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Show declaring that it correctly interpreted that plank, the convention faiilyroie to its feet and cheered wildly for a ful minute. tii just laws ran neither be properly Amended or repealed. j TAXATION.. The democratic party will contiuno with all the power confined in it, the straggle to reform these laws in accordance accord-ance with the pledges of its last platform, plat-form, indorsed at ballot box by tho suffrage of the people. Of all the industrious indus-trious freemen of our land, the immense majority, including every tiller of the soil, gains no advantage from excessive tax laws, bnt the price of nearly everything every-thing they buy is increased by the favoritism of an unequal system of tax legislation. All unnecessary taxation is unjust taxation. It is repugnant to the creed of democracy that b7 such taxation the cost of the necessaries of life should be UDjustflnbly increased to all our people. peo-ple. Judged by democratic principles the inte-est of the people are betrayed when, by unnecessary taxation, trusts and combinations are permitted to exist, while 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 violated when through unnecessary taxation a vast sum of money far beyond the needs of economical administration is drawn from the people, the channels of trade, aud accumulated as a demoralizing surplus in the national treasury. The money now lying idle in the fed- rrnoanro roonltino- from minor- DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. The democratic party of the United States national couvention assembled renews the pledge of its fidelity to the democratic faith, and reaffirms the plat form adopted by its representative in the convention of 1SS4, and endorses the views expressed by President Cleveland Cleve-land in his last earnest message to congress con-gress as the correct interpretation of that platform upon the question of tariff tar-iff reductloa; and also indorses the efforts of our democratic representatives representa-tives in congress to secure a reduction of excessive taxation. i-mci auiuug no piiuwyaiB ui yi ij faith are tbe maintenance of an indissoluble indis-soluble union of free and indestructible indestructi-ble states, now about to enter upon its second century of unexampled progress and renown, devotion to a plan of government gov-ernment regulated by a written constitution consti-tution strictly specifying eyery granted power and expressly reserving to tbe states or people the entire ungran ed residue of power; tbe encouragement of a zealous popular vigilance, directed to all who have been chosen for brief terms to enact and execute tbe laws and are charged with the duty ef preserving pre-serving peace, insuring equality and establishing justice. The democratic party welcomes exacting scrutiny of the administration administra-tion of the executive power, which fonr years ago was committed to its trust, in the election of Gover Cleveland, president presi-dent of the United States, bnt it :hal-lenges :hal-lenges that the most searching inquiry concerning its fidelity and devotion to tbe pledges which then invited the suffrages of the people during the most critical period of our rinsnci 1 affairs, resulting from oyer taxation, ths anomalous ano-malous condition of our currency, and a public debt unmatured.it has by the adop tion of a wise and conservative 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 pubiie domain, and has reclaimed from corporations and syndicates, syn-dicates, alien and domestic, and restored to the people nearly one hundred millions mil-lions of acres of valuable land to be sacredly held as homesteads for our citizens. cit-izens. While carefully guarding the interest fiuons taxation, amounts to more than 125,100,000. dollars, and the surplus collect col-lect d is reaching the sura of more than 60,000,000 dollars anunally. Debauched by the immense temptation, the remedy of the republican party is to meet and e--hanst by extravagant appropriations and expenses, whether constitutional or not, the accumulation of extravagant taxation. tax-ation. The democratic policy is to enforce en-force frugality in public expenso and abolish unnecessary taxation. Our established domestic industries should not and need not be endangered by the reduction and corrections of tho burdens of taxation. On the contrary, a fair and eareful revision of our tax laws, with due allowance for the difference differ-ence between the wages of American and foreign labor, must promote and encourage every braneh of such industries indus-tries and enterprises by giving them assurance of an extended market and steady and continued operations. In the interests of American labor, which should in no event be neglected, the revision of our tax laws coutemplated by the democratic party should promote the advantage of such labor by cheapening cheapen-ing the cost of the neceaarles 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 coneernin; every phase of our national life, and upou every question ques-tion involved in the problem of good government, the democratic party submits sub-mits its principles and professions to the intelligent suffrages of tho American Ameri-can people. THE TABIFF PLANK. to the principles of justice and equity, it has paid out more for pensions and bounties to the soldiers and sailors of the repnblic than was ever paid before daring the same period. It has adopted, consistently pursued, a firm and prudent pru-dent foreign policy, preserving peace with all nations while scrupulously maintaining all the rights and interest, of onr government and people at home and abroad. The exclnsion from our shores of Chinese laborers has been effectually secured under the provisions of a treaty the operation of which has been postponed post-poned by the action of republican majority ma-jority in the Senate. CIVIL SERVICE. Honest reform in the civil service has been inaugurated and maintained by President Cleveland, and he has brought the public service to the higest standard of efficiency, not only by rule and precept, pre-cept, but by the example of his own untiring and unselfish administration of public affairs. Iu every branch and department of the government under democratic control con-trol the rights and the welfare of all the people have been guarded and : The following is the full wording ot the tariff plank in the democratic platform plat-form adopted in Chicago in 1884: "The democratic party is pledged to revise re-vise the tariff in a spirit of fairness to all interests. Bnt in making a reduction in taxes it is not proposed to injure any domestic industries, but rather protect their healthy growth, from the foun dation of this government. taxes collected col-lected at the custom house have been the chief source of federal revenue such they rnuBt continue to be moreover, so many industries have come to rely upon legislation for successful coutiuuance that any change of law must be at every step regardful of the labor and capital involved. The process of reform must be subject in execution to this plain dictate of justice all taxation shall be limited to the requirements of an economical econ-omical government. The necessary reduction re-duction in taxation can and most be affected without depriving American labor of the ability to compete successfully success-fully and without imposing lower rates of duty than will Le ample to over any increased cost of production which may exist in consequence of the higher rate of wages prevailing iu this country. coun-try. Sufficient revenue to pay all the aeienuea; every puonc interest nas been protected, and the equality of all onr citizens before the law, without regard to raee or color, has been steadfastly stead-fastly maintained. Upon its record thus exhibited , and upon a pledge of a continuance to the people of the benedts of democracy, it invokes a renewal of popular trust by the re-election of a chief magistrate who has been faithful, able and prudent, and Invokes in additon to that trust tne transfer also to the democracy of the entire legislative power. The republican party, controlling the senate and resisting both hcusea of congress, a reformation of unjust and unequal tax laws which have outlasted the necessities ot war and are now undermining the abundance of a long peace, deny to the people equality before tbe law and the fairness and justice which are their right. Tbsa the cry of American for labor a better share in tho rewards of industry is stilled with false pretenses, enterprise is fettered and bound down by home markets; capital U dUcoaragtdtth dpnbt, and unequal, expences of the fedoral government, economically administered, including tensions and interest and principal of the public debt, can be got under our present system of taxation from custom? ho .Be taxes on fewer imported artieles, bearing heaviest on articles of luxury and bearing lightest oj articles of necessity, vie therefore denounce the abase of the present tariff, and, subject to the preceding limitations, we demand de-mand that federal laxation shall be exclusively for public purposes, and shall not exeeed the needs of the government govern-ment economically administered." THE PLATFORM ADOPTED, Secretary Pettit, during the reading of the report of the committee on resolutions, reso-lutions, was frequently compelled to gtop for several seconds while the con-I con-I yention applauded bigrjijieant passages in the platform. There was a moderate moder-ate volume of applause when the opening open-ing sentences which reaffirmed Ihe utterances of the tariff plank in the platform of 1SS4, but when he followed indorsing the president's message and |
