The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-02
National Democratic Platform.

This convention has assembled to uphold
the principles upon which depend the honor
and welfare Of the American people in order
that Democrats throughout the Union may
unite their patriotic efforts to avert disaster
from their country and ruin from the party
The Democratic party is pledged to equal and
exact Justice to all men of every creed and
condition; to the largest freedom Of the indi-
vidual consistent with good government; to
the preservation Of the federal government in
| It's constitutional vigor and to the support of
the states In all their just right; to economy
IN tne pubic expenditures to tn /, N in enance
OF the public faith and sound money, and it
lation. es-
The declarations OF the Chicago convention
allaeA INDIVIDUAL freedom. the right of pri-
Vate contract the independence of the judi
enforce legal laws They advocate a reckless
attempt to increase the price of silver by
legislation, to the debasement Of our monetary
standard, and threaten unlimited issues of
paper money by the government; they aban-
don Tor Republican allies the Democratic
cause OF tariff reform, to court the favor of
protectionists to their fiscal heresy.
In view of these and other grave departures
from Democratic principles, we cannot sup
port the candidate OF that convention, nor be
bound by it's acts. The Democratic na rty has
survived many defeats but could not survive
a victory won in behalf of the doctrine and
policy proclaimed in its name at Chicago The
SOho Us, AOWSNSr, WI Gil make DOSS Die such
utterances from a national convention are the
direct result Of class legislation by the Re-
publican party. 1t still proclaims as it has
1or years, the power and duty of government
TO raise and maintain prices by law and it
proposes no remedy for existing evils except
oppressive and unjust taxation
The National Democracy here convened
therefore reneWS It's declaration of a faith in
| Democratic principles and especially as ap-
| plicable to the conditions of times Taxation.
tar1n' excise or direct, is rightfully imposed
only for pubic purposes and not for private
gam Its amount is justly measured by
pubic expenditures which should be limited
by scrupulous economy The sum derived by
tne treasury from tariff and excise leves is
affected by the state of trade and of consump-
tlon. The amount required by the treasury
is determined by the appropriations made by
| congress The demand of the Republican
party for an increase in tariff tax has its
| extent in the deficiency of revenue which has
| us causes in the stagnation of trade and
reduced consumption, due entirely to the
loss OF confidence that has followed the Popu-
llst threat or free coinage and depreciation Of
| our money, and the Republican practice of
| extraVagant appropriations beyond the needs
| OF good government We arraign and condemn
the requisite conventions of Chicago and ST.
Louis for their cooperation with the Repub-
ncan party in increasing these conditions
which are pleaded In justification of a heavy
| increase OF burdens Of the people and a fur
| Their resort to protection. We, therefore. de-
nounce protection and it's ally, free coinage
| OF silver, as schemes for the personal profit
| VI lew at the expense or the many, and
| oppose the parties which stand for these
schemes as hostile to the people of the re-
pubic, whose food and shelter, comfort and
prosperity are attacked by higher taxes and
appreciated money. In fine, we reaf1rm the
historic Democratic doctrine of tariff for rev
| enue only.
We demand that heneeforth modern and
| liberal policies toward American shipping
| shall take the place of our imitation of tho
restricted statutes of the eighteenth CEN
fury, which are abandoned by every mari
| time power but the United States and which
| to the nations humiliation, have driven Amer
lean capital and enterprise to the use of alien
| flags and alien crews, have made the stars
and stripes an almost unknown emblem in
| foreign countries and have virtually extin-
| guished the race Of American seamen. We op-
pose the pretense that discriminating duties
VIII promote shipping, and that scheme is
| an invitation to commercial warfare upon the
| United States, un-American in the light of our
| great commercial treaties, offering no gain
| whatever to American shipping while great