The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-07-10
NAN1oEAI DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

Vote-Present Foreign Policy Condemned
kansas CITY, Me-, July 6.-FOl-
lowing is the official text of the plat
form as agreed upon by the Commit
tee on Resolutions and adopted by
the National Democratic convention
We, the representatives OF the
Democratic party of the United
States. assembled in National Con-
vention on the anniversary of the
adoption of the Declaration of indie
pendence. do affirm our faith in that
immortal proclamation of the in
alienabIe rights of man, and our al
legiance to the Constitution, framed
in harmony Herewith by the fathers
of the republic. We hold with the
United States Supreme Court, that
the Declaration of Independence IS
the spirit of our government, OF
which the Constitution is the form
and letter. We declare again that
all governments instituted among
men derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed that
n government not based upon the
consent of the governed is a tyranny !;
and that to impose upon, any people
a government of force is to substi-
tute the methods of imperialism for
those of a republic. We hold that
the Constitution follows the flag and
denounce theIdoctrine that an Execu-
tive or Congress deriving their ex-
istence and their powers from the
Constitution can exercise lawful au-
thority beyond it or in violation OF
it. We assert that no nation can
long endure half republic and half
empire and we arm the American
people that imperialism abroad will
lead quickly and inevitably to des-
Dotism at home. Believing in these
fundamental principles we denounce
the Porto Rico law enacted by a Re
publican Congress against the pro
test and opposition of the Demo
cratic minority as a bold and open
violation of the nations organic law
and a fragrant breach of the National
good faith. 1t imposes upon the
people of Porto Rico a government
without their consent and taxation
without representation. 1t dishOn-
ors the American people by repudi-
ating a solemn pledge made in their
behalf by the commanding General
of our Army, which the Porto Ricans
welcomed to a peaceful and unre-
sisted occupation of their land. 1t
doomed to poverty and distress a
people whose ~helplessness appeals
with peculiar force to Our justice
and magnanimity. In this the first
act of its impe REALISTIC programme,
the Republican party seeks to COM
NIT the United States to a colonial
policy, inconsistent with Republican
institutions and condemned by the
Supreme Court in numerous decis-
ions.
CUBA AND OUR PLEDGE.
We demand the prompt and honest
fulfllment of our pledge to the Cuban
people and to the world that the
United States has no disposition nor
intention to exercise sovereignty,
Jurisdiction or control over the
Island of Cuba except for its pacif-
cation. The war. ended nearly two
years ago, profound peace reigns
over all the island still the Admin
istration keeps the government of
the island from its people while Re
publican carpet bag officials plumber
its revenues and exploit the colonial
theory to the disgrace of the Ameri-
can people.
THE PHILIPPINE QUESTION.
We condemn and denOunce the
Philippine policy of the present Ad-
ministration. 1t has involved the
Republic ia unnecessary war, sacri-
fcing the lives of many of our noblest
sons and placed the United States,
previously known and applauded
throughout the world as the cham
.pion of freedom, in the false and I'M.
American position of crushing with
military force the efforts of former
allies to achieve liberty and self-gOv-
eminent. The Filipinos cannot be
citizens without endangering our
civilization they cannot be subjects
without imperiling our form of gov
eminent, and as we r not willing
to surrender our civilization or to
convert tht Republic into an empire,
we favor an immediata declaration