Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-06
THE PLATFORM.

Kansas City, July 5.-Following is the
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 IN the ami
yersary of the adoption of the Declaration
of Independence. do reaftirm our faith in
that immortal proclamation of the in
alienable rights of Americans and our al
legiance to the constitution framed in
harmony Herewith by the fathers of the
republic.
We hold with the United States SUI
preme court that the Declaration of indie
pendence is the spirit of our government
of which the constitution is the form and
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 bas-
ed upon the consent of the governed is
tyranny and that to impose upon any
person a government of force is to sub
stitute the methods of imperialism for
those of the republic. We hold that the
constitution follows the flag n de-
nounce the doctrine that an executive or
a congress, deriving their existence and
power from the people, exercises unlaw-
full authority beyond it in violation of it.
We assert that no nation can long endure
half republic and half empire, and we
warn the people that imperialism abroad
will lead quickly and inevitably at
home.
Believing in these fundamental princi-
pies, we denounce the Porto Rican law
enacted by a republican congress, against
the protest and opposition of the demo-
cratic minority, as a bold and open vio-
lation OF the nations organic law and a
fragrant breach of the national good
faith. It imposes upon the people Of
Porto Rico a government without their
consent and taxation without represent
tation. It dishonors the American people
by repudiating a solemn pledge made in
their behalf by the commanding general
of our army, which the Porto Ricans well
coined to a peaceful and unresisted
occupation of their land. It DOOM
ed to poverty and distress people
whose helplessness appeals with peculiar
force to our justice and management. In
this, the first act of its imperialistic pro-
gramme. the republican party seeks to
commit the United States to a colonial
policy. inconsistent with republican in
situations and condemned by the su-
preme in numerous decisions.
We demand the promp and honest full
fllment of every pledge to the Cuban
people and the world, that the United
States has no disposition or intention to
exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or con-
troll over the island of Cuba, except for
~ - "oA Tx a
two years ago profound peace reigns all
over the island, and still the administra-
ton keeps the government of the island
from its people. While republican carpet
bag officials plumber its revenues and
exploit the colonia theory to the dis
grace of the American people, we con-
denim and denounee the Philippine pol
icy of the present administration. 1t has
embroiled the republic in IN unnecessary
war, sacrificed the lives of many of its
noblest sons and placed the United
States, previously known and applauded
throughout the world as the champion
of freedom. in the false and un-American
position of crushing with military force
the efforts of our former allies to achieve
liberty and self-government. The Fill
pinos annot be citizens without endan-
gering our civilization: they cannot be
subjects without imperiling our form OF
government, and as we are not willing
to surrender our civilization or to con-
vert the republic into an empire, we ia
vor an immediate declaration of the ma
tion's purpose to give to the Filipinos
first. a stable government: second. indie
, p~endence. and. third, protection from
| outside interference. such as has beer