Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1883 — THE POLITICAL FIELD. [ARTICLE]

THE POLITICAL FIELD.

Republican Conventions in New York and Massachusetts. State Convention of the Maryland Democracy. The Candidates Nominated and the Platforms Adopted. Maryland Democrats. The Democrats of Maryland, in convention at Baltimore, nominated Robert R. McLane for Governor, and adopted the following platform of principles: The Democratic party of Maryland, in State Convention assembled, resolves as follows: The election for executive officers of the State, to bo held in November this year, is of momentous importance, because it wid determine the policy and control of the Legislature of the State until 1888, and will exert a decisive Influence upon the vote of the State at the Presidential election Of 188*. The declaration of the election of Hayes and ■Wheeler, in 1878, to the offices of President and Vice President of the United States was brougnt about by frand consummated under the forms of law; and the methods used in the election of Garfield and Arthur, in 1880, have been proved by the creatures who did the evil work to have been, if possible, more discreditable than those adopted by their fellows in 1876. The National Republican party of the country has, during its tenure of sower, made public lands the spoil of favored corporations. It has squandered the money of the country by maintaining a horde of idle, profligate and incapable placemen. It has not, during its tenure of power in its tariff legislation, given that just and equal protection to the industries of the country which it ought to have afforded, but has, on the contrary, made the masses of the people pay from their earnings enormous bounties to favored monopolies. It has broken up the commerce of the United States in vessels carrying the national flag. It has permitted the unworthy men who planned and evented the frauds pert etrated in the Presidential elections of 1876 and 1880 to deal with the patronage of the Government and with the public money in the tre«sury as if these great trusts were spoils of an enemy's camp. The Democratic Conservative party of this State will enter into the State and national campaigns of this and ensuing years with its whole heart, resting its opinions on national politics as heretofore upon the express words of the tenth amendment to the constitution of the United States, adopted in 1795: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people.” It will demanddhat national taxation, in all its forms, shall be limited to such amounts as are necessary for the economical administration of Government, for the payment of interest upon the public debt, and for the redemption in each year of a fixed and reasonable proportion of that debt; it will demand such revision and amendment of the Federal laws relating to the shipping and carying of ocean freights as will restore our merchant marine to its former prosperity. Massachusetts Republicans. The Republicans of the Bay State met In convention at Boston, nominated George D. Robinson, a Chicopee lawyer and Harvard graduate, for Governor on the first ballot, and unanimously adopted the following resolutions: In presenting to Massachusetts its candidates for State officers the Republican party does not deem it necessary to this year offer any formal statement of its political principles. Those principles have been often declared. In national affairs we believe in equal rights and a fairlycounted vote; a thoroughly pure and reformed civil service, beyond the reach of party conflicts; a sound currency, based on an honest specie dollar: a liberal but in no wise extravagant or wasteful expenditure; a largely-reduced taxation, and wise and well-matured laws to promote and develop American industry ana enterprise both at home and on the ocean; we indorse the administration of President Arthur as wise, conservative and patriotic. As regards State affairs, we believe in widelydefiused education, even a higher standard of temperance legislation, pure and estended suffrage, equal taxation, intelligent recognition of the rights of labor as well as capital, and we would take no step backward in regard to those philanthropic, charitable, and educational institutions in the constant development of which our beloved Commonwealth has been ever forenfost. All these things we have many times asserted, and we appeal to the gradual and steady progress unmistakably apparent through the reccrds of the last quarter of a century, both in the State and nation, as pt oof that we have not asserted in vain. We stand ready to assert them now, and to maintain them also, While we do not believe in that political charlatanry. which makes a business of sham reform, indiscriminately treating great moral and humanitarian questions, public offices, and public issues as counters in a game, the sole end of which Is one man’s pohti al preferment, neither can we patiently see methods of political corruption, unknown here before, introduced into our State and Municipal Governments. Unless checked here.and now, these methods will surely Bring the politics of Massachusetts to a level which we have seen elsewhere and have not been slow to vigorously denounce. This year, therefore, the work of reform for us begins at home. The issue is well understood. We propose to blot out, in so far as we may, the record of the most discreditable year in the history of the State. It is time, not for many words, but for decisive action. We present, therefore, our candidates as men simply pledged, if elected, te carry the administration of affairs back to those better days when our public men were not first to traduce the State, but, if the State were traduced by others, were ready to stand up, as did Webster once, saying, with honest pride: “Massachussetts—there she is! Behold herl Judge for yourselves."

