The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-05
THE prarFoRM OF DEMOCRACY.

THE PLATFORM OF DEMOCRACY.
The question Of party harmony Is re-
ceiving serious attention in the State of
Kentucky.
The Louisville Evening Post, which Is
a sound money paper but in favor OF
party organization and party harmony,
recently said that eff silver be point
OF disagreement, let us put it aside and
| fight the Republicans on the tariff, on
| their extravaganza, on the great and
growing deficit, on the increasing power
OF trusts. on the shameless pension bills
and in behalf OF state banks of issue and
constitutional amendment authorizing
an income tax
In reply 20 this the Louisville Dispatch,
which IS n free silver paper, raises the
question as TO whether or not those who
refused TO support Mr.. Bryan in 1896
could be brought back into line on the
platform suggested by the Post. The
Dispatch does not believe that Hin and
whitney and men OF that stripe would
support q platform declaring for n con-
| stitutional amendment in favor of an IN
come tax, and says that 1T is impossible
TO bring back the leaders Of tho Indian
apolis movement. save upon an abandon
ment Of everything for which Democracy
stands"
The Dispatchs assertion IS reckless
and only a little less than insolent. me
assertion that those who stand on the
indianapolis platform are opposed to true
principles Of Democracy is too absurd
to be dealt with seriously. The Indian
apolis Democrats are willing TO accept
any national Democratic platform adopt
cd prior to the Chicago Convention OF
1906 with the modification Of certain de-
clarations in some Of the platforms which
did not commit the party absolutely to
tariff reform.
They do not accept the Chicago plat
form and they never will, for 1t is utter
" at variance with the declarations OF
previous platforms and opposed TO the
principles Of genuine Democracy. 1t does
seem to us the most unreasonable OF all
propositions that Democrats Should be
required to discard every platform Of the
party up TO the year 1895, and TO accept
the one platform as the test Of Democ-
racy rather than any and all Of its pre-
decessors.
As to the income tax. it is well known
that the indianapolis Democrats are OPP
posed to it simply because, as proposed
by the Chicago platform it is dscrimi-
mating tax. Given tax upon all In
comes alike, and The Times will sup
port it with all its heart, We have no
objection whatever to an income tax that
will apply justly and equitably TO all
tax payers, but we do oppose and will
oppose a graduated income tax or one
which oXempts some tax payers and APP
plies TO other tax payers. Such a tax
establishes privileged class.
1t is a libel on any true Democrat to
say that he prefers an afhliation with the
Republican party. He is by nature and
education opposed TO the principles and
policies of the Republican party, and
nothing can drive him TO even quasi
support OF that party save the determina-
ton of the Democratic party TO pursue
a course that must, in his opinion, i'm
pair national credit promote Populism
and bring financial disaster upon the
country.
The indianapolis platform declares for
equal and exact justice 20 all men OF
every creed and condition, for the larg-
est freedom TO the individual consistent
with good government, for the preser-
walton of the Federal government in its
constitutional vigor, the support of the
States in their just rights; economy in
public expenditure, opposition TO pater-
nalism and class legislation
1t declares that "the Democratic party
will ever maintain the supremacy Of law,
the independence of its judicial admins
tration, the inviolability of contracts.
the obligation Of all citizens to resist
every illegal trust, combination or at
tempt against the just rights of property
and the good order Of society in which
| are bound up the peace and happiness
Of our people
That is the very essence OF true De-
mocracy and upon that platform all
Democrats can be and should be har-
mOniously united.