The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-09-16
THE rive PLATFORMS.
eoME OF THE DEMOCRAT AND
REPUBLICAN UTTERANcEs.
Long Array OF Thinss Omitted from the
Democratic announcement = Revolu-
tionary sentiments-No Declaration OF
Foreign Policy.

While the tariff and financial planks
of the Republican and Democratic plat
forms deservedly have a large share of
the public attention, there are certain
other differences between them that
ought not TO be overlooked. The pres
ence OF l1rge Populist, and even an
archist, el ent in the Chicago con-
vention w 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:
1--WE denounce arbitrary interference
by federal authorities in local affairs
as violation of the constitution of the
United States and a 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 10 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 Altgeldt's protest
against the use of government troops
to protect the mails and public prop
erty at the time of the Chicago strike
riots, after Altgeldt himself had shown
his incapacity 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, 70 force
designations from the present bench
and TO fill the vacancies with Judges
appointed with a 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,
II has not a single word upon our for
eign relations, nothing about the Ha-
waiian affairs which the present ad-
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 hand, reasserts the Monroe doc
trine toits full extent, and reaffirms the
right of the United States to give the
doctrine effect by responding to the APP
peals of any American state for friendly
Intervention in cases of European
encroachment 1t gives generous ex-
preston of sympathy to the Gu
bans in their determined contest
for liberty and declares that the
United States should actively use
its influence and good offices to 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 a 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-respecting power among the ma
tons of the earth.
The Republican platform also de-
clares In favor of the early American
policy of discriminating duties for the
upbuildihg of our merchant marine, for
the continued enlargement of our navy,
and for complete system of harbor
and seacoast defenses; for 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 denounces the uncivilized