The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-09-11
The Platform.

to those great essenliel principles of Justice
and liberty upUn which our institutions are
founde l and which the Democratic party has
| advocated from JeGerson'a timo to our own
freedom Of speech, freedom of the press, free.
| dom OF conscience. the preservation of Ger
sonal rights, the equality Of all citizens before
tho law. and tho faithful observance Of con.
Btitutional limitations.
| During all thosn years tho Democratic party
has resisted the tendency of selfish interests
| TO the Capitalization Of governmental power
and stcadfnstly main tnined 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 bcSt expression in the maintenance of the
| rights Of tho states and its assertion of the
necessity of combining the general government
to the exercise of the powers granted by the
| cor stituton of the United States
Tne constitution OF the United States guar
antees to every citizen the rights of civil and
| religious liberty. Tho Democratic party has
| always been ths exponento OF political liberty
and OF religious fr reedom, and 10 renews its OBJ
legations and reaffirm, the devotion to those
fundamental principles Of the constitution.
Recognizing that the money question Is par
amount to oil others at this time, we invite
attention to tho fact that the federal constitu.
ton names silver and gold together the
money metals of the United States, and that
the first coinng law passed by congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold TO free coin
age at ratio based upon the silver unit.
We are opposed to the policy and practice
Of surrendoriny to the holders Of the oblga
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 traflicidng with bank.
ing syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and n )rmous rroft to themselves, supply the
federal treasury with gold to mSintain the
policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone hos the power to coin or issue
money, as President jackson declared that
this power could not be ,egnted to corpora
tions or individuals We therefore demand
that the power to issue notes 20 circulate as
money be taken from the national banks and
that all paper money sha bo issued directly
by the treasury department, be rodeeinGble 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 a. to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between class
or section. and that taxation should b, limited
BIZ tho needs of the 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 prctcction to homo industry, proved pro-
life breeder of trusts and monopolies, en-
riched the fow at the expense of the many, re-
stricted trade ard deprived the producers of
the great American staples Of access to their
natural markets.
Until the money question 10 settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
in our tariff laws, except such are noceS.
to ont the dnncit in uaa6l l,v
the adverse decision OF the supreme court on
the income tax. But for this decision by the
supreme court there would be no dofc in the
revenues under the law passed by Demo
cratic congress in strict pursuance Of the uni
after bo constituted, so Fnat The burdens Of
taxation may be equally and impartlally laid
TO the ond that wealth may bear its duo pro-
portion OF the expenses Of tho government.
We hold that tho most efficient way OF pro.
tecting American labor is to prevent the inn
portation Of foreign pauper labor to compete
with 1t in the homo market, aud that the value
OF the homo market to our American farmers
aud artisans IL greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which dcprc5ses the prices
of their products below the cost OF production
and thus doprives them OF the means OF pur'
chasing the products of our home manufacto
ries.
Tho absorption OF wealth by the few, the
consolidation Of our leading railroad systems
and the formation OF trusts and pools require
a strioter control by the federal govc.linont
of those arteries or commerce. We demand
the enlargement of the powers of the inter
state commeo commission, and such rcStric
tions and guarantees in the control OF rail
roads as will protect the paople from robbery
and oppression.
We denounce the profligate waste Of the
money wrung from the people by oppressive
taxati, and III, lavish appropriations OF re.
srl. hax
taxes high while the labor that pays thcm Is
unemployed, and the products OF the peoples
toll are deprossed in price till they no longer
repay the oost of production. We demand
retlrn to that simplicity and economy VIII on
BELTS Democratic government ard redrc
tion in tho number Of useless offices, chs sala'
rios of which drain the substance Of the people
We denounce arbitrary Interference BY fed
oral authorities In local affairs as u violation
Of the constitution of tho United states anu
crimo against free institutions, ara we es'
pecially object to government by injunction
ns now and highly dangerous form OF OPP
prsssion by which federal judges, in contenp
of the laws of tho statos and rights OF citizens
become at once legislators, judges and exeou-
TONERS, and we approve tho bill passed at tho
last session OF the United States senate ana
now pending in the house of repr, inSatives
relative to contempts III federal courts ana
providing for trials by jury cases OF contempt
NO DISCRIMINATION snOult w W NiAS
government of the United States in favor OF
any of its debtors We approve OF tho o,usa!
of tho Fifty. third congress TO pass the Pacific
railroad funding bill, and donounce the effort
of tho present Republican congress to enforce
similar measures.
Recognizing tho Just claims OF the deserving
Union soldiers we heartily endorse the rules
of tho 70 ssent comm sdoner of pensions, that
no names III be arbitrarily dropped from
tho pension roll. and tho fact of enlistment
and service should be deemed conclusive evi
donce agan8t scase and disability before GU
lstment.
We favor the admission of tho territories OF
New Mexico and Arizona into tho Union as
statot and we favor the early admission of
all tho territories having tho necessary popu
lation and resources to entitlo them to state
hood, and while they remain territories we
hold that the officials appoint ID TO administer
the government OF any territory, together
,.lsA tho District of Columbia, should be bona
hde residents OF tho territory or district In
which their duties are performed. The Dem
ocratic party believes in home rule, aud that
ali public lands of the United states should be
appropriatod- TO the establishment OF foe
homes for American c,tizons.
We recommend that tho territory Of ALASKA
be granted n delegate in congress and that the
general land and timber laws OF tho Unitcd
S,stes be extended to said territory.
We extend our sympathy to the people Of
Cuba in their hero.c struggle for liberty and
Independence.
we arc oppolel TO life tenure in the public
service We favor appointments based upon
merit, 1xed terms Of Office and such an admin
istraton of the civil service lnw us will afford
equal opportunities to oil citizens OF ascer'
tanned ftieSs
We declare it 20 bo tho unwrtten law Of this
republic. established by custom and tho usage
OF 100 years and sanctioned by tho oxampl @ OF