The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-10-27
The Platform.

We, tho Democratic Of ths United States, in
convention assembled to affirm our slloglancs
TO those great essenticl principles OF justice
and liberty upon which our institutions arc
founded and which the Democratic party has
advocated from Jefferson's time to our own
! freedom OF speech, freedom of the press, free.
dom OF conscience, tho preservation of per-
sonal rights, the equality OF all citizens before
| the law. and tho faithful observance Of con
ptitutonal limitations
During all tbeso years the Democratic party
has rosistcd she tendency Of selfish interests
| to tho Capitalization Of governmental power
and s.oadfastly main tanned tho integrity OF
| the dual scheme Of government established by
tho founders of this republic of ropublica
Under It's guidance and teachings the great
| principle OF local self government has found
| its best expires sion in the maintenance OF tho
| rights OF the states and its assertion OF tho
| neoessitY OF continuing the general government
TO tho exercise Of tho powers granted by the
| cor Q ii tuition OF the United States
The constitution OF tho United States guar.
AM tees to every citizen the rights of civil AMI
religious liberty. The Democratic party has
| always been th' exponent OF political liberty
and OF religious Freedom, and it rensws it's OBJ
legations and reiffir IN, the devotion to those
fundame ntal principles Of the constitution.
Recognizing that the money question Ia par
amount to all others at this time, we invite
| attention to tho fact that tho federal constitu.
ton names silver and gold together the
money metals Of the United States, and that
the first coiDag law pissed by congress under
the constitution made tho silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold to free coin.
age at ratio based upon tho silver unit.
We arc opposed to the policy AMI practice
Of surrehaering to tho holders OF the oblga
tions Of the United States the option reserved
by law to the government Of redeeming such
obligation in either silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to tho issuing of interest.
bearing bonds Of the United States in times of
! peace and condemn the trufhcking with bank.
ing syndcates which, in exchange for bonds
and ,rinous rroht to themselves, supply the
federal treasury with gold to IN aintain the
policy OF gold monometallism.
Congress a.one has the power to coin or issue
money, as President jackson declared that
this power could not be d egate1 to corpora.
tions or individuals. We therefore demand
that the power to issue notes to circulate as
money hs taken from the national banks, and
that all paper money sha be issued directly
by the treasury department, be redeemable IN
coin and receivable for all debts, public and
private
We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes OF revenue such duties to bo ad'
justed as to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between cas-
or section. and that taxation should b limited
by the needs OF the government honestly and
economically administered. We denounce 20
disturbing to bu sinas3 the Republican threat
to restore the Mckinley law, which has been
twice condemned by the pcople in national
elections and which, enacted under false pleas
OF protcction TO hCme industry, proved a pro.
life breeder Of trusts and monopolIes, en-
richod the few at the expense of tho many, ro-
strictod trade a.d deprived tho producers OF
| the great American staples Of access to their
natural markets.
Until the money question 10 sottled we arc
opposed to any agitation for further changes
In our tariff laws, except such aJ ore ncces.
sary TO meet the deficit in revenue caused by
the adverse decision OF the supreme court on
the income tax. But for this decision by the
Supreme court there would be no def o in the
revenues undef the law passed by Demo-
cratic congress in strict pursuance Of the uni
after bo const.tuted, so Fhat the burdens Of
taxation may be equally and impartially lad,
TO the end that wealth may bear it5 due pro-
portion of the expenses of the government.
We hold that tho most efficient way OF p"o.
tecting American labor is t, prevent the I'M
portation OF foreign pauper labor to compete
with II in tho home market, and that the value
OF the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans il greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which depresses the prices
Of their products below the cost OF production
and thus depriyts them of the means of pur.
chasing the products of our homo manufacto-
rie5.
The absorption of wealth by the few, the
consolidation Of our leading railroad systems
|. ind the formation OF trusts and pools require
o stricter control by the federal government
OF those arteries OF commerce. We demand
the enlargement of the powers Of tho inter
state CONNER o commission, and such rcStric'
tions and guarantees in tho control OF rail-
roads rs will protect the people from robbery
and oppression.
We denounce the prof'gate waste OF the
monoy wrung from the people by oppressive
taxatl, N and IN, lavish appropriations OF re-
cont Republican congresses, which have kept
taxes high, while the labor that pays them Is
unsmploy cd, and the products OF the peoples
toll arc depressed in price till they no longer
repay tho cost Of production. We demand
roturn to that simplicity and economy VIII Oh
befts Democratic government and reduc-
tion in the number Of useless offices, the sala-
rios Of which drain the substance OF the people
We denounce arbitrary Interference by fed
sral authorities In local affairs as violation
Of the constitution of the United states ana
orino against free institutions aid we es'
pecally object to government by injunction
as new and highly dangerous form OF OPP
pfossion by which federal judges, in contemp
OF tho laws Of the states and rights OF citizens,
become at once legislators, judges and execu-
TONERS, and we approve the bill passed at the
last session OF the United States senate and
now pending in the house OF repro intatlves
relative to contempts in federal courts ana
providing for trials by jury cases OF contempt
No discrimination shoull be iudu'g I'd by the
government OF the United States in favor OF
any Of Its debtors, We approve OF the 10 'uSal
Of the Fifty.third congress to pass tho Pacific
railroad funding bill, and denounce the effort
of tho present Republican congress to enforce
similar measures.
Recognizing tho just claims Of the deserving
Union soldiers we heartily endorse the rules
- ~ nnNr MN a nT nianatnnS
NO names shall be arbitrarily dropped from
tho pension roll, and the fact of enlistment
and service should be deemed conclusive ovi-
denco agsinst disease AMI disability before on
listlnent.
We favor the admission OF the territories Of
Now Mexico AMI Arizona into the Union as
states. and we favor the early admission OF
all tho territories having the necessary popu'
lation and resources to cntitle them To state
hoods and while they remain territories we
hold that tho officials appointed to administer
tho government of any territory, together
with the District OF Columbia, should be bona
lido residents Of the territory or district In
which their duties are performed. The Dem
ocrAtic party believes in home rule, and that
all public lands of the United States should be
appropriated to the establishment Of f-ee
homes for American citizeus.
We recommend that the territory OF Alaska
bo granted y delegate in congress and that tho
general land and timbor laws of tho United
BtAtes be extended to said territory.
We extend our sympathy to tho people OF
Cuba in their heroic struggle for liberty and
Independence.
We are oppo7oi to life tenure in the public
service We favor appointments based upon
morit, fixed terms of office aad such an admin
istYation of tho civil service law as will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens Of ascer-
tained fitness.
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