The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-09-18
THE PLATFORM ADOPTED.
Principles of the National Democratic
Party.

TT1nClpleS Oh UnS NIt1Oudi
Party.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 4.-The follow
ing is the platform adopted by the con-
vention of the National Democratic
party:
This convention has assembled to up
hold the principles upon which depend
the honor and welfare of the American
people in order that Democrats through
out the Union may unite in their patriotic
efforts to avert disaster from their coun-
try and ruin from their party.
The Democratic party is pledged to
equal and exact justice to all men of ev-
cry creed and condition; to the largest
freedom of the individual consistent with
good government; to the preservation OF
the federal government in it's constitu-
tional vigor and to the support OF the
states in all their just rights; to economy
in the public expenditures; to the main
tenance of the public faith and sound mon
ey, and it is opposed to paternalism and
all class legislation.
The declarations of the Chicago cOnven-
ton attack individual freedom, the right
of private contract, the independence of
the judiciary and the authority OF the
president to enforce federal laws. They
advocate reckless attempt to increase
the price of silver by legislation to the de-
basement of our monetary standard and
threaten unlimited issues of paper money
by the government; they abandon for Re
publican allies the Democratic cause of
tariff reform, to court the favor of pro-
tectionists to their fiscal heresy.
Cannot Support the Platform.
In view of these and other grave de-
partures from democratic principles, we
cannot support the candidate of that con-
vention, nor be bound by it's acts. The
Democratic party has survived many
defeats, but could not survive victory
won in behalf of the doctrine and policy
proclaimed in it's name at Chicago.
The conditions, however, which make
possible such utterances from a national
convention are the direct result of class
legislation by the Republican party. 1t
still proclaims, as it has for years. the
power and duty of the government to
raise and maintain prices by law and it
proposes no remedy for existing evils, ex-
eept oppressive and unjust taxation.
The National Democracy here convened
therefore renews it's declaration of faith
in Democratic principles especially APP
plicable to the conditions of the times.
A Tariff for Revenue Only.
Taxation, tariff, excise or direct, is
rightfully imposed only for public pur-
poses and not for private gain. Its amount
sjustly measured by public expenditures,
which should be limited by scrupulous
economy. The sum derived by the treas
ury from tariff and excise levies is affected
by the state of trade and of consumption.
The amount required by the treasury is
determined by the appropriations made by
congress. The demand of the Republican
party for an increase in tariff tax has it's
pretext in the deficiency of revenue which
has it's causes in the stagnation of trade
and reduced consumption, due entirely to
the loss of confidence that has followed
the Populist threat of free coinage and de-
probation of our money, and the Repub-
lican practice of extravaganza appropria-
tions beyond the needs of good govern
ment. We arraign and condemn the Pop
ulistic conventions of Chicago and ST.
Louis for their cooperation.
With the Republican party increasing
these conditions, which are pleaded in JUS
LITIGATION of a heavy increase of burdens
of the people and further resort to pro-
section, we therefore denounce protection
and its ally, free coinage of silver, as