Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1898 — THE STATE PLATFORMS [ARTICLE]

THE STATE PLATFORMS

Mor Pnryoaos of ComparUo* the Declaration* of the Republican and Democrat!. State Platform* on the Varlou* Issues of tbe Campaign Are Herewith Given In Parallel Columns, Arranged by Topics: DEMOCRATIC. REPUBLICAN. THE WAR.

We, the Democracy c* Indiana, in convention assembled, now, as always, loyal to onr country and our flag, affirm that the cause for whieh the United States is engaged in war with Spain is just and righteous. We recall with pride the early espousal and united and persistent support of this cause by the senators and representatives of the Democratic party in congress. We congratulate the country upon the univei sal patriotic uprising which has swept away the last vestige of sectionalism, and revealed us to the world as a united people. We rejoice in the heroic deeds of Dewey, Bagley, Hobson, and their brave comrades, which have added new luster to the American name. We demand, now, as heretofore, the most vigorous prosecution of the war until it shall have ended in vindication of the national honor, the absolute relinquishment by Spain of possession or control of any part of the western hemisphere, and the formal acknowledgment by that kingdom of the independence of the Cuban republic. We favor the prompt recognition by the United States of such independence as a war measure, and as an act of justice to a brave people, struggling for freedom. W e urge the immediate increase of the volunteer forces of our army and navy to any extent necessary to assure speedy and decisive results, and the appropriation of all the funds requisite for the adequate equipment and support, and for the comfort of our gallant soldiers and sailors in armed conflict against the üblic enemy. The supreme duty of the hour is to relieve the perishing victims of Spanish cruelty and secure the completa| triumph of the national arms. When this snail have been accomplished the justice and wisdom of the American people may be safely trusted to deal with all questions which may grow out of existing complications, in such a way as best to promote the objects for which this republic was founded.

While we sincerely deplore the necessity of war, we believe the presidentand coni .’ess acted wisely in demanding the complete withdrawal of Spanish sovereignty over the island of Cuba and in proceeding to enforce the demand with the military and naval power of the government. And now that our army and navy, through their splendid achievements, have blessed our nation with triumphs not excelled in the world’s history, rendering many names illustrious and immortal, and adding prestige and glory, limited only by civilization, to our great republic,the occasion is one of supreme gratitude to the great ruler of nations. We extend to the brave men on land and sea who have gone forth to battle for the gl®ry of our flag and the cause of human liberty our deepest sympathy on account of the sacrifices they have made and the hardships they are called upon to endure, and our warmest praise for their unconquerable valor. We honor, congratulate and applaud our country’s hi roes who have once more proved the matchless intelligence, devotion and courage of American manhood. They have orovod to the world that the United States is i nation, on® and indivisible - b i-o:-! tions and without cla >se is “to deal justly, I .... ilk humbly before God.” We commend Mr. McLLn’oy’s conservative and patrio ic cours > in earnes'ly hoping and negotiating for peace while yet prudently preparing for war. And we further express our most earnest approval of his vigorous prosecution or the war, and our entire confidence in his abili. r to secure such terms of peace, now happily near at hand, as will advance human liberty and comport with the dignity and honor of the American people.

THE NAVY.

We favor such a permanent strengthening of the navy of the United States and such improvements of our system of coast defenses as shall assure ade<uate protection of the country against foreign aggression.

Having achieved its manhood, the republic, under God, is entering upon its greatest period of power, happiness and responsibility. Realizing the mighty future of wealth, prosperity and duty which is even now upon us, we favor the extension of American trade, the reformation of our consular system accordingly, the encouragement by all legitimate means of the American merchant marine, the creation of a navy as powerful as our commerce shall be extensive for the public defense and security, and the establishment of coaling stations and naval rendezvous wherever necessary.

PENSIONS.

The Democratic party of Indiana, now, as in the past, advocates liberal pensions as well to the disabled survivors of th > Union army in the civil war, and their widows and orphans, as to the victims in the present conflict, and those who may be dependent upon them. We honor alike the valor of those who suffered for the flag in the gigantic contest of 1861-65, and of those who have now gone forth to do battle In the cause of liberty aud humanity.

