Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1874 — THE INDIANA DEMOCRACY. [ARTICLE]

THE INDIANA DEMOCRACY.

The Indiana Democratic State Convention was held in Indianapo- j lis, Wednesday of last week. — Tliev nominated John E. Neff, of Randolph county, for Secretary of State; Ebenezer Henderson, of Morgan, for Auditor of State ; B.' C. Shaw, of Marion, for Treasurer of State ; J. A. Smart, of Allen, for Superintendent of Public Instruction ; C. A.Buskirk, of Gibson, for Attorney General; and Horace P. Biddle, of Cass, for Judge of the Supreme Court. Henderson and Biddle are candidates on the Independent ticket for the same otlices, and, according to the Indianapolis Journal , are every way unexceptionable men. The platform arraigns the Republican party for its criminal shortcomings, making some ugly charges that will be troublesome to answer, and it also stultifies the Democracy by condemning acts in which its representatives were active accessories. It asks that the Democratic party be again entrusted with the administration of the affairs of the State and country, upon its promises of “a strict construction of the Constitution of the United States and its amendments, and an impartial enforcement of its laws; a tariff fbr revenues ; la condemnation of all official gratuities in the form of retroactive salaries, State and National; a condemnation of the attempt of the last Congress to muzzle the press ; securing to every I citizen of the country the equal I protection of the daws, without violating the principles of local self or interfering with the social customs of the people; opposition to high fees and salaries, either in the State of Indiana or of the United States; demanding a reduction of salaries, State and National; and in the State such an adjustment and reduction of fees and salaries as will | relieve the people from high State 1 and.local taxation.” 1 They declare in favor ot paying the 5-20 bonus dii greenbacks; | which is incipient repudiation, and demand the repeal of the law of March, 1809, tafurther their scheme, They want io substitute greenbacks tor national bank notes, thereby increasing the national debtj They favor a return to specie payments as soon'as the business : interests of the country will permit, and desire legislative tampering | with the currency from time to time ; a plan that would result in ' an unstable currency of fluctuating values, and prostrate business even worse than it is at the present time. They practically oppose the education of black children by advocating separate schools, which would impose additional burthens of taxation upon the people. The seventh resolution is a very silly attempt to keep the everlasting negro in politics. People who want bygones to be bygones ought to be ashamed ot such nonsense. The Baxter liquor law is pronounced a failure, “and a judicious, well regulated license law” is recommended as a substitute.— Probably a compromise, partaking ,of the features of the plan recommended in this platform in connection with the local option proposition of the Republican platform would be better than either of them separate. They demand such State and National legislation for railroads “as will effectually secure the industrial and producing interests of the country against all forms of corporate monopoly and exaction.” .Thisis tire best tiling that has yet been said by any party in the State upon this very important subject. A reduction of at least fifty percent in the taxes collected from the people, is recommended and believed possible to accomplish. The wanton outrage perpetrated upon the people of Indiana by the .Republican party in increasing State taxes from five to fifteen per cent, and at tire same time increasing the valuation of property nearly fifty-per cent, is very properly condemned in a vigorous manner. Like the Republicans, the Democracy of Indiana attacks county commissioners anil townslitp trustees for making local levies high. They denounce the too edmmon custom among officers of using l public money as tffeir own, properly characterizing- it aa.pernicious-

and naturally resulting in stealing and other abuses. Opposition to the granting of National, State or local aid to railroad companies and other corporations, is the gist of the 14th plank of the platform. __ ; Plank 15 bids for the .Grange vote. Plank 1G advocates the abolition of the office of County Superintendent of schools ; and the repeal of the real estate appraisement law, substituting for it the old law. Plank 17, and last, bids for the soldier vole. The third session of the Newton county Normal Institute will open August 17th, at Eentland, in the High School room. It will continue five weeks, and close with a week’s session of county Institute. Some fifty teachers are expected in attendance. These Normal Institutes are said to be growing in popular favor. Mr. B. F. Niesz, Superintendent of the Kentland public schools, will conduct the exercises of this session. It is very healthy throughout the State this season.