The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1895-07-03
THE PLATFORM.


convention assembled congratulate the
country upon the repeal of the McKin-
Icy tariff law, and upon the evidences
we lave on every hand of returIing pros
perity, under the operations of rtdCc' d
aud tqualized tariff taxation; and we
denouuce as frdught with danger and
disaster the threat of our Repub lean
advcrsaries to re.establish protective
tariff aud to reinauguratc policy Of
unt quail taxation, which in connection
with general misgovernment 10y the
Republican party eliminated in the
business panic Of 1898.
Second-The Democratic party, Which
has always stood for the separation OF
church and State, for the sake alike Of
civil aud religious freedom, does not
hesitate TO condemn all efforts to create
a distinction among citizens because Of
differences in faith as repugnant to an
enlightened age and abhoTent to the
instincts OF American freemen.
Third-We reaflirm without qualiiica.
ton the principles and policies declared
by the national democratic platform Of
1892, and declare that our present ma
tiopa Democratic administration is
entitled to the thanks oil the party for
its honest, courageous and statesmanlike
management Of public affairs and we
express our undiminished confidence in
the Democracy and patriotism OF Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland and his distin-
guished co-adviser and Secretary, John
G. Carlisle, of Kentucky.
Fourth--When the Democratic party
came into power in 1867 the bonded in
debtedness of Kentucky was oyer ST.
100000. The nominal value of the assets
of the Sinking Fund was about $780,
600, made up in part of internal improve
ments that cost over and were carried at
valuation of $4,SOO,OOO, but which
yielded at that time no net revenue, and
were worth in cash only about $500, 900,
thus showing an actual deficit in the
Sinking Fund as compared with our
Indebtedness of about 100000. Since
1867 the bonded indebtedness has been
relRsed 10 $s6O, 900, and the Available
assets of she Sinking Fund more shan
equal that sum
We have increased the annual appro-
priation for support OF our charitable
institutions from $250,OOO in 1867 TO
$500, 600 in 1895, and whilst improving
our judicial system by increasing the
number OF courts and the frequency of
their terms we have been compelled to
increase our expenditures, one OF the
greatest items of which is the cost of
criminal prosecutions, and a motto, able
fact in connection with which is that the
increase is greatest in districts CONTROLLED
by Republican officials. We have never
theess been able to decrease the current
rate of taxation for general revenue pur-
poses from twenty cents on tie one
hundred dollars OF taxable property in
1867 to fifteen cents in 1895. The Demo
cratic majority have voluntarily increas-
ed the annual expenditures for the
support Of common schools from $3.50, 900
in 1867 to about So, 100000 in 1895, and
by wisely providing separate schools for
the two races are to-day giving to the
children OF the colored race opportuni-
ties for education they nowhere else
enjoy.
In the face OF unexampled difficulties
the Democratic party has succeeded in
wholly Withdrawing convict labor from
competition with free labor and in sbol-
ishing the practice inherited from the
Republican party OF leasing the convicts
to parties interested solely in making
profit out of their labor, and in adopting
the modern and improved methods by
which the State and its officers are made
directly responsible for the management
OF our State prisons and under which
our penitentiary system has been and is
being greatly improved.
During the twenty-eight years the
people have intrusted the Democratic
party with the control Of the State Gov
eminent its administration has been
characterized by the strictest economy
and integrity, and in this regard we it,
vlte comparison with any Republican
State government.
Fifth-We express our confidence in
the wisdom and honesty with which the
present State administration has con-
Quoted the affairs of our State govern
ment.