We hold in undying honor the soldiers and sailors whose valor saved the life of the nation, and those who were but recently called to arms in vindication of their courbry’s honor and the cause of human liberty. Just and liberal pensions to all deserving soldiers are a sacred debt of the nation, and the widows a id orphans of those who are dead are entitled to the care of a generous and grateful people.

THE NICARAGUA CANAL.

We are in favor of the construction and control of the Nicaragua canal by this government, when its feasibility shall have been determined; but we are opposed to a loan of the national credit to any private corporation for that purpose.

We moh heartily approve of the annexation of the Hawaiian islands at- a wise measure; we recommend the early construction of the Nicaraguan canal under the immediate direction and exclusive control of the United States government—the importance and necessity of the canal having been emphasized by recent events connected with the present war with Spain.

THE FINANCIAL QUESTION.

We reaffirm and emphasize the platform adopted by the national Democratic convention of 1896 at Chica ’o. Wo are in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of both gold and silver at the existing ratio of 16 to 1, without the aid or consent of any other nation. We are unalterably opposed to the single gold standard, and we specially protest against the declared purpose of the present Republican secretary of the treasury of applying that policy more thoroughly. We believe that the practice of the treasury in paying treasury notes in gold only, in violation of law, and in surrendering the option of the government, reserved by the statute, to pay in gold or silver, is chiefly responsible for the great money depression now, and for so long a period, existing in this country, is destructive of business enterprise. dangerous to the public credit and the prosper, t.y of the people, and a serious menace to the national honor.

The Republicans cf Indiana are unreservedly for sound money, and are therefore opposed to the heresy to which the Democratic party is wedded, of the free and unlimited coinage of both gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, which we regard as absolutely sure to debase our money and destroy our private and public credit, and cause general business disaster. Werecognize the necessity of comprehensive and enlightened monetary legislation and believe that the declaration in the St. Louis national Republican platform for the maintenance of the gold standard and the parity of all our forms of money should be given the vitality of public law and the money of the American people should be made, like all its intitutions, the best in the world. We felicitate the country on the fact, when in the exigencies of war it became necessary to issue $200,000,000 of government bonds to meet the extraordinary expenditures, a Republican administration had the good sense and wisdom to put the loan within the easy reach of the people, where it has been wholly absorbed, furnishing a splendid security for their savings, awakening a new into’ ’.st in the permanency of our government and the soundness of its financial system.

THE INHERITANCE AND INCOME TAXES.

We insist that the wealth of the country should bear its just share of the public burdens. For that reason we approve the inheritance tax recently adopted through the efforts of the Democrats in congress and we favor the principle and policy of an income tax. The aemonitization of silver and the judicial denial of the power to tax incomes have materially impaired our resources for war purposes. We favor the reimposition of an income tax, so that the question of its validity may be reviewed by the supreme court.

’ the tariff.

We earnestly reassert the Democratic doctrine that all tariff taxes shall be laid for revenue as their sole object and purpose, and we do at this time especially denounce and condemn the high prohibitory rates of the present Republican tariff, commonly called the Dingley bill, under the operation of which trusts and combinations have

We especially commend the preside i t and congress for the prompt passage J a wise revenue law in accordance with the sound Republican doctrine of reciprocity and protection to American industries and home labor, and express our unbounded confidence in the beneficial results predicted for this measure by our party leaders, evidences of which

DEMOCRATlC—multiplied, the cost of the necessaries of life has been increased and the wages of labor have not been advanced, and which has entailed upon the country a deficit of many millions to be made up only by additional taxation in time of war, thus imposing, instead of a benefit, an onerons burden upon the people of the United States.

—REPUBLICAN are daily accumulating in the way of renewed business prosperity and ample revenue for ordinary governmental expenditures. We, therefore, reaffirm our belief in the doctrine of reciprocity and protection to America*labor and home industries and condemn the Democratic doctrine of tariff for revenue only as unsound and unsuited to the best interests of the country, a doctrine the falsity of which has been demonstrated by our experience under the Wilson rev • enue bill that plunged the nation into commercial and financial distress, from which it is fast recovering since r'te change l.om that Democratic policy.

ELECTION OF U. S. SENATORS.

