The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-11-03
The Platform.

|
convention assembled to affirm our allegiance
TO those great essentiel principles OF Justice
and liberty upon which our institutions are
founded and which the Democratic party has
advocated from Jeffsrson's time TO our own
freedom Of speech, freedom OF tho press, froc
dom OF conscience. the preservation Of per
sonal rights, tho equality Of all citizens before
the law, and tho faithful observance OF CON
stitutonal limitations
| During nll tboso years the Democratic party
has resisted the tendency of selfish intercsts
| 70 the oentraligation Of governmental power
and stendfastly main tanned the integrity Of
| the dual scheme OF government established by
| the founders OF this republic of republics.
| Under its guidance and teachings the great
principle OF local self government has found
its best expression In the maintenance OF tho
| rights Of the states and it's assertion OF the
necessity of coniining the general governments
to the exercise Of tho powers granted by the
! constitution OF the United States.
| The constitution Of the United States guar
| antecs to every citizen the rights OF civil and
| religious liborty. The Democratic party has
always been the exponent OF political liberty
and OF religious reedom. ard it renews its OBJ
legations and reafllrms the devotion TO those
fundamental principles OF the constitution.
Recognizing that the money question is par
amount TO all othors at this time, we invite
attention to tho fact that tho federal constitu-
ton names silv sr and gold together as the
money metals of the United States, and that
the first coinngS law passed by congress under
the constitution made tho silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold to froe coin
ago at a ratio basod upon the silver unit.
We are opposed to tho policy and practice
OF surrendering to tho holders of the obliga-
tions of the United States the option reserved
by law to tho government Of rodeeming such
obligation in either silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of interest
bearing bonds Of the United States in times of
\ Al n III -
ing syndicate5 which, in exchange for bonds
and en )rinous ,roht to themselves supply the
federal treasury with gold to maintain the
policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone 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 as
money be taken from the national banks, and
that all paper money shall 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 be so ad.
justed as to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between class
or section. and that taxation should b - limited
by the needs of the government honestly and
economically administered. We denounce co
disturbing to bu ,nsss the Republican threat
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 monopoles, on
riched the few at the expense of tho many, re-
stricted trade n, d deprived tho producers of
the great American staples Of access to their
natural markets.
Until tho money question IL settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
in our tariff laws, except such as are neces.
sary to moot the deficit In revenue caused by
the adverse decision OF the supreme court on
tho income tax But for this decision by the
Supreme court there would bs no deficit in the
revenues under the law passed by a Demo
cratic congress in strict pursuance of the uni
after bo constituted, SO That tho burdens OF
taxation may be equally and impartialy laid,
to tho ond 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 " to prevent tho i'm
p0rtation OF foreign pauper labor to compete
with it in the home market, and that the value
of the homo market to our American farmers
aud artisans Is greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which depresses the prices
OF their products below tho cost OF production
and thus deprives them of the means OF pur.
chasing the products OF our home manufacto-
ries
The absorption of wealth by tho 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 CONNIE, 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 pro1igate waste OF the
money wrung from the people by oppressive
tAxati, n and III, 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 tboy no longer
repay the cost OF production. We demand n
return to that simplicity and economy VIII Oh
belts Democratic government and reduc'
tion in the number of useless offices, the sala'
res OF which drain the substance of the people
We denounce arbitrary Interference by fed
sral authorities in local affairs as a violation
Of tho constitution of the United States and
crimo against free institutions, AID we es'
pecially object to government by injunction
az new aud highly dangerous form of OPP
preston by which federal Judges in contemp
of the laws of the states and rights OF citizens
become at once legislators, judges and exeou-
TONERS, and we approve the bill passed at the
last session OF the Unitsd States senate and
now pending in the house of repre- ;ntatives
relative TO contempts in fodoral courts and
providing for trials by jury cases OF contempt.
No discrimination should be indu!god by the
government of the United States in favor of
any OF its debtors. We approve Of tho refusal
of the Fifty-th congress to pass tho Pacific
rairoad funding bill, and denouuce 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 tho pr ssent comm sdoner Of pensions, that
no names shil be arbitrarily dropped from
tho pension roll, and tho fact of enlistme ent
and service should DO deemea conclusive evi
dence against dsease and disability before en-
listment
We favor the admission Of the territories OF
Now Mexico and Arizona into the Union as
sraroS and we favor the early admission Of
all tho territories having the necessary popu
lntlun and resources to entitle them to state
hood. and while they remain territories we
held that the officials appointed to administer
the government of any territory, together
with tho District of Columbia, should be bona
Gie residents OF the territory or district In |
which thoir duties arc performed. The Dem
ocraiic party believes in home rule, and that
all public lands of the United States should be
appropriated to the establishment Of fee
homes for American citizens.
Werccommend that the territory of Alaska
he granted delegate In congress and that tho
general land and timber, laws OF the United
States bo extended to said territory.
We extend our sympathy to the people Of
Cuba in their heroic struggle for liberty and
Independence.
We are opposed to life tenure in the public
service We favor appointments based upon
merit, hxed terms Of office and such an admir-
istration Of tho civil service law us will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens Of ascer-
taihed itne5a
L.. Lee, .Nk Ia