The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-06
Nnri sus Points.

hanSaS Oleyt july 0.-fOiONlnB Is tue
official text of the platform as agreed upon
by the Committee on Resolutions, and
presented to the convention:
We. the representatives. of the Demo
cratic party of the United States. assem-
bled in National Convention on the ami
versary of the adoption of the Declaration
of Independence, do reafiirm our faith In
that immortal proclamation of the in
ahenable rights of man and our allegiance
to the constitution framed in harmony
herewith, by the fathers of the repubaic.
We hold, with the United States Supreme
Court, that the Declaration of Independ-
ence is the spirit of our government, of
which the constitutions is the form nud
letter. We declare again that all gov
ernments instituted among men derive
their Just powers from the consent of the
governed; that any government not based
upon the consent of the governed, is a
tyranny; and that to impose upon any
people government of force is to subtl-
tute the methods of imperial
ism for those of repub-
lie We hold that the constitution follows
the flag and denounce the doctrine that
an executive or Congress deriving their
existence and their powers from the con-
stitution can exercise lawful authority
beyond 1t, or in violation of It, We as
sert that no nation can long endure half
republic and half empire, and we warn
the American people that imperial
lem abroad will lead quickly
and inevitably to despotism at home. Be
II wing in these fundamental principles
We denounce the Porto Rican law eracted
ny a Republican Congress against the
protest and opposition of The Democrat, ,
minority, as a beld and open violation Of
ne ma ions organic law ana a fagrant
breach of the national good faith. It I'M
poses upon the people Of. Porto Rico a
government without their consent and
taxation without representation 1t dis
| horrors the American people by repudat-
ing solemn pledge made in their behalf
by the commanding gCnIal Of our army,
which the Porto RIcans welcomed to a
peaceful and unresisted occupation Of
their land. 1t doomed to poverty anu d s.
tress a people whoss help'essness appeals
with peculiar force to our justice and
maGnanimity. In this. the first act of It's
imperialistic programme. the Republican
party seeks to commit the United Stal es
to colonial policy, Inconsistent with Re-
publican institutions and condemned by
the Supreme Court in numerous ,decis-
ions.
Cuba.
We demand the prompt and honest full
fllment of our pledge TO the Cuban pso-
pie and the world that the United States
! has no dispos ton nor intention 10 txer-
else sovereignty. jurisdiction or control
over the island of Cuba except for lis
pacifcation. The war ended nearly two
years ago profound peace re.gns over all
the island, still the admin .stration Ike sps
the government of the island from it's
people, while Republican carpebag Of
II ials TlunGer is revenues and exploit
the colonial theory to the disgrace Of the
American people.
The Philippines.
We condemn and denource the Philip
pine policy of the pres ssnt administration.
II has involved the republic in unnec s
sary war, sacrificing the lives Of many OF
our noblest sons and placed the United
States, previously known and applauded
throughout the wCr rid as the champion CT
freedom, in the false and un-American
J oeition of crush ng with military force
The efforts OF 70. Dler II es to achieve lib
erty ana self-governMent. The FIJI plDos
cannot be citizens without endangerlng
our civilization; they cannot be subjects
wi bout imI erjlng our form Of govern
mtnt, and as we are not willing to sur
r. nder our civilization or to convert the
rpublic into an empire, we favcr an inn
mediate declaration by the nation as fol-
lows: First a stable form Of government;
second, indeD ndence, and third, protec-
ton from outside Interference such as has
been given for nearly a century to the
republic of Central and South America.
The greedy commercalism which dc
tated the Philippine policy Of the Repub-
lican administration. attempts TO justify
II with the plea that IL will pay but even
this sordid and unworthy plea falls when
brought to the test of facts. The war
OF criminal aggression against the Fill
pinos, entailing an annual expense of
many millions. has already cost more than
any possible profit that could accrue from
the entire Philippine trade for years to
come. Furthermore, when trade is extend
ed with the expense of liberty the price Is
always too high.
Expansion.
We are not opposed to territorial expan-
sion when II takes in desirable territory
which can be erected into states in the
Union. and whose people are willing and
fit to become American citizens. We favor
expansion by every peaceful and legiti-
mate means. But we are unalterably op-
posed to the seizlng or purchasing of dis
tant islands to be governed outside the
constitution, and whose people can never
become citizens.
We are in favor of extending the repub-
lies influence among the nations. 5ut be-
lieve that that influence should be eX-
tended not by force and violence. but
through the persuasive power of a hiSn
and honorable example.
The Importance of Old questions now
pending before the American people Is in
nowise diminishing. and the Democratic
party takes no backward step from its
position on them, but as the burning is
sue OF imperialism. growing out of the
Spanish War. involves the very existence
OF the republic and the destruction Of our
free institutions, we regard # as the par
amount issue of the campaign.
The declaration In the Republican plat
form adopted at the Philadelphia Conven-
tion held in June. 1900, that the Repubn-
can party "steadfastly a1heros to the pol
Icy announced In the Monroe doctrine"
is manifestly insincere and deceptive. This
profession is contradicted by, the avowed