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(Democracy)
Democratic Doctrines. The Principles of the Democratic Party
NY, 1888. The Democratic Party Platform, as adopted in St. Louis on June 7, 1888 (and reaffirming and restating that adopted in Chicago four years earlier). In 1888, Grover Cleveland was running for re-election, against the Republican Benjamin Harrison. Cleveland won the popular vote, but lost in the Electoral College, in part due to Republicans buying votes in Indiana. (Cleveland would, however, win a rematch, in 1892.) This pamphlet puts forth the ideals of the Democratic Party at the time, including: childhood education; the rights of organized labor; the separation of church and state; the equality of all citizens without regard to race or color; the reform of unjust tax laws that unduly enrich the few; the end of the sale of public lands to benefit corporations rather than settlers; the reigning in of tariffs; the admission of Washington, Montana, Dakota and New Mexico into the Union; and supporting the blessings of self-government and civil and religious liberty for all nations. The platform reaffirms the rights of native and naturalized citizens, but takes a hard line against the importation of "unfit" foreign labor. One sheet, folded to create a 12 page pamphlet, 3 3/8" x 5 3/4". Foxed, and fragile; about very good. Only two copies located in OCLC, at NYPL and Pittsburgh State University. [#034697] $1,000

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