Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-03
PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES,
(Ad0pted bu Tie Democratic Club of Utn

(Adopted by The Democratic Club of Utah.
This club shall be known as the Democratic
Club of Utah.
The members Of this club do hereby reafirm
and endorse the principles embodied in the
platform adopted by the National Convention
of the Democratic party, held at Chicago on the
eighth day of July 1884
For more specific statement of the princi
pies to which the members of this club will ad
here and struggle to make predominant we do
First-1hat the affairs of government can be
| safely entrusted to the intelligence of free
people.
Second-That all Just government is derived
| from the consent of the governed. That every
citizen should be allowed the exercise of the
| largest liberty consistent with the public good
and safety.
Ihird-That in such government trust is de.
Yolyed upon every citizen, after informing him
self upon any question of policy or govern
ment, to act, politically, as his best individual
Judgment would direct, absolutely free from
coercion, control or dictation, ecclesiastical or
otherwise. While the State has given a consti-
tutional pledge not tG interfere with religion,
there is reciprocal obligation on the part of
religion not to interfere with the State. For it
! to do so Is dangerous both to itself and the ex-
1stence OF free government This would be-
come the more evident, if each of the many
| denominations should independently engage
| in struggle for political supremacy
Fourth,Polit1cally, all men are created free
and equal: the priest and the layman must stand
upon the same plane Therefore, we reafirm
that the affairs of church and State ought to
ana must be forever separate and distinct,
locally and nationally.
Fifth-Local self-government is a cardinal
principle of Democracy, and as such we affirm
and endorse it. On the one hand local
political organization appeals for the abrogation
of all local self-government in this TERRITORY by
the establishment of Legislative Commission
On the other hand an opposing political organ
izatlon I has afforded, by the conduct and
declaration OF its most influential members
the means by which the former might make its
appeal successful.
Sixth-The withdrawal of all powers of gov
ernment from the people, implied in the estab-
lishment of Legislative Commission, would
be to remove all inducement or announcement
to political activity and independence, and by
the lethargy which would ensue, engender ut
ter Indifference to the exercise of free and In
telligent political thought and action This
would but aggrayate the evils which it is de-
port, except by those who believe the applica-
ton OF free principles inadequate to human
government
Seventh-To obtain local selfgoyernment. the
Territory must be redeemed from the discredit
that has been brought upon it.
Efghth-We shall struggle to make predomi-
nant the sentiment that every, citizen should
and must obey every law until, by legitimate
agitation, if obnoxious unjust its abrogation
or repeal can be secured.
Ninth-Religious belief or fidelity should |
never be made test of political or official pre-
ferment The application of such test tends |
to the promotion of an inferior grade of Off |
cials, and often OF persons utterly disqualified |
or unfit for the positions they are called to oc |
cupy. In the selection of officers to administer |
and execute the laws, fitness for the office |
should be the only qualification required.
Tenth-To the end that free local self-goyern-
ment may be secured and participation in |
national affairs had and maintained upon the |
basis of these principles, we severally pledge |
ourselves to support them and to struggle that |
they may become predominant and invite all |
good citizens who believe that the principles
nus ehunclated should be supreme, irrespect-
i've OF religious belief or previous political |
to unite with and aid us to consum-
mate thls end. j. l.. RAWLINs,
President.
JOHN Fl. BURTON,
SECRETARY. /.