Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-10-09
TIE TWO PLATFORMS,
SOME OF THE DEMOCRAT AND
REPUBLICAN UTTERANCES.
Long Array Of Things Omitted from tho
Democratic Pronouncement - Revoiu.
tionary Sentiments-No Declaration of
Foreign Policy.

other differences between them that
ought not to he overlooked. The pres
ence of large Populist. and even an
archisC, element in the Chicago con.
vention was noted at the time, and
had its influence in debating the plat
form and making the nominations. II
found plain expression in the following
paragraph of the platform adopted:
I'VE denounce arbitrary interference
by fede.-i 90 -horities in local affair
as violation of the constitution of the
United States and crime against free
institutions, and we especially object
to government by injunction as a new
and highly dangerous form of oppres.
sion, by which federal Judges. in con
tempt of the laws of the states and the
rights of citizens, become at once leg
islators, judges and eXecutioners.
The plain intent of this is to deny to
the general government the right to pro-
tect its own fixed property or its postal
service when interstate commerce is
imperiled by riots. 1t is simply a re-
Election of Governor Altgeldts protest
against the use of government troops
to protect the mails and public prop
erty AT the timG of the Chicago strike
riots, after Altgeldt himself had shown
his incaphcity TO deal with the mob,
and when not only the railroad and gov
eminent property, but the city itself
was in danger.
The same hostility to the constitu-
tional and orderly conduct of public
affairs is found in the covert threat,
found in the Chicago platform, to re-
organize the supreme court. After de-
ploring the decision of the supreme
court on the income tax, the platform,
continues: 1--WE declare that it is the
duty of congress to use all constitu-
tional power which remains after that
decision. or which may come from it's
reversal by the court as il may here
after be constituted, so that the bur
! dens of taxation may be equally and
impartially laid"
This means nothing less than that
the men who made the platform pro-
pose, if they come into power, to force
designations from the present bench
and to fill the vacancies with judges
appointed with special view TO over
( turning the income tax decision, or
else TO accomplish the same purpose by
increasing the number of judges, the
new ones TO be appointed with the
same design. In either case the pur-
pose is essentially revolutionary in its
! character.
The omissions of the Demo
cratic platform are hardly less Of
fensive to the patriotic voter than its
utterances. With the exception Of a
single mild sentence of sympathy to
the people of Cuba in their heroic
struggle for liberty and independence,
it has not a single word upon our for
eign relations, nothing about the Ha-
waiian affairs which the present adj
ministration so badly bungled: moth.
ing about the attempted British ag.
gressions in Venezuela; nothing about
the application of the Monroe doctrine
TO that affair; nothing about our inter
ests in Nicaragua and the West Indies
The Republican platform, on the
! other had. "r9e ,erts the Monroe doc
trine tOlt> tuil extent, and reatiirms the
right OF the United States to give the
doctrine effect by responding to the APP
peals OF any American sta te for fricndly
intervention in cases OF Eur an
encroachment. It gives gener ex-
preston of sympathy to t. Gu
bans in their determined contest
for liberty and declares that the
United States should actively use
its influence and good offices 20 re-
store peace and give independence to
the island. 1t declares that the Mica
ragua canal should be built, owned
and operated by The United States,
and that by the purchase of the Danish
islands we should secure much
needed naval station in the West In
dies Finally, referring TO the de-
struction of American property in
Armenia. it declares that, there and
everywhere, American citizens and
American property must be absolutely
protected, at every hazard and at any
cost. The one platform, as if ashamed
of the colorless and unpatriotic policy
of the present administration, is al
most absolutely silent on foreign af-
fairs The other gives clear enuncia-
ton of our claims and demands as a
self-respccting power among the ma
tions of the earth.
The Republican platform also de-
clares IN favor Of the early American
policy of discriminating duties for the
upbuilding of our merchant marine, for
he continued enlargement of our navy
and for "A complete system of harbor
and seacoast defenses for a free and
unrestricted ballot for every American
citizen, with fair count of the ballots
thus cast favors national board OF
arbitration for the settlement of diff
ferences between employers and EN-
ployed engaged in interstate commerce
favors an immediate return TO the free
homestead policy of the Republican
party, and dcnounces the uncivilizec
and barbarous Practice of lynching.
Upon all these questions of internal
administration the Democratic plat
FORM is entirely silent. That platform
| e.. 4, f,ot 81 much alyan ~, mil, ~