The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-08-06
Democratic State Platform.


last November, it secured the suttrages
of the American people.
Triumphing upon an issue of finan-
cial reform, it was bound by every OBJ
legation of good faith to redeem its
promises to the country. Every exist
ing act relating to the currency is the
work of the Republican party. That
party is responsible for every one of
the defects in system now universally
regarded as being vicious and I'M
wholesome. That party, is, therefore,
responsible for their correction.
Yet President Mckinley convened
the Congress in extra session within
the fortnight following bis inaugural
ton, and now after more than four
months of deliberation, which the
Democrats have had no power to in
terrupt or influence, the Congress has
adjourned without giving the people
the smallest measure of financial re-
lief and with the sole result of impos-
ing upon them tariff law more op-
pressive and Ubiquitous than has ever
disgraced our statute books-a law
which taxes the masses for the benefit
of the classes, which narrows the field
of individual opportunity, which for
bids the expansion of our commerce,
and which has not even the merit of
/ providing a sufficient revenue for the
proper conduct of the government. 1t
is in all respects more odious and alb
horrent measure than the Mckinley
act of $780, That act was overwhelm-
ingly repudlated and rebuked by the
people in 1892. The Dingley act will be
more signally condemned in 1898.
The Democratic party, in the inter-
est of the whole people, will continue
/ to wage war against the iniqui-
| ties of this act, and will insist upon
a tariff for revenue sufficient for the
needs of the government economically
administered, and will Always main
! tain that unnecessary taxation is un-
just taxation.
This, in time of widespread indus
trial depression, when the agricultural
classes are confronted by poverty in
its direst form, and when the toilers
in the mines and factories find them
selves forced into despair and suffer-
ing, the Republican party not ouly
fails to keep the solemn promises of
1896, but actually mocks the taxpayers
by an extravaganza ofeXpenditure and
profligacy of appropriation, which
that party, even IN the carnival that
ragged from 1865 to 1876 never dreamed
of rivaling.
The sympathies of the American
people are always enlisted in behalf of
those who are battling for liberty and
independence, and the heroic struggle
of the people of Cuba is no exception
to this rule. The appalling atrocities
committed in the war now being
waged on that island merit the execra-
ton of all civilized people, and we de.
maud that the American government,
while observing every treaty oHliga-
| ton, shall take such proper and effec-
tive action as will ameliorate the atroc-
tiles now being committed and fully
protect every American citizen in his
life and property.
In State affairs, the Republican nar-
ty of this State, following in the line
of tteir party i'll national affairs, has,
since the election of 1895, in which it
elected the Governor and General AS
sembly, exercised its power in the pas
sage of a crude, unsatisfactory, unequal
and unjust assessment law, that has
proved expensive in Its enforcement,
unjust and imperfect in its operations,
and by which the burdens of taxation
have not been uniformly or fairly dis
tributed upon the rich and poor alike.
In Maryland, as nationally, the Re
publican party has favored rich c0rpor-
atoms and oppressed the small house
holder. The Democratic party, if re-
stored to power, will favor thorough
modification of the crude and imper-
feet provisions of the present assess
ment law.
We call attention to the eXtravagant
appropriations made by the last Legis-
ture, by which the burdens of taxation
will be greatly increased. In their dis
graceful and unseemingly chickering's
over the distribution of State and mu-
nicipal offices it is no wonder the Re-
publicans have mismanaged the affairs
of the State and that the State has been
Inundated by the wholesale scandals
in the public service.
The enactment by the last General
Assembly, under Republican control,
of an election law so defective as to
permit election officials to disclose with
absolute impunity and without fear of
prosecution and punishment how vot-
ers cast their ballots, is a deplorable
and outrageous omission that illustrates
one of the most important objects of
the law.
Our system of public schools has
been carefully guarded and protected
by the Democratic party from the be-
ginning. The system must not be per-
mitted to anguish. 1t must be foster
ed and protected. And yet Republi-
can Administration has permitted a
default in the usual payments due from
corporations, which are by law dedi-
Gated 10 the free-school fund without
taking any action looking to the en-
forcement of the payment of amounts
so due, thus compelling the School
Boards 10 borrow money to paw the
salaries of teachers. The Democratic
party, if intrusted with power, will see
that the school fund is not placed in
jeopardy.
The fragrant and admitted shortcom-
ings of the Republican party in the
conduct of State affairs, its extrava-
gance in expenditures and multiplied
ton of offices, its neglect of the public
schools and surrender to corporate in
huences, to which must be added the
inexcusable attempt TO destroy the in
dependence of the police force of the
City of Baltimore and to make its
members their allies or tools in their
bold efforts TO perpetuate their politi-
cal power. cannot be tolerated by the
people of Maryland.