The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-09-25
The Platform.

and liberty upon which our institutions are
founle | and which tho Democratic party has
advocated from Jofferson's time to our own
freedom Of speech freodom of the press, free.
dom OF conscience. the preservation of psr-
sonal rights tho equality Of all citizens bofuru
the law, and tho faithful observance of con
stitutionnl limitations
During all tfoso years the Democratic perty
has resisted the tendency of selfish interests
! TO the Capitalization of governmental power
| and steadfastly maintained the integrity Of
tho dual schen . Of government established by
| tho founders of this rcp,.b of republics.
| Under It's guidance and tonchings the great
| principle Of local self government has found
! its best ex pres sion In the maintenance OF tho
rights Of the states and its as crrion of tho
necessity of confiu ng tho general gUyurnment
TO the exercise Of the powers granted by ths
| cor sttution Of the United States.
| Tho constitution of tho United Statos guar.
antees to every citizen the rights of civil and
religious liberty. The Democratic party has
always been tn exponent OK political liberty
4 and OF religious freedom, ard it ren ews its OBJ
| legations and roafilrm3 the devotion to those
fundamental principles OF the constitution.
Recognizing that tho money question II par
! amount to nll others at this time, we invite
attention to tho fact that the federal constitu.
ton names silv 1r and gold together a. tho
money metals OF the United States and that
| the first coinrg law passed by congress under
the constitution m lle the silver dollar the
1
ago at a ratio basod upon the silver unit.
| We are opposed to the policy and practice
| OF surrenderiny TO the holders of the obliga-
! tions Of the United States the option reserved
by law to the government of redoeming such
obligation in either silver coin or gold coin.
| We are opposed to the issuing of interest
| bearing bonds of the United S5ate5 in times OF
! peace, and condemn the trafliclSing with bank.
| ing syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and in rmous NroHt to themselves, supply the
federal treasury with gold to maintain the
policy of gold monometallsm.
Congress a o le has the power to coin or issue
money, as President Jackson declared that
| this power could not be d >logato1 to corpora-
tions or individuals. We therefore demand
| that the power to issue notcs to circulate us
money be taken from the national banks, and
| that all papor money sha be issued directly
by the treasury department bs redecmable in
coin and receivable for all dcbts, public and
private.
We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes Of revenue, such duties to be 80 al
iusted ~ to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between c.aS3
| or section and that taxation shoull b limited
by tho needs Of tho government honestly ana
economically administered. We denOunco 10
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 undor false pleas
:
life breeder Of trusts and monopolos, en-
riched the few at the expense of tie many, TO
strictod trade aid deprived the producers of
the great American staples of access to their
natural markets.
Until the money que Iton Ia settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
In our tariff laws, except such are noccs
sary 10 meot tho deficit in revenue caused by
tho adverse decision OF the supreme court on
the income tax. But for this decision by the
supreme court there would ba no deGo in the
revenues under the law passed by Demo
cratic congress In strict pursuance of tho uni
after bo conSt.tuts0, so That The bur0cn5 Of
taxation may be equally and impartinlly laid,
Co tho end that wealth may bear its due pro
portion OF tho expenses of the government.
We hold that the most efficient way of pro
teoting American labor is tp prevent the i'm
portaton OF foreign pnuper labor to compete
with IL in tho home market, and that the value
OF the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans Ia greatly reduced by vio.ou'
monetary system which dcprcsses tho prices
Of their products below tho cost OF production
and thus doprivos 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
aud the formation o. trusts and pools require
q strcter control by the federal government
Of those arteries of commerce. We demand
the enlargement of the powers of the iator-
state CONNER commission, and such rcstric'
tions and guarantees in the control OF rail
roads Us will protect the people from robbery
and oppression
We denounce the prohlgato waste Of tho
money wrung fro n tho people by oppressive
taxatt IA and th lavish appropriations OF re-
cent Republican congre 'scS, which have Kept
taxes high, while the labor that pays them is
unsmploye I'd, and the products OF the people
toll are depressed In price till they no longer
repay the cost Of production. Wo demand
return to that simplicity and economy wh o.
BELTS a Democratic government ard reduc
tion In the number Of useless offices, the sala-
rics of which drain the substance Of tho people |
We donouace arbitrary interterenco by fed
eral authorities IN local affairs MS violation |
Of the constitution of the United Sta'eN ana |
crime against FREQ institutions, al d wo eS'
peclally object to government by injunction |
as q now aud highly dangerous form OF OPP |
Ir ,Ssion by WHICH federal judges, in contomp |
of tho laws of tho states AMI rights of citiSenA
become at once legislators, judges and exeou |
TONERS, and we approve the bill Taised AT INC
last session OF the United States senate and
now pending in tho house of repr, 'ntItives |
relative to pontelnpts in fedpral courts and
proyidlng for trials by jury cases OF contempt |
No discrimination shoull be indu'g sd by tho |
government of the United States i'll favor Of
any OF its debtors. We approve Of tho 10 u9hl
of the Fifty.third congress to pass the Paclnp |
railroad funding bill, and denounco the effort
Of the present Republican congress 10 ENFORCE
similar measures.
Recognizing the just claims OF the deserving |
Union soldiers we heartily endorse tho rules |
Of the IFssent comm 'Oncr of punsioaS thai |
no names shLl be arbitrarily dropped from |
the pension roll, and the fact OF enlistment |
and service should be doomed conclusive owl |
dence against Disease and disability before en-
listment.
We favor the admission Of tho territories Of
New Mexico and Arizona into the Union as |
states, nnd we favor tho early admission OF
all the territories having the necessary popn' |
intion aud resources TO enttle thom Tn state
hood, and while they remain territories we |
held that the officials appointed to administer |
tho government OF any territory, together |
with tho District of Columbia should be bona |
Rde residents Of the territory or district III |
which their duties are performed The Dem
ocratic party believe. in homo rule, and th9t |
all public lands of the Unitod States should DO
appropriated TO the cstablia hment OF foe
homes for American citizons.
We recommend that tho territory OF Alaska
be granted delegate in congress and that the
general ianl aid timber laws OF the United
Sia,es be extended to said territory.
We extend our sympathy to the people Of
Cuba in thc.r hero'c struggle for liberty ana
Independence.
We are oppo ell TO iifo tenure in the public
service We fav IT appointments based upon
moriJ, fixed terms OF Office aId such m admir-
istration OF tho civil service law as viii afford
equnl opportunities to all citizens Of ascer
tained ftless.
We declare IL 10 be tho unwritten law of this
republic, es .ablishoI by custom and tho usage
OF 100 years IN 1 sanctioned by the oxnInpl . Of
tho greatest and wise4t OF thoso who founded
and I'VE ma antaincd our government, that no
man should bo eligible for "a third torn of the