Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1888 — THE PLATFORM. [ARTICLE]

THE PLATFORM.

Declarations of the Democratic Party on the Issues of the Coming Campaign. Text of the Resolutions Adopted by the National Convention at St. Loots. The Democratic party of the United States, in national convention assembled, renews the pledge of its fidelity to the Democratic faith, and reaffirms the platform adopted by its representatives in the convention of 1884, and indorses the views expressed by President Cleveland in his last earnest message to Congress as the correct interpretation of that platform upon the question of tariff reduction ; and also indorses the efforts of our Democratic representatives in Congress to secure a reduction of excessive taxation. Chief among its principles of party faith are the maintenance of an indissoluble union of free and indestructible States, now about to enter upon its second century of unexampled progress and renown ; devotion to a plan of government regulated by a written Constitution strictly specifying every granted power, and expressly reserving to the States or people the entire ungranted residue of power; the encouragement of a jealous popular vigilance, directed to all who have been chosen for brief terms to enact and execute the laws, and are charged with the duty of preserving peace, insuring equality, 'and establishing justice. The Democratic party welcomes an exacting scrutiny of the administration of the executive power, which four years ago was committed to its trust in the election of Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, and it challenges the most searching inquiry concerning its fidelity and devotion to the pledges which then invited the suffrages of the people. During a most critical period of our financial affairs, resulting from over-taxation, the anomalous condition of our currency, and a public debt unmatured, it has by the adoption of a wise and statesmanlike course not only averted disaster but greatly promoted the prosperity of the people. It has reversed the improvident and unwise policy of the Republican party touching the public domain, ana has reclaimed from corporations and syndicates alien and domestic, and restored to the people, nearly one hundred millions of acres of valuable land, to be sacredly held as homesteads for our citizens. While carefully guarding the interests of the people, consistent with the principles of justice and equity, it has paid out more for pensions and bounties to the soldiers and sailors of the Republic than was ever paid before during an equal period. It has adopted, consistently pursued, a firm and prudent foreign policy, preserving peace with all nations while scrupulously maintaining all the rights and interests of our own Government and people at home and abroad. The exclusion from our " shores of Chinese laborers has been effectually secured under the provision of a treaty, the operation of which has been postponed by the action of a Republican majority in the Senate. Honest reform in the civil service has been inaugurated and maintained by President Cleveland, and he has brought the public service to the highest standard of efficiency, not only by rule and precept but by the example of his own untiring and unselfish administration of public affairs. In every branch and department of the Government under Democratic control, the rights and the welfare of all the people have been guarded and defended; every public interest has been protected, and the equality of all our citizens before the law, without regard to race or color, has been steadfastly maintained. Upon its record thus exhibited and upon the pledge of a continuance to the people of the benefits of Democracy it invokes a renewal of popular trust by the re-election of a Ohief Magistrate who has been faithful, able, and prudent, and invokes in addition to that trust the transfer also to the Democracy of the entire legislative power. The Republican party, controlling the Senate and resisting in both houses of Congress a reformation of unjust and unequal tax laws, which have outlasted the necessities of war, and are now undermining the abundance of a long period of peace, deny to the people equality before the law, and the fairness and the justice which are their right. The cry of American labor for a better share in the rewards of industry is stifled with false pretenses, enterprise is fettered, and bound down to home markets ; capital is discouraged with doubt, and unequal, unjust laws can neither be properly amended nor repealed. The Democratic party will continue, with all the power confided to it, the struggle to reform these laws in accordance with the pledges of its last platform, indorsed at the ballot-box by the suffrages of the people. Of all the industrious freeman of our lan<U the immense majority, including every tiller of the soil, gain no advantage from excessive tax laws, but the price of nearly everything they buy is increased by the favoritism of an unequal system of tax legislution. All unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation. It is repugnant to the creed of Democracy that taxation the cost of the necessaries of life should be unjustifiably increased to all our people. Judged by Democratic principles, the interests of the people are betrayed when, by unnecessary taxation, trusts and combinations are permitted to exist which, while unduly enriching the few that combine, rob the body of our citizens by depriving them of the benefits of natural competition Every rule of governmental action is vioMted, when, through unnecessary taxation a vast sum of money far beyond the needs of an economical administration is drawn from the people, the channels of trade and accumulated as a demoralizing surplus In the National Treasury. The money now lying idle in the Federal Treasury resulting from superfluous taxation amounts to more than one hundred and twentyfive millions, and the surplus collected is reaching the sum of more than sixty millions annually. Debauched by this immense temptation, the remedy of the Republican party is to meet and exhaust by extravagant appropriations and expenses, whether constitutional or not, the accumulatlpn of extravagant taxation. The Democratic policy is to enforce frugality in public expense and abolish unnecessary taxation. Our established domestic industries and enterprises should not and need not be endangered by the reduction and correction of the burdens of taxation. On the contrary, a fair and careful Ollr ax awH ' 'with due allowance for the difference between the wages of American and foreign labor, must promote and encourage every branch of such industries and enterprises by giving them assurance of on extended market and steady and continuous operations. In the interests of American labor, which should in no event be neglected, the revision of our tax laws contemplated by the Democratic party should promote the advantage of such labor by cheapening the cost of necessaries of life in the home of every workingman, and at the same time securing to him steady and remunerative employment. Upon this question of tariff reform, so closely concerning every phase of our national life, and upon every question involved' in the problem of good government, the Democratic party submits its principles and professions to the intelligent suffrages of the American people.