We reaffirm and emphasize our repeated declarations in favor of the election of United States senators by the people.

LABOR.

We sincerely sympathize with organized labor in its efforts to adjust differences between the employer and employe. We denounce the incorporated trusts which have overcome these efforts by cruel and unjust methods and we favor a system of equal and disinterested arbitration as a means of adjustment of such differences. We take pride in the long list of laws enacted by Democratic legislatures for the benefit of the workingmen of the state, including the 8-hour labor law, ttm law prohibiting “pluck-me stores,” the repeal of the infamous Republican intimidation laws, the law prohibiting the importation of Pinkertons, the law prohibiting “blacklisting,” the miners’ law providing for the proper ventilation of mines and the use of honest weights and screens; the law protecting workingmen in the right to organize for mutual defense, the co-employes’ liability law, the mechanics’ lien law, the law prohibiting the forced collection of fees from employes of railroad corporations to sustain company hospitals, restaurants, etc., the law guaranteeing the pivil rights of all citizens, and the law prohibiting the importation of paupers and aliens under contract into the state Who have no purpose of becoming citizens thereof. We demand a more thorough enforcement of the 8-hour and other laws in the interest of labor by the public officials charged with that duty. We are opposed to the contract labor pystem in prison, but we believe that to maintain convicts in idleness is inhuman and unjustly burdensome to the people. We believe some plan should be devised for the profitable utilization of their-labor without bringing it into competition with free labor. The projects for its employment under the public account system or in the construction oi a ship canal connecting Lake Michigan with the Wabash river, or in some other enterprise of great public utility should be carefully considered and that plan which promises the best results and is open to the fewest objections should be adopted by the next legislature. We approve the child labor and factory inspection law, and favor such amendments to the same as shall render it more effective.

We favor the enactment and enforcement of laws restricting and preventing the immigration of such undesirable foreign population as is prejudicial to free American labor.

THE DEMOCRATIC TAX LAW.

We congratulate the taxpayers of Indiana upon the rapid decrease in the State debt, and beg to remind them that the revenues with which the payments thereou have been made and are being made result from the enforcement of the Democratic tax law of 1891, which Was enacted by a Democratic legislature over Republican opposition and protest, which was assailed by a Republican state convention, denounced by Republican orators and the entire Republican press, but which was sustained in the highest court of the nation through the efforts of a Democratic attorney general. Every dollar paid on the state debt by Republican officials is cumulative evidence of the stupidity, or worse, of the Republican organization in its bitter opposition to the law which made such pay-i ment possible, and which, since coming into power, they have made no effort t® repeal. We also recall that a Democratic legislature enacted a law creating a sinking fund of 3 cents on the SIOO, to be applied exclusively to the extinguishment of the state debt, and that under these laws the Democratic administration of Governor Matthews, in 1895 and 1896, set the pace by reducing the state debt more than $2,000,000.

We commend the wise, prudent, patriotic and economical administration of Governor Mount and the Republican state officials, under which, with a reduction of 25 per centum in the state tax rate within the last 18 months, $920,000 of the state debt has been discharged ; an army of over 7,000 men has been equipped and placed in the field at an expense of over $200,000; the laws have been enforced and the name of Indiana honored throughout the land.

GENERAL STATE ISSUES.

The Democratic party feels a just pride in the other great legislative reforms it has accomplished for the people of Indiana and points to their continuing benefits as certain proof of their wisdom. We call attention to the Australian ballot law, enacted against Republican opposition and still having a great purifying effect on elections notwithstanding the Republican amendments lessening its safeguards; to the board of state charities law for the supervision and regulation of our penal and charitable institutions, to the school book law, by which the great school hook trust has been driven from tne state, the price of the books used in public schools has been reduced over one-half and the frequent changes in books, formerly so burdensome to the people and detrimental to the schools, have been prevented; to the fee and salary law and other great measure 1 of reform which the state of Indiana owes ■ the Democratic party. We call attention to the record of the last two legislate es, each Republican in both branches, wh. h made scarcely a law of material benefit o the people. Both of these legislatures were marked by corruption and debauchery so scandalous that even Republiean organs were driven *o denounce them. They have to their credit the iniquitous special verdict law—made in one ana repealed in the other; the present legislative gerrymander, by I which the senate is given 51 members, in violation of the constitution; the antitrust law, inspired by trust attorneys and purposely made so worthless that Republican state officials dare not attempt to enforce it; an oppressive garnishee law, which undertook to deprive wage-earners of the state of their constitutional right of exemption; and the outrageous partisan measures to extend the term of the appellate judges, county superintendents and township trustees.

