The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1895-07-18
Kentucky Democratic state Platform.

~ convention assembled congratulate
w, VI, country upon the repeal OF the Nc
hlnley tariii law, and upon.the evidences
We nave on every hand of returning
prosperity, under the operations of re-.
auced and equalized taxation; aud we
dienounce as fraught with danger and
disaster the threat Of our Republican
adSersaries to re-establish protective
uarln ana TO reinaugurate il policy OF
unequal taxation, which in connection
with general misgovernment by the Re.
publican party eliminated ia the bus.
stnss panic Of 1893. -
sECoSD-The Democratic party, which
mas always stood for the separation of
church and state, for the sake alike OF
CiVl! aud religious freedom, does not hes
ltate to condemn all efforts to create a
distinction among citizens because of
dlnierences in faith US repugnant to an
enlightened age and abhorrent to the il.
stlncts OF American frcemen.
IHlRD--We rcaiiirm without ouali(i.
cation the principles aud policies de-.
cIarcd by the National Democratic Plat.
form OF 1892, and declare that our pres.
cnt National Democratic Admiulstrr
ton is entitled to the thanks Of the
party Tor ats honest, courageous and
statesmanlike management Of public af.
lairs; and we express our undlminished
confluence in the Democracy and patri.
otlsm of President Grover Cleveland and
his distinguished Co-adviser and Secre-
tary, John G. Carlyle, Of Kentucky.
tOURTH-When the Democratic par
tty came into power in 1867 the bonded
Indebtedness Of Kentucky was over
S4,6OO,0OO. The nominal value of the
assets OF the sinking fund was about
$0,oOO,OOO, made up in part of internal
Improvements that cost over and were
carried at a valuation of 81, 10000 but
which yielded at that time no net reve-
nue., and were worth in cash only about
S0OO,OOO, thus showing an actual deficit
IN the sinking fund as compared with
our Indebtedness of about 100000.
Since 1867 the bonded Indebtedness has
been reduced to $G50,00O, and the avail.
able assets of the sinking fund more than
equal that sum.
We have increased the annual appro-
priation for support of our charitable
institutions from $250,000 in 1867 to
100000 in 1895, and while improving
our judicial system by increasing The
number of courts and the frequency of
their terms we have been compelled 10
increase our expenditures, one of the
greatest items of which is the cost of
criminal prosecutions, and a not ceablc
fact IN connection with which is that the
increase is greatest in districts controlled
by Republican officials. We have nev-
ertheless been able to decrease the cuer
rent rat3 of taxation for general rev.
nue. purposes from twenty cents on the
one hundred dollars of taxable properly
in 1867 to fifteen cents in 1895. The
Democratic majority have voluntarily
increased the annual expenditures for
the support of common schools from
$3.50, 600 in 1867 TO about 100000 in
1895, and by wisely providing separate
schools for the two races are today Civ
ing to the children of the colored race
opportunities 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 abol.
ishing the practice inherited from the Re
publican party Of leasing the conyicts 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 direct
ly responsible for the management of
our state prisons and under which our
penitentiary system has been and is be-
ing 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 strietest economy
and integrity, and in this regard we in
vite 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. i -.#%k I'LL H.