Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-08-07
POLITICS and
PLEASURE,

PbEASURB,
Continued from First Page.)
planks Of the platform, making COM
ments upon each one.
The first plank was reaff1rmatior
Of the declaration Of independence
which he said was eminently proper
The next was the denunciation Of the
Porto Rican tariff. He explained how
the Republicans had imposed upon
Porto Rico, which was a part of the
United States, a tariff which was con-
trary to the constitution, and although
that tariff has since been done away
with, the constitution had been viola
ted, all the same. He next explained
the demand for the. carrying out of the
resolution Of congress with reference
to Cuban independence. and expressed
the opinion that the Republican party
would never fulfill that pledge. Then
he took up the Philippine question
showing how the Republican party had
undertaken to govern these islands as
colonies, and in defiance Of not only
the constitution, but Of all Re.
publican precedents. He explained
that the Democratic party has always
been in favor Of expansion where the
territory was contiguous, and the peo.
pie were fit to be citizens of the United
States. 1t was true that Florida was
peopled by savages; but the country
was contiguous to the United States
Here he took occasion to cite the ex.
perience of the British government fr
India, and from the fact that only 5 pei
cent. of the population had been Christ.
ianized, argued that the Christian re.
ligion, which Is one Of peace and love
cannot be extended by force.
The paramount issue he described as
the Republican policy in governing the
Philippines through military satraps
appointed by the president like unto
the government Of South Carolina un.
der Candy. Here he reviewed the su.
preme court decision, and cited the
greenback contention to show that the
decision was political rather thar
constitutional. In this connection he
told how in the greenback case, after
the Republicans got an adverse decis.
ion, they increased the number Of jus.
tices of the supreme court from 6 to
and appointed men who would decide
the question as they wanted it decided
He explained that the recent decision
Of the court is to the effect that con.
gress, in dealing with this territory Of
the Philippines, Is not bound by the
limitations Of the constitution.
The next plank taken up was that
which re-aff1rms the Monroe doctrine
Mr.. Finley argued that by putting
their finger into the Asiatic pie, tine
Republicans had nullified the princi.
pie which had been established as q
matter Of international law, to the ef-
feet that Europeans had no right tc
acquire additional territory in the
Western hemisphere.
Opposition to militarism, he explain
ed as another plank Of the Democratic
platform. He told how the Republican
party had increased the army from
$4,000 to $4,000, with the privilege OF
making it 100000, while the Democrats
hold to the idea that the military
should consist Of a small nucleus
around which an army may be organ
lied in time Of need.
Next, Mr.. Finley cited the plank
which denounces the trusts, which he
described as great aggregations Of cor
porations that are allowed to stamp
out competition and sell their surplus
products abroad at from to 10 pei
cent. less than to American consum-
erS.
Elections Of senators by the people
was cited as another demand Of the
Democratic platform. Mr.. Finley ex.
planned that South Carolina practical
ly had this system in her primary, and
that Florida has actually instituted the
demand on the subject
Next, Mr.. Finley explained the sig
niflcance Of the plank declaring against
government by injunction. He refer.
red to the present conference Of the
representatives Of labor with Pierpont
Morgan and other heads Of the stee
the proper methods Of settling such
disputes.
The promise Of liberal pensions fol
worthy soldiers, Mr.. Finley explained
was in both the Democratic and Re.
publican platforms. He was sorry tc
confess that the Democratic party OF
the north had been so corrupted or
this question, as to make the plank
necessary to keep 1t in line.
Mr.. Finley expressed himself as be.
ing unequivocally in favor Of the con.
struction Of the Nicaragua canal. He
had voted for the measure In the
house, which it had passed; but he die
not believe it would ever get past the
senate for the reason that the trans.
continental railroad lines, and the hold.
ers of railroad bonds generally, are
fighting 1t. It is believed that with the
digging of the canal railway traffic will
be diverted, to the injury Of some Of
the big systems. and it is for that rea'
son that the bill Is being opposed.
The demand for statehood for the
territories was explained next as goo6
Tho Pan,th1foo
had also promised to admit these ter.
ritories as states, but had failed tt
do so.
AS to the next plank, which demands
the reclamation Of the arid lands ol
the West, at the hands of the govern
ment, Mr.. Finley said he did not know
a great DEAL and he did not think his
audience did either. It meant though
to reclaim these lands by means Of ir.
rigation or otherwise, as might prove
most practicable.
Next, Mr.. Finley discussed at some
length the plank which announces the
alleged alliance with England. He ex'
planned that this alliance, If it exists al
all, is only implied; for otherwise II
would have to be matter Of public
notoriety. He cited several reason:
for believing in the existence Of such
an alliance, however. One Of them Il
the supposed fact that it was at the
instance of Great Britain that the
United States demanded the Philippine
islands from Spain.
The plank denouncing Republican
extravaganza and the repeal Of the
war tax was next taken up and ex.
planned at length. Mr.. Finley told how
a part Of the war taxes had been re-
pealed, and held that all Of then
should have been wiped off the statute
books.
He discussed at some length the fl.
nancial plank of the Democratic plat.
form, and his position in brief was this
Five or six years ago, when the silver
question was brought so prominently