The National tribune., 1900-07-12
THE PLATFORM.


bled in National Convention on the ami
versary of the adoption of the Declara
ton of Independence, do reatfirm our faIti
| iii that immortal proclamation OF the IN
aliable rights of man, and our allegiance
| to the Constitution framed in harmon!
| herewith by the fathers of the Republic
| We hold with the United States Supreme
Court that the Declaration of lndepend
ence is the spirit of our Government, oi
| which the Constitution is the form and let
ter. We declare again that all Govern
ments instituted among men derive theii
| just powers from the consent of the gov
| erned: that any Government not based
| tyranny, and that to impose upon any peo
| pie Il Government of force is to substitute
| the methods of Imperialism for those ol
| republic.
| We hold that the Constitution follows
| the flag and denounce the doctrine thai
an Executive or Congress, deriving Their
| existence and their pawers from the Con
| stitutIOn. can exercise lawful authority
| beyond it or in violation of it. We aSser,
| that no nation can long endure half re-
| public and half empire, and we warn the
| American people that Imperialism abroad
will lead quickly and inevitably to drS-
! potism at home Believing in these fuGda
mental principles, we dcnounce the Porte
Rico law, enacted by Il Republican Con
gress against the protest and opposition
| of the Democratic minority, as bold and
| open violation of the Nations organic law
and Il hagrant breach of the National good
| faith. 1t imposes upon the people OF
Porto Rico Government without their
| consent and taxation without representa-.
| ton. 1t diShonOrs the American people
| by repndiating a solemn pledge made In
| their behalf by the Commanding General
| Of our army, which the Porto RicaEs wei.
| coined. to peaceful and unreSisted occu-
,.ut of taniy LAM 4 tnl IN f...N.
| erty and distress a people. whose helpless
ness appeals with peculiar force tn our
| justice and magnanimity. In this, the FIRST
| act of its imperialistic program, the Re
| publican party seeks to commit the Gnitcd
| States to colonial policy. inconsistent
with republican institutions and CON
demned by the Supreme Court in numer
| Gus decisions.
We demand the prompt and honest FIJI:
| fillment Of our pledge to the Cuban pe0pl-
and the world that the United States has
| no disposition nor intention to exercise
sovereignty, jurisdiction. or control ovei
the island of Cuba. except for its paciHca.
ton. The war ended nearly two years
ago, profound peace reignS over all ;it
island, and still the Administration keep
the Government of the island from it,
people, while Republican carpet-bag Of
ticials plunder its revenues and exploit the
colonial theory to the disgrace OF the
American people.
We condemn and denounce the Philip
pine policy Of the present Administration.
II has involved the Republic in unneceS>
sary war, sacrificing the lives of many Of
our nOblest sons, and placed the United
States. previously known and~applauded
throughout the world az the champion OF
freedom, III the false and un-American po-
sition of crushing with military force ;le
efforts of former allies TO achieve liberty
and self=cOvernment. The Filipinos can.
not be citizens without pndangerin" on
civilization: they cannot be,suDJects with
ont imperiling our form of Government,
and as we are not willing TO surrender our
civilization or to convert the Republic
into an empire. we favor an immediate
declaration Of the Nation: First, of q sta.
bic form of Government; second, indie
pendence. and third, protection from out
side interference, such as has been given
for nearly a century to the republics oi
Central and South America.
The greedy cOmmercialism which die
tated the Philippine policy Of the Repubs
lean Administration attempts to justify
it with the plea that il will pay. bur even
this sordid and unworthy plea fails when
brought to the test Of facts. The war
Of criminal aggression against the Fill
pnos, 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 ex
tended at the expense of liberty, the price
| is always too high.
We are not opposed to territorial ey-
pansion when it takes in desirable terri
tory, 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
legitimate means. But we are unater.
ably opposed to the seiZing or purchasing
nf distant iSIonh. fp hn p.l L.,
the Constitution, and whose people can
never become citizens.
We are in favor of extending the Re.
public's influence among the nations, bur
| believe that influence should be extended
not by force and violence, but through the
persuasive power of n high and honorable
example.
The Importance of old questions now
pending before the American people is In
no wise diminishing, and the Democratic
| party takes no backward step from its
| position on them; but the burning issue OF
| Imperialism, growing out Of the Spanish
| war, involves the very existence of the Re.
public and the destruction Of our free in
stitutiOns, and we regard il as the para.
mount issue of the campaign.
| The declaration in the Republican plat
| form adopted at the Philadelphia conven-
| ton held in June; 1900, that the Repub-
lican party ''steadfastly adheres to the
policy announced in the Monroe doctrine
| is manifestly insincere and deceptive. This
| profession is cOntradictcd by the ayowcd
policy of that party in opposition to the
| spirit of the Monroe doctrine, to acquire
and hold sovereignty over large areas of
| territory and large numbers of people i'm
| the Eastern hemisphere. We insist on the
| strict maintenance of the Monroe doctrin.
and in all its integrity, both in letter ana
| III spirit, as necessary to prevent the ex.
| tension of European authority on this con.
| tinent and as essential to our supremacy
in American affairs. At the same time We
declare that no American people shall ever
be held by force in unwilling subjection
to European authority
We oppose militarism 1t means con.
quest abroad and intimidation and oDpres.
| sion at home. 1t means the strong arm
which has ever been fatal to free ins,itti.
tions. 1t is what millions of our citizens
have fled from in Europe. 1t will impose
upon our peace-loving people a large
standing army and unnecessary burden of
taxation and q constant menace to tbeir
liberties. A small standing army and a
well-disciplined State. militia are amply
sufficient in time Of peace. This Republic
has no place for a vast military service
and cOnscription. When the nation Is In
danger the volunteer soldier is his coun
| try'g best defender. The National Guard
Of the United States should ever be cher.
ished in the patriotic hearts of free peo-