The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-10-09
The Platform.

i
We, tho Democrats Of the United States, in
convention assembled, to affirm our alcgiancs
To those great essontiel principles OF justice
and liberty upon which our institutions are
founded and which tho Democratic party has
advocated from Jeifefson's time to our own
| frscdom OF speech, freedom Of the press, free.
dom OF conscience. the preservation Of per
sonal rights, tho equality Of all citizens before
the law. and the faithful observance Of con-
| stitutionnl limitations
During all these years tho Democratic party
has resisted the tendency of selfish interests
TO tho Capitalization OF governmental power
and steadfastly maintained the integrity of
the dual schone Of government established by
the founders OF this republic OF republics.
Under its guidance aud teachings the great
principle of local self government has found
Its beat expires zion in the maintenance Of the
rights of the states and its assertion OF the
ncoesssv Of co;,hnInx the general governments
to tho exercise Of the powers granted by the
constitution OF the United States.
The constitution Of tho United Statos guar
| an3ees to evory Citizen the rights OF civil and
religious liborty. The Democratic party has
always been tha exponent OF political liberty
and OF religious freedom, AID 10 renews Its OBJ
legations and reaffirms 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
ton names slvtr and gold together rs the
money metals Uf the United States, aud that
the first coinng law passed by congress nnder
the constitution mado the silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold to free coin
ago ss rntio based upon the silver unit
We nre opposed to the policy and practice
Of surreniering TO tho 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 States in times OF
peace, and condemn the trafficking with bank.
ing syndicstoJ which, in exchange for bonds
ard IN Jrmous Nrofit to themselves, supply the
federal treasury with gold to m7intain the
policy of gold monometalli5m.
Congress a.orc has tho power to coin OF issue
money, as President jackson declared that
this power could not be d ,lega.ed 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 sha be issued directly
by tho treasury department, be redeomable in
coin aud 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.
justsd as to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between Class
or section, and that taxation should b, limited
by tho needs Of tho government honestly and
economically administered. We denounce 70
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 monopoiies, en-
rirhed the few ut the expense Of the many, re-
strictod trade a. d deprived the producers of
the great American staples Of ACCESS to their
natural markets.
Until the money quo ,tion 10 settled we arc
opposed to any agitation for further changes
in our tariff laws, except such as arc noces.
sary to meet tho defict IN revenue caused by
the adverse decision Of the supreme cours on
she incomo tax. But for this decision by the
supreme court there would bo no defo in the
revenues unde, the law passed by u Demo
cratic congress in strict pursuance Of tho AMI
after bo constEuted, SO thnt tho burdens of
taxation may be equally and impartlally laid,
to tho end that wealth may bear its duo pro-
portion OF the expenses of the government
We hold that the most efficient way OF pro-
teoting American labor Is to prevent the inn
portatlon of foreign paupor labor to compete
with 10 In the homs market, and that the value
OF the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans Is greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which dcprosdes the prices
Of their products below the cost OF production
and thus doprives them OF the means Of pur.
chasing tho products OF our home manufacto-
ries
The absorption OF wealth by the few, the
consolidation OF our loading railroa1 systems
and the formation OF trusts and pools require
q strioter control by tho federal government
Of those arteries Of commerce. We demand
the enlargement OF the powers of the inter |
state CONNIE, D. commission, and such restric |
tions and guarantees in tho control OF rail |
roads as will protect the people from robbery |
and oppression
We donounce the prof gate waste of the
he In hv an nra ai
taxation aud III lavish appropriations of re-
cent Republican congresses, which have kept |
taxes high, while tho labor that pays them Is |
unemployed, and the products OF the peoples |
toll are depressed in price till thoy no longer |
repay the cost Of production. We demand |
return to that simplicity and economy VIII on |
bohts Democratic government and reduo'
tion in the number Of useless offices, tho snla'
rios of which drain the substance OF the people. |
We denounoe arbitrary Interference by fed. |
oral authorities In local Affairs as violation |
Of the constitution OF the United Statos and
crime against froe institutions, AID we es-
pecally object to government by injunction
as = now and highly dangerous form OF OPP
prosson by which federal judges, in contemp
Of tho laws of the states and rights OF citizens,
become at once legislators, judges and exoou'
TONER'S and we approve the bill passed at tho
last session OF the United States senate and
now pending in the house Of pros1ntatives
relative to contempts In federal courts and
providing for trials by jury cases OF contempt.
No discrimination should be INDUCED by the
government of the United States in favor OF
any OF Its debtors. We approve Of tho rosusal
OF the Fifty-third congress to pass tho 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 the rules
of the present comm s,loner of pensions, that
no names shall be arbitrarily dropped from
the pension roll. and the fact Of enlistment
and service should be deemed conclusive evil
denco against disease and disability before en-
listment.
We favor the admission Of the territories Of
New Mexico and Arizona into the Union as
states, and we favor the early admission OF
all tho territories having the necessary popuf
lation and resources to ontitle them To state
hood and while they remain territories We
held that tho officials appointed to administer
tho government OF any territory, together
with the District OF Columbia, should be bona
fde residents of the territory or district IN
which thoir duties are performed Tho Dnm.
ocratlo party believes In homo rule. AMI that
oil public lands OF thr United States should be
appropriated TO the estabii shuent Of fec
homes for American citizeus
We recommend that this territory OF Alaska
be granted q delegate In congress and that the
general land aud timber laws of the United
States be extended to sail territory.
We extend our sympathy to the peo.,'o OF
Cuba in their horo,c struggle for libef,y and
Independence
We are opposei 10 life tenure In the public