The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-09-08
The Platforms

dom Of conscience. the preservation OF per-
sonal rights, the equality of all citizens before
the law, and the faithful observance OF con-
! situtional limitations.
During all theso years the Democratic party
| has resisted the tendency OF selfish interests
| 10 the Capitalization of governmental power
and stondfastly main tanned tho integrity Of
| the dual scheme Of government established by
the founders of this republic OF ropublica.
Under its guidance and teachings the great
| principle of local self government has found
| Its best expression in the mnintonanco OF the
rights of tho states and its assertion Of the
necessity Of oonfninR the general government
to tho exercise of the powers granted by the
constitution of the United States
Tno constitution of the United States guar
antees to every citizen the rights of civil and
religious liberty. The Democratic party has
always been the exponent OF political liberty
| and OF religious freedom, and 10 renews its OBJ
| legations and reaffirm3 the devotion TO those
fundamental principles Of the constitution
Recognizing that the money question is par
| amount to all others at this time, we invite
attention to the fact that tho federal coustitu-
ton names silver and gold together as the
money metals Of the United States and that
the first coinag law passed by congress under
| the constitution made the silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold to free coin.
age at ratio based upon the silver unit.
We IRE opposed to the policy and practice
| of surrendering to the holders of the obliga-
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 the issuing of interest
bearing bonds of tho United States in times Of
peace, and condemn the trafficxing with bank
ing syndicatos which, in exchange for bonds
and en- normous Nrofit to themselves, supply the
federal treasury with gold to maintain 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 delegated to corpora
tions or individuals. We therefore demand
that the power to issue notes to circulate
money he taken from the national banks, and
that all paper money sha be issued directly
by the treasury department., bo 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 so ad.
iusted as to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between class
or section, and that taxation should be limited
by the needs of the government honestly and
economically administered. We denounce %
disturbing TO business the Republican threat
to restore the Mckinley law, which has been
twice condemned by the people in national
elections and which, enacted under false pleas
OF protection to hcme industry, proved pro-
life breeder of trusts and monopolies en-
riched the few at the expense OF tho many, re-
strcted trade AID deprived the producers Of
the great American staples Of access to their
natural markets.
Until the money question 10 settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
in our tariff laws, except such neces.
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 thore would be no deficit In the
revenues under the law passed by Domo
cratic congress in strict pursuance Of the uni
after bo const.tutea, SO Tint the burdens Of
taxation may be equally and impartially laid,
to the end that wealth may bear its due pro.
portion of the expenses Of the government
We hold that the most efficient way OF pro-
tecting American labor is to prevent tho inn
portation of foreign pauper labor to compete
with 1t in the home market, and that the value
of the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans is greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which depresses the prices
of their products below the cost Of production
and thus deprivos them of the means OF pur'
chasing the products of our home manufacto-
ries.
The absorption of wealth by the few, the
consolidation of our leading railroad systems |
and the formation OF trusts and pools require |
a strioter control by the federal government |
of those arteries of commerce We demand |
the enlargement of the powers Of the inter |
state commerce commission, and such rostric |
tions and guarantees in the control OF rail-
roads will protect the people from robbery |
and oppression. |
We denounce the profigate waste Of the |
money wrung from the people by oppressive |
taxation and tho lavish appropriations OF re-
cent Republican congresses, which have kept |
taxes high while the labor that pays them Is
unemployed, and the products OF the peoples
toll are depressed in price till they no longer |
repay the cost Of production. We demand
return to that simplicity and economy which
l.GN No., Asa. s..,N d n
tion in the number of useless offices, tho sala.
ries of which drain the substance Of the people.
We denounce arbitrary interference by fed
eral authorities In local affairs as violation
of the constitution of the United States and
crime against free institutions, ard we es-
pecially object to government by injunction
as new and highly dangerous form of OPP
IF ,ssion by which federal judges, in contemp
of the laws of tho states and rights of citizens,
become Mt once legislators judges and execu-
TONERS, and wa approve the bill passed at the
last session OF the United States senate and
now pending in the house of representatives
relative TO contempts in federal courts and
for trials by jury cases of contempt.
No discrimination should be indulged by the
government of the United States in favor OF
any of its debtors. We approve of the refusal
of tho Fifty-third congress 70 pass the Pacific
railroad funding bill, and denounce the effort
of the present Republican congress to enforce
similar measures.
Recognizing the Just claims Of the deserving
Union soldiers we heartily endorse tho rules
of the present comm's toner of pensions, that
no names shlll be arbitrarily dropped from
the pension roll, and tho fact OF enlistment
and service should DO deemed conclusive evi-
dence against disease and disability before on
listment.
We favor the admission of the territories of
Now Mexico and Arizona into the Union as
statoi, and we favor tho carly admission OF
all the territories having the necessary popu
lation and resources to cnttle them to state
hood and while they remain territories we
hold that the officials appointed to administer
the government OF any territory, together
with the District of Columbia, should bo bona
lde residents of the territory or district In
which their duties are performed The Dem
ocratic party believes in home rule, and that
oil public lands Of the United States should bo
to the establishment of free
homes for American citizens.
We recommend that the territory of Alaska
bo granted delegate in congress and TINT the
general land and timber laws OF the United
States be extended to said territory.
We extend our sympathy to the people Of
Cuba in their heroic struggle for liberty and
We are opposed to life tenure in the public
service We favor appointments based upon
merit, fixed terms of office and such an admin
straton of the civil service law AS will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens OF ascer-
tanned ftaoss
We declare it to bo the unwritten law of this
republic, established by custom and the usage
of 100 years and sanctioned by the exampl Of
tho gredtost and wisest of those who founded
md have maintained our government. that no
man should be eligible for third term Of the
presidential office.
The federal government should care for and
improve the Mississippi river and other great ,
.vs.ta - g.