Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1896-10-22
DEMOCRATIC STATE PLATFORM
Adopted August ID. 1896.

SECTION 1.-The representatives of the
Democratic party of the state of WASH
ington, in convention assembled, do here
by reaffirm our allegiance to the princi-
pies of the party as formulated by
Thomas Jefferson and firmly maintained
by Andrew Jackson.
We believe that constant recurrence
to those fundamental principles Of free
and popular government, based upon in
dividual liberty and the consent OF the
governed, is ever necessary, especially
when the control of this government
threatens to fall into the hands Of
aristocracy, monopoly and despoilers.
SECTION 2.-We greet with hearty ap-
proval the new declaration of independ-
ence enunciated by the Democracy Of the
United States OF America at the recent
convention in Chicago; endorse every
principle in it's platform and pledge our
united support to the candidates there
selected.
We recognize in the nomination of
William Jennings Bryan and Arthur
Sewall an inspiration from the Supreme
Ruler of nations by whose favor our
country has passed through every hour
Of trial and OF peril and has ever found
leaders equal to the occasion, grand as
the opportunity. sufficient to the struggle,
great as the greater need requires.
SECTION 3.-We demand the free and
unlimited coinage Of silver and gold at
the ratio OF Is to | without waiting for
the consent OF any other nation on earth.
We denounce the pretense OF Republi-
can international bimetallism as a sub
terfuge; an attempt to establish gold
aristocracy with the aid of those who
may be duped by a meaningless phrase.
SECTION I've denounce the present
Republican administration OF our state as
extravagant, corrupt, mountaineering
and a wilful abuse OF the peoples rights.
With a pretense of IGNORING the men,
DRY OF the great names Of champions Of
the people, it now bows down to political
bosses, and has not enrolled upon its
banner the name of any man unsubser-
Went to the dictates Of the money power.
SECTION 5.-We call the attention OF
the common people to the perpetuation in
our state of the gigantic Republican ring,
which uses the public patronage to con-
troll future elections, to perpetuate itself
in the control of the public purse; uses
the gigantic earnings OF corporations (by
the methods OF federal receivershiLs) to
dictate the selection of our representa-
tives in congress and the senate; abuses
the franchise of the public press by OPEN
ing the columns of it's newspapers to but
one side OF public discussions; demands
OF and receives from its votarics absolute
prostitution OF individual liberty to the
dictates of the machine politicians.
SECTION 6.-We invite the serious at
tention of the laborng classes in our
state to the attempted control of the
elective franchise by threats on the part
Of the Republican leaders.
They do not hesitate to threaten their
employees with discharge unless they sub.
NIT to a sale OF the free voting right
guaranteed them by the constitution.
Nor will they stop at threats but will
openly carry out the shameful abuse OF
power unless checked by the righteous
Indignation Of free people.
SECTION I've pledge the people Of
this great state that when given control
OF its government we will reduce the
burden of state taxation to the lowest
limit consistent with q just and careful
administration of the governmental
function. We will stop the present
squandering OF the great public domain {;
we will, SO far as now remains possible,
use the public lands for the benefit OF
the whole people and not for the purpose
of pulling the pursestrings of private cor
porations.
We will reduce the burdens laid upon
production by the greed of transportation
companies, aided by legislation purchased
from Republican legislatures. To this end
we favor law providing for freight rates
not exceeding those Of the Helm bill and
we favor thiee-cent per mile passenger
fare.
| We will endeayor to make possible the
carrying out OF our system OF public
schools, now closed as the result OF Re-
publican extravaganza.
Gree public schools are the nursery
of good government" and they should,
when necessity demands, be preserved
even at the expense of every other func-
ton OF government. The Republican
control OF the towns, cities, counties and
state has resulted in the bankruptcy Of
our school districts, and we demand the
overthrow Of such control.
SECTION S.-We condemn the refusal
Of the Republican party Of this state to
divide it into congressional districts, and
pledge our party to fair division OF the
same.
SECTION 9.-We condemn our present
election laws, contrived to throttle oppo.
sition to the ring in power; pledge our
party to their unconditional repeal and
the enactment OF such laws as will enable
each voter to vote as he pleases, and
have such vote counted.
SECTION 10.-Whereas, The railroad
companies OF this state have from time to
time issued free passes to legislators and
othar nnhlic OfIicars tharahv inHuopc;n q
their action, we demand that the legisla-