOpoies.
seventh. We challenge comparison be-
tween this State administration, which has
wise. economical and honest administration
OF Robert Il. Pattlson, which in the stainless
purity Of Its record sllenced partisan maiig'
nifty and justly merited and received the
almost universal appreciation Of the people
of this Common wealth.
Eighth. We especially invite. the sober
consideration OF the people or this state TO
the remarkable factlonal struggle In the Re-
publican party, a struggle which involved no
principle or public policy, but Simply the
supremacy Of contendlng factlonal leaders.
The worst arraignment at our hands OF Re-
publican mlsrule falls short OF what repre-
sentative Republican newspapers ana lead,
ers testified OF each other. The admitted
prostitution of the public service, the lnvo.
cation OF corporate Influences, the misuse OF
judicial appointments and consequent
prostitution OF the Judiciary, the corrupt
use of money In the purchase or delegates
the attempted terrorism at Harrisburg by
men OF the most abandoned type, hx the
high water mark OF political debauchery. 1t
but needed to complete Its infamy the
transparent hypocrisy which led q conyen-
tion, thus constituted to adopt with laugh
ter resolutions condemning the very meth
DDS by which Its delegates had been selected
Such condemnation OF The growing use OF
money In politics; the corporate control OF
the Legislature. municipal Councils, pollti-
cal primaries and elections; the enslave-
ment OF public officers and employees; favor
itism In granting contracts and the granting
OF exclusive franchises In public necessi-
ties" while valuable as evidencng the truth
OF the accusations OF the Democratic party
in the last quarter Of u century. yet coming
from the very source which Is responsible
for these evils constitutes the crowping in.
suit to the intelligence OF forbeariny and
long suffering people.