Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1888 — DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

The democratic party in Indiana, in convention assembled, renews its ’ ledges of fidelity to the constitution and the doc rines taught by the illustrious men who were its founders and illustrated in their administration of the government, and insists upon an honest and economical administration of public affairs, federal, state and municipal. It will resist all es forts to deprive th a federal government of any of its pow rs as delegated in the constitution, and will maintain for the states and the people respeclively the rights and powers reserved to them in the constitution. 2. We congratulate the people of the whole country upon the eminently successfu 1 administration of President Cleveland. Coming into power under circumstances peculiarly difficult and embarrassing, after a long period of republican rule, he has conducted the affairs of the executive department with such prudence and ability as 4 ochallenge the approval of all unnrejudiced people. That he has earnestly labored to discharge the duties of his great office in the interest! f all the people, tnere can be no question. That he has succeeded so well is a source of pride and gratification to those who elected him, as it should be to all his countrymen. Not even party malice dares to assail his ho. esty or intgrity, and all his acts have not only been c-.ear, but above suspicion. The country is at peace with all the world, the laws ar? faithfully ’ministered, good order and eoonprevail wherever the executive

has control, and the whole country ia enjoying remarkable prosperity under his wise and benificent administration, therefore the d mocracy of Indiana teel that it would be unwise to risk the hazzard of a change, and declare themselves emphatically in favor of his reelection.

3. We are opposed to taki g money from the pockets of the people and hoarding it in the treasury of the United States bevoud the needs of a proper administrotion of the government, thus converting it into dead capital at the expense of the business of the country, and encouraging extravagant and corrupt expenditures. To the end that these cruel burdens be removed from the taxpayers, and that such expenditures shall cease, we insist that the taxes on imports shall be reduced to the lowest point consistent with efficiency in the public service, and we demand an immediate revision and reform of the present unjust tariff as recommended in the late message of the president.

4. The democratic party of Indiana favors such rules and regulations for the civil service, both national and state, as will secure honest, capable and deserving public officers, but, where honesty, ability and merit are equal, we believe there would be both justice and wisdom in giving preference to those who would harm /iize in principle and policy with the party having the responsibility of administration.

The democratic party being of the people and tor the people, favor such legislation as will guarantee the broadest protection to the interests ahd welfare of the industrial masses; it recognizes the fact that labor is the producer of the wealth of a nation, and that laws should be so framed as to en ourage and promote the interest, progress and prosperity of all classes, and especially of all laboring people.

6. We recognize the right of all men to organize for social or material advancement; the right of wage-workers to use all lawfui means to protect themselves against the encroachments of moneyed monopolists, and the right to fix a price fortheir labor commensurate with the work required of them, and we hold that every man has the right to dispose of his own labor upon such terms as he may think will best promote his inter ests. In relations between capital and labor the democratic part; favois such measures as will f remote harmony between them, and will adeouately pro ect the interests of both.

We freely indorse and approve the laws passed pursuant to the demands of former democratic conventions making provision for the safety and protection of laborers and miners, and providii g for the aollection of their wages, and are in favor of all other enactments to that end which mav be necessary and proper. 7. It is the duty of the government to reposse-s itself of all public lands heretofore granted for the benefit of corporations which have been forfeited ny non-com-pliance with the conditions of the grants, and should hold the same for the use a d benefit of the people. Laws should be passed to prevent the ownership of large tracts of land by cornorations, or by pers ns not citizens of the United States, or who have not declared their intention to become such as provided by ±aw. Congress should discourage the purchase of public land in large bo dies by any parties for speculative purposes, but should preserve the same, as far as practicable, for actual settlers, and to that end all subsidies ol lam , as well as money, to corporations and speculators should ct ase forever. 8. It is provided by the constitution of this state that the liberty of the people should be protected and that their ‘ private property should not be taken without just compensation, and we are opposed to any change in the constitution tending to weaken those safeguards or to any legislation which asserts the power to take or destroy the private property of any portion of the people of this state without compensation, or which unjustly interferes with their personal liberty as to what they shall eat and drink or as to the kind of clothing they shall wear, believing that the government hould be administered in that way best calculated to confer the greatest good upon the greatest number, without saerific

mg the rights cf person and property, and leaving the innocent creeds, habits, customs and business of the people unfettered by sumptua -y laws, class legislation cr extortionate monopolies. While standing faithfully by the r’ghts of property and personal liberty guaranteed to the people by the constitution, we distinctly declare that we are in favor of sobriety and temperance, and all proper means fc r the promotion of these virtues, but we believe that a well regulated license system, and reasonable and just laws upon the subject, faithfully enforced, would be better than extreme measures which, being subversive of personal liber ty'and in conflict with public sentiment, would never be effectively executed, thus bringing law into disrepute and tending to ma-.e sneaks and hypocrites of our people. 9. We unqualifiedly condemn the action of the republican party in the last general assembly of the state of Indiana In their revolutionary scheme to unseat democratic members, and thus obstruct needful legislation and subvert the will of the p ople a < expressed at the ballot-box, and we heartily commend and indorse the action of the democratic members there of in iheir successful efforts to preserve that majority.

10. The democratic party of Indiana believes : n fair elections and an honest count, aad deplores and holds up for the detestation of the people the supreme fraud of 18767 by which the will of the people was set aside and men not elected were placed in two of the most important offices of the country; also for the use of vast sums of money in controlling and corrupting the elections in 1880, which leading men of that party have admitted reached tne enormous sum of 8400,000 in this state alone; also for setting the bad example in various other ways (f carrving elections by unfair and unlawful methods, both i* this state and elsewhere.

11. The democratic party is the faithful Die nd of the soldiers, their widows and orphans, and as ar appreciation of the heroic and unselfish service of the soldiers »nd sailors we declare in favor of liberal legislation in their behalf, including an enactment by congress of a just and equitable service pension law, as a recognition of patriotism and a reward for honorable services rendered the government. 12. Resolved, That our confidence and esteem for the Hon. Daniel W. Voorhees and the Hon. David Turpie, our great representatives in the United States Senate, continues unabated, and we cheerfully greet them and their democratic associates from Indiana in the house of representatives with the plaudit: |“ Well done, goo I and faithful public servants.” We heartily indorse the pure and able administration of Gov. Isaac P. Gray, and commend him to the democratic national convention as the choice of tne d-mocracy of Indiana for vice-president, and hereby instruct our delegates to present hi ■ nam j to the convention for that high office, and to cast their votes for him as a unit while his name is before the national convention as a candidate.