In 1895-97, for the first time since 1883, owing to the vicious system of enacting apportionment laws, whereby the minority might still control the majority, the Republican parly found itself in condition to legislate for the state, and the laws that it wisely enacted and the other measures which it still more wisely refused to pass, constitute an epoch in legislation that is an enduring monument to the faithfulness and intelligence of the party which the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth general assemblies represented. Among the many wise and just measures of legislation that stand upon the statute books as the result of tl- e labors of those two general assemblies, are the acts creating a labor commission; providing means for the settlement of disputes between employers and employes by arbitration: abolishing the prison contract system; taking convict labor out of competition with free lalxir; providing for factory inspection and the protection of the lives and health of operatives and prohibiting the'employment of child labor; providing safeguards in the auditing of public expenditures; complying with the constitutional mandate that the penal code should be founded on principles of reformation and not of vindictive justice; providing for the protection of the people against incompetent and inefficient professional men; making permanent in county and extending to state officials the provision that officers shall be paid according to their services, and not constitute a burden upon the people by reason of excessive fees and salaries; the tatting of the benevolent institutions out of the purview of partisan politics, whereby the poor and unfortunate wards of the state are assured competent and humane treatment; and above all, the enactment of an honest, fair and constitutional apportionment law. These acts emphasize and illustrate the intelligence and integrity of the 59th and 80th general assemblies,and we congratulate the Republican party and people of the state on their action

PRIMARY ELECTION REFORM.

We are earnestly in favor of legislation for the regulation and reform of primary elections.

■ We favor, as a supplement to our prewu’ election law, the enactment by the next leg.* lature of such a primary election law as w ) secure to the people a full and free express! n in the selection of their candidates for office

COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT.

We recognize the existence of grave defeers in the laws governing counties and townships of this state. We favor a complete and systematic revision of such laws to the end that public business may be transacted with greater efficiency and economy.

Believing that there is need of reform in county and township government, and that a vast saving of the public money can be made by better methods, we favor early and thorough revision of the laws upon this subject, to the end that the people of Indiana may have the best and most economical management I of local affairs.

THE TRUANCY LAW.

We favor such an amendment of the truancy law, which now requires a large and unnecessary expenditure of public moneys, so as to transfer the duties of such officials to township trustees, who shall perform the same without further compensation.

PERSONAL LIBERTY.

We adhere firmly to the teachings and practices of the Democratic party in favor of the largest measure of personal liberty consistent with public security and social order. We are opposed to all projects of legislative interference with, or regulation of, matters which lie within the domain of individual judgment and conscience.

Czar Reed’s plurality in Maine thia year is 5,312; his plurality two years ago was over 9,000.

McKinley still continues to look after the “sons of their daddies,” The other day he appointed Bob Lincoln to be a member of the commission to investigate into the "misconduct” of the war.

Robert I. Taylor, aft Wayne attorney, has addressed what he calls an "open letter” to Se .ator Tmpieand it hat been sent to nil republican papers in the state, t will bo yet more “open" after the Senator has passed it through his thinking machine. Maine Repobbtoans,

Maine has returned Speaker Reed ti congress with a marked falling off in the republican vote.

Lev ellyn Powers was re-elected gover > nor by a plurality of about 27,000, where, as two years ago he went into office with a plurality of 42,000,. Tie decease in the republican vote is discouraging to the party in power and explanation s and excuses are now in order. Reed’s constituents showed a lack of interest in their candidate and the result was a decrease of 4,000 votes in his usual majority. Analyzing the vote, it becomes apparent that the republicans have lost 21 percent, which is much mere than the normal lo s showi in an “off year.” Such a thing as a democratic victory in Maine is n>t to be expected, but democrats can find encouragement in the showing 't the polls because it demonstrates tnat many thoughtful republicans have become disgusted with the administration and have refused to give it the seal of t ht ir approval.