New York Republicans. The New York Republican State Convention disposed of its work at Richfield Springs rapidly and smoothly, renominating Gen, Carr for Secretary of State; Ira Davenport for Comptroller; Pliny T. Sexton for Treasurer; Silas Seymour for Engineer, and L W. Russell for Attorney General. The following platform was adopted without dissent: The Republicans of New York, in State Convention, held that the rec >rd of the Repnb.ican party in the past affords the best guaranty of the parly's purposes and acts in the future. The pr scrvation of the national life, the keeping of the national faith, the promotion of the national credit, the payment of the public debt, the reduction of taxation, the protection of home industries, the elevation of labor, the purification of the civil service—and, in fine, administrative policy based npon wise legislation, that has given unexampled prosperity to the country and promoted the happiness and progress of the people—are the achievements that commend the Republican to continued popular favor. W e rejoice in the wisdom and success of President Arthur's administration of the affairs of the Government, which commands universal respect throughout the country, and has the confidence and support of the Ro t üblicans of the State of New Aork. Onr Senators and Representatives in Congress have our thanks tor their part tn the reduction of internal taxation to the extent of While the national credit is kept unsullied, the public debt is being steadily reduced, and the defenders of national life are justly the recipients of a grateful republic's bounty. We appro e honesty and fidelity in the Government expenditures, the reduction of the interest on the public debt, and the payment of the debt as r.ipidlv as may be without unduly burdening the people, the bringing of taxation within tte lowest 1 racticable limits, the reduction of the force of public officials to the lowest number con latent with the requirements of the service, and tne adoption of eve’ y practicable means that will diminish the burdexs of taxation. We rejoice in the successful inauguration of c vil-servlce reform (a result of liepublican agitation) and national progress, and insist that the work thns auspiciously begun shall be prosecuted to complete success. We favor a system of tariff laws under which, while revenue for the Government is provided, American producers are justly protected. American labor elevated, and home markets are secured to home prodnets, for the advantage alike of producer and laborer, We favor the removal of all unjust burdens upon American shipping, and the awarding of ocean mail contracts to the lowest bidder among the owners of American vessels after open competition. We favor the establishment bv Congress of a National Bnrea* of Labor Statistics. with the object of promo Ing the Industrial, social and sane itary oondiiions of the people. We favor the surrounding of primary meetings, as well as popular elections, with the security of honesty and purity, as indispensable requisites to correct political action. The tendency to create monopolies requires checking by adequate legislation. Unjust discrimination in transportation should be pro-

hibited; and violation of chartered privileges ju- titles the intervention of the State to correct the evils thus engendered. 'J axation should be equalized and its burdens be borne proportionately by real and personal property; and the po icy of taxation of corporations is approved on the test of its practical operation. The free-canal policy of this State has in practice justified its adoption, by restoring canals to their usefulness, by bringing to the State increased commerce, by assuring to it a continuance of commercial supremacy. We approve the plan of party reorganization in the city of New York and recommend that it be persisted in, to the end that it shall embrace all Republicans in the city on equal terms and footing. We believe in the wisdom of the people in deciding all questions pertaining to tne public welfare, and would accede to the desire of a large body of our citizens ta submit to the voters of the State a constitutional amendment in regard to the sale of intoxicating liquors. Democratic incapacity and inability to administer the Government are demonstrated in the conduct of the late Legislature, where twothirds of the Democratic majority was false toils pledges and to public interests. The reckless partisanship and insatiate greed for officeof the Democratic party brought it into public contempt. Its special legislation to make places for partisans, and its increase of the salaried list to reward favorites, brought, upon it public execration. The utter disregard of important public interests and its increase of State taxation are offenses not to be condoned. The course pursued in its cowardly attempt to evade the responsibility of affirmative action on the contract-labor question, and to shirk the issue presented in the platform of the last Democratic State Convention, has earned the distrust of the taxpayer and the contempt of the workingmen. It is the duty of the people to rescue the Legislature from the control of an incompetent and faithless party, and from being the sport of place-hunters and spoilsmen, and to secure a continuance of an economical, efficient and satisfactory administration of the State departments, by the election of the ticketfor State officers this day placed in nomination.