The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-06
THE BUCKLEY PLATFORM.
Text of the Document Adopted by
the Convention Last Night.

the Convention Last Night.
The platform of the Buckley Democracy
adopted last night is in full as follows:
We, the representatives of the Democratic
party in municipal convention assembled,
hereby promulgate our party principles and
measures and invite the cooperation and sup
port of the electors of the City and County Of
San Francisco.
FREE COINAGE AND RAILROAD FUNDING BILL.
We call attention to the fact that the General
Committee of the Democratic party OF the City
and County OF San Francisco, by whose law
fully vested power we exist, adopted resolu-
lions as early as April 10, 1886 in which it
pledged our party organization TO the Tree and
unlimited coinage OF silver and gold a the ex-
listing ratio of 16 to l, without waiting for the
aid and consent of Great Britain or any other
foreign nation, and also declared our unalter-
able opposition to the railroad funding bill.
With unanimous accord we now indorse and
reafirm the declaration for free silver coinage
and assert our unalterable opposition to the
Central Pacific funding bill.
ENDORSEMENT OF NATIONAL AND STATE PLATFORMS.
We affirm the principles of the National
Democratic party, which placed before the
people the name of William ]. Bryan as its
Presidential nominee, and we hereby make all
the provisions of the National and State
platforms q part of our declaration of party
policy
ATTEMPT TO GOVERN WITHOUT CONSENT OF
GOVERNED.
We maintain that one of the cardinal prin-
ciples of true Democracy is the right of every
citizen to a voice, expressed through the in
strumen tality of the ballot in the admin
lstration OF governmental affairs, whether
Federal, State or municipal; and we assert
that every act calculated TO deny such right to
the voter or to deprive him of the exercise of
his personal choice in selecting delegates to
convention charged with the responsible trust
OF presenting to the people candidates who
Will httingly reflect party sentiment and faith
luliy perform othclal duty, Is subversive OF good
Government.
We,.therefore denounce as palpable usurpa-
t1on OF authority the attempt now being made
by selt-consututed organization, through the
medium OF a self-constituted convention, to
destroy the Democratic party in this City and
County and to foist upon the voters ticket
whose nominees recognize no allegiance to the
Democratic party for they are not OF its crea-
ton, but who in accepting their nominations
lndorse and ratify the fraud through which
their candidacy has been made possible.
CHINESE EXCLUSION.
The record OF the Democratic party demon
strates its persistent, unalterable and finally
successful warfare against Chinese immigra-
ton. The credit for the enactment of the
"Geary Exclusion Bill' is due to the efforts of
the person whose name 1t bears, supplemented
by the efforts OF the Democratic party, and we
recognize the earnest and emphatic efforts of
Senator Stephen NJ. White in perfecting the
existing Chinese exclusion treaty.
The invasion OF hordes of Japanese in this
country stands as menace to our National
and commercial welfare, and we declare our
selves unalterably the foe of everything that
tends TO the degradation of American labor,
and have, therefore pledged our party to
every effort calculated TO. avert the threatened
evil.
The Democratic party has demonstrated
that from its inception it has been the con-
sistent friend and advocate of the la boring
classes, ana we therefore insist that eight
hours OF labor shall constitute a days WORK,
and stand pledged to the rigid enforcement Of
TINS provision by suitable penal legislation.
sUMPTUARY LAWS.
We ha
the Democratic party, which places the De-
mocracy where it has always stood, in unalter-
able opposition and hostility to all sumptuary
leg1slauon-locsl, State or National.
PLEDGES AND EXPENSES
pledge taken by candidate for Office be-
fore the nominating conven ton of his party is
a solemn obligation, to be sacredly kept and
forms portion OF the contract between him
serve,
We condemn the action of the present Re-
publican Comfy Clerk, who, solemnly pledged
to run mig office at a monthly exr enditure of
$4,000, has shamelessly violated his pledge
by exceeding the sum named by many thou
sands Of dollars per month; and in this con-
nectlon we call the voters attention to the
conduct OF the Democratic incumbents in that
office. who have always kept their promises by
keeping within their respective pledges.
Anc we pledge our present nominee for
Office during his term that the monthly ex-
penditures incurred therein shall not exceed
t4e VI qOOOO
FINANCES.
We pledge all our nominees to an economical
expenditure OF public money. We pledge our
nominees for Supervisors to limit the tax levy
Tor City and County purposes to 80 cents on
each 500, on total assessed valuation OF
1857 1856 ,126, as now fixed bv the Assessor,
Tor the current year. We exact this ledge be-
cause we are reminded that the CITY and
County government Tor the fiscal year 1SSS-S9
was run under the Democrat pledge of 81 for
each 500, on a total assessed valuation OF
$3.50, OO0, 900, exclusive of City Hall fund.- in
terest fund and sinking fund, yielding g, 9l7,-
O67 Tor all purposes oil the City and County.
We believe what was done for the City and
County in 1SSS-S9, with slightly increased
allowance for the Police Department and other
purposes, made necessary by recent legsla-
ton, can be done in 1898, and that the City
and County tax for the fiscal year should not
exceed 80 cents on the 500 of the Assessors
valuation for said City and County as afore-
said, and for all purposes This is in contrast
with the acts of the Republican majority and
combination in the present Board of Super
visors in 1896, who, with total tax of
So % on each 800, of which 81 So was for
turned by the Assessor raised and spent
50, 100 $50 of moneys collected from taxes for
City and County purposes alone.
Under our pledge as above set forth there
will be saved each year under this plank in
our platform 81 oil ,S76, or a reduction of 81
per cent, to the taxpayer on the City and
County taxes 10 be paid by him when COM
pared with his tax bill OF 1896.
We commend the action of the Hon. Joseph
l. Dimond, present Supervisor of the Fifth
Ward, for his fealty to his trust and fearless
adherence to his pledge.
WATER.
We are opposed to the present water rates
and, believing that they are excessive, we
pledge our nominees 10 a specific reduction of
the same OF not less than 10 per cent on ex-
listing rates; and we further pledge our Super
Yisors 10 an equitable adjustment of water
rates, to the end that the small consumer shall
pay proportionaIely the same rate as that
charged the large consumer, and no more;
and believing that the remedy against
further continuance of the wrongful dis
elimination against the poor, so long made
and endured, can only be found in municipal
ownership and control of its water works, we
pledge our nominees for Supervisors and
Mayor to take all necessary steps looking to
the accomplishment of this end.
GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
We inyeigh against the present charges for
lighting the City and County buildings rs I'M
just and excessive, and pledge our nominees
70 material reduction of the same.
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
We believe in the old Jeffersonian doctrine
that Governments derive their Just powers
from the consent of the governed" and pl edge
our organization 10 do ali in its power to in
huenee the voters of our party TO stamp Eyes"
at Constitutional Amendment No. g, thereby
striking ftmale'' from Section l, Article Of
ha Com ff1fio ton 10 4ba