The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-08-11
The Platform.

! foundol and which the Democratic party has
advocated from Jeifersons timo 10 our own
| freedom of speech freedom Of the press, free.
dom OF conscience. tho preservation Of per
sonal rights the equality of all citizens before
the law. and the faithful observance OF CON
stitutlonal limitations
During all those years the Democratic party
has resisted the tendency of selfish interests
TO the Capitalization of governmental power
and steadfastly maintained the integrity OF
the dual scheme Of government established by
| tho founders of this republic OF republics.
| Under its guidnnou and teachings the great
principle of local self government has found
| its best expression in tho maintenance OF the
rights of tho statos and it's assertion OF tho
necessity Of coniining the general government
| to the exercise Of the powers granted by the
| constitution Of the United Statos.
The constitution of the United States guar
| nutees TO every citizen the rights OF civil and
religious liberty. Tho Democratic party has
always been the exponent OK political liberty
and of religious Freedom, and it ronews its OBJ
| LEGATIONS and reafirms the devotion to those
| fundamental principles Of the constitution
Recognizing thnt the money question Is par
| amount to oil others at this time, VIC invite
! attention to tho fact that tho federal constitu-
ton names svor and gold together as the
money metals OF the United Statos, and that
the first ooinag9 law passed. by congress under
| the constitution made tho silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold to FREQ coin
age at ratio bnsod upon the silver unit.
| We are opposed to the policy and practice
of surrendering to the holders of the obiga-
tious of the United States the option reserved
by law to the government of rodoeming 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 traifioldng with bank
| ing syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and enormous profit TO themselves, supply tho
,2Ftfh IN M N
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 70 issue notes to circulate rs
money be taken from the national banks, and
that all paper money shall be issued directly
by the treasury department, be redoemable 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 adj
justed rs 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 90
disturbing TO business the Republican threat
to restore the Mckinley law, which has boon
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 aud monopolies, en-
richsd the fow at the expense of the many, re-
stricted trade aud deprived the producers of
the great American staples of access to their
natural markets.
Until the money question is settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
in our tariff laws, except such as are ncces.
sary to meet the deficit I'm revenue caused by
the adverse decision of the supreme court on
the income tax. But for this decision by the
supreme court thqFe would be no deficit iu the
revenues under the law passed by a Demo
cratic congress in strict pursuance of tho uni
after be const tutel, so that the burdens of
taxation may be equally and impartally laid,
20 tho end that wealth may bear its due pro
portion of the oxpensea of the government.
We hold that the most efficient way of pro.
tecting American labor Is TO prevent the i'm
portation of foreign pauper labor TO compete
with II in the home market, and that tho value
OF the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans is greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which dopro5scs the prices
OF their products below the cost of production
and thus doprves thom of the means of pur.
chasing tho products of our homo manufacto
ries
The absorption of wealth by tho few, the
consolidation OF our leading railroad systems
and the formation of trusts and pools require
q strictcr control by the federal government
OF those arteries of commerce We demand
the enlargement OF the powers OF tho inter
state commerce commission, and such rcstric
tions and guarantees in the control OF rail
roads as will protect the people from robbery
and oppression.
We denounce the pronigate waste OF the
mcuoy wrung from the people by oppressive
taxation and tn 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 wh'oh
BELTS Democratic government ard reduo'
ton in tire number OF usufG3s offices, the sala
rios of which drain the substance of tho people.
Wo donounoa arbitrary interference by fed
eral authorities In local affairs ~ violation
OF the constitution OF the United states and
crmo against free institutions, and We es'
prciaily object to government by injunction
na q new and highly dangerous form of op
pFassion by which federal judges, In coutomp
of the laws of the states aud rights OF citizens,
become at once legislators, judges and eNccu-
TONERS, and we approve the bill passed at the
last session OF the Unitsd States senate and
now pending ia the house of repre- sentatives
relative to contempts in federal courts and
providing for trials by jury cases Of contempt.
n discrimination should be indulgod by the
government of the United States in favor OF
any of it5debtors. We approve Of the rofuinl
OF tho Fifty.third congress TO pass the Pacific
railroad funding bill, and denounco 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 Trcsont comm dOner of pensions, that
no names shall be- arbitrarily dropped from
the pension roll, and tho fact of enlistment
and service should be deemed conclusive owl
dence against disease and disability before en-
listmcnt
We favor the admission OF the territories OF
Now Mexico and Arizona into tho Union as
statos and wo favor tho early admission OF
all tho territories having the necessary popu'
lation and resources 10 onttlo thom 10 state
hood. and while they ROMAN territories we
hold that the officials appointed 20 administer
the government of any territory, together !
with tho District of Columbia. should be bona
Ade residents Of the torEitory or district in
which their duties arc performed The Dem.
ocra,ic party believes in homo rule, and that |
all public lands of the United States should be
appropriated 10 the establishment OF fvee
homes for American citizens.
We recommend that the territory Of Alaska
bo granted delegate ln'congIo ois and that the
general land Rnd timber laws OF tho United |
States be extenlod TO said territory.
We extend our sympathy 10 the people Of
Cubn in their horoic struggle for liberty and
Independence. .r
we uIb Olpo ~ " NV NuHulp III tno publlc
service, We favor appointments based upon
merit, fixed terms Of Office and such an admin.
istfation OF tho civil service law rs will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens of ascer-
tGlhed fitness
We declare II TO he tho unwritten law OF this |
republic5 established by custom and the usage
OF 100 years aud sanctioned by tho exampl 0 Of |
the greatest and wisest OF those who founded |
and have maintained our government, that no |
man should be eligible for third term of tho |
nraaidentiai office.