Both seoretary-of war Algor and Governor Mount stated recently that the stories of sufferings of solders and their ill treatment were nothing but the wild statements of “sensational newspapers" What of the following: For the direful misery, pain and death which the bravest and best of the country s youth nave been compelled to suffer by reason of the unprecedented incompetency and the criminal indifference of the war department, there must surelv come a reckoning day.-Philadelphii Le Iger (rep.). r Father Jarnos Dooley, who was the spiritual adviser of the Eighth New York regiment says:

The camp at Chickamauga park was a perfect hell on earth. War itself would nave been a paradise compared with the P *A C ® of Ottm P- I saw many wful sights there—men dying under the trees for want of a glass of water. I found there men who had been sick with typhoid fever for day sand who had not received medical attendance. » o one ha i ®^ e s “l tpken tbe * r tem peratnre. It was For five hundred men in hospital there were only a doze, attendants. The water from the creek was Gmply mud, and vet the bovs had to bathe in it and drink it. Everything about the camp was badly niair ged. As for the food, there is only one v ord that describes it—it was rotten. Republican United State i Senator Mason, of Illinois, giys: "A worm has bren e* ing thelifeout o Camp Wikoff and that worm is red tape. It has’ made a belli out of one of the finest camps the American army has ever saw. “8 ameful, disgraceful, infernal, dam nable there is no word orterm too stiong to use, not only against the official neglect and blundering, but also against that railroad. Death lies at its door as much ns on the heads of the officials of the war dap rtment, Some one has bit ndered Yes, it is well to say that low, when it is too late “This is the crime of the century, the tragedy of the nation! Our soldiershave not pour d out their hearts’ blood on t e nltar of their country, but havebfencrucified by the blundering and plundering officiald'm Our heads are bowed indeepeit woe; we trust bow them lower with very shame “I do not criticise the army itself Offi. cers and men have behaved and fought as Americans Their gallantry is the one theme that we can go back to with p’eas--Ire But Ido condemn th© commissary < epartments and the medical departments with all my strength and power, and I hope very soon to see a very thorough and proper investigation of the horrors lay the blame where it rightfully belongs ” Dr. Carstensen, chaplain of the 158th, Indiana regiment and the rector of St.’ Paul’s Cathedral, Indianapolis, said the other day: describing Camp Thomas exaggerration is no necessary. Facts are more cond imnatory than fietion The real oondit’tns were bad enough. God knows. "We of the One Hundred and Fifty, eightn Indiana regiment did not object •“ ordinary hardships and privations.— We prided ourselves on not being feath • er i>«d soldiers. We were willing to s.eep a ywhere or not at all, to eat anything or nothing at all, but we did object to being put down there and weakened, debilitated and invalided for life all on account o' the criminal incompetence of certain brigade and division quartermasters and commissaries. “It was as bad or worse in the medical department. When we went to Chick im itiga we found that our corps surgeon the man who was the general-in-ohief of the medical service of 35,000 men, the man who was charged with the immense esponsibibty of caring for the J ealth and fighting off disease from that many men. was a veterine.y surgeon, who had devoted bis life to docte ing horses and muter and had never practiced among hum?n bein'?, s. Who was responsible for his appointment? Resident McKinley appointed him.

“The corps was entirely out of medical and surgical supplies There were not enough surgical instruments on hand to open a boil There was no quinine, none of the ordinary everyday remedies such as is demanded in the most common cases of si kne s When we made requ Bition tor them we were told bluntly we would have to ‘rustle’ for them. “I went to the division hospital every day and the sights and sounds and smells that one came in contact with there made it resemble a perfect lazaretto Bah! It mak< s me sick to think of Camp Thomas “i h <ve seen flies fill the mouths of men at the point of death, b cause there v as no one to brush the i away. In seme oases a physician had as many as forty pa ients." Governor Mount is now credited with ayiug: “That statement of C rs ensen knocks me out Things must hive been awfully bad if as he reported- I would bo slow to believe that interview if I didn’t know the doctor ” What have the Republican and Jour, nalto say?