Arizona silver belt., 1900-07-12
DEMOCRATIC
 PLATFORM.
A New Declaration of Independ- ence Adopted by the Ma
 tional Convention

l years to come. Furthermore, when trade is extended at the expense oi liberty, the price is always too high.
 EXPANSION.
 1 "We are not opposed to territorial expansion, when it takes in desirable territory, which can be erected into states in the union, and whose people are willing and fit to become Amer l ican citizens. We favor trade eXpan- sion by every peaceful and legitimate 1 means. But we are unalterably Op- i posed to the seiZing or purchasing of i distant islands, to be governed out i side the Constitution, and whose peo- pie cannot become citizens. We are in favor of extending the republic $ influence among the nations, but be- ! lieye that influence should be extend ed, not by force and violence, but ! through the persuasive policy Of a high and hor orable example.
 IMPERIALISM THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
 The importance of other questions now pending before the American people is in no wise diminished, and the democratic party takes no back ward step from its position on them, 1 but the burning issue of imperialism, growing out of the Spanish war, in- x,luas th., nf l,n lie, and the destruction of our free in stitutions. We regard it as the para mount issue of the campaign.
 MONROE DOCTRINE.
 "The declaration in the republican platform adopted at the Philadelphia convention, held in June, 1900, that the republican party 'SteadfaStly ad. heres to the policy announced in the Monroe doctrine, is manifeStly insin- cere and deceptive. This profession Is contradicted by the avowed policy ot the party, in opposition to the spirit of the Monroe doctrine. to acquire and hold sovereignty over large areas of territory and large numbers of peo. i pie in the eastern hemisphere. We ! insist on the strict maintenance of | the Monroe doctrine, and in all its in- | tegrity, in letter and in spirit, as nee essary to prevent the extension of Flu ropean authority on this continent and as essential to our supremacy m American affairs. At the same time, we declare that no American people shall ever be held by force in unwill- ing subjection to European authority. MuLITARIsM.
 We oppose militarism. It means conquest abroad and intimidation and oppression at home. 1t means the strong arm which has ever been fatal to free institutions. 1t is what mil lions of our citizens have fled from in Europe. It will impose upon our peace-loving people large standing army, an unnecessary burden of tax ation and a constant menace to their liberties. A standing army and well disciplined state militia are amply sufficient in time of peace. This re- public has no place for vast military service and conscriptiOn. When the nation is in danger, the volunteer sol dier is his country'S best defender The national guard of the United States should ever be cherished in the patriotic hearts of free people. Such organizations are ever an element of strength and safety. For the first time in our history, and co-evil with the Philippine contest. there has been a wholesale departure from our time honored and approved system of vol unteer organization. We denOunce it as un-Amcrican. un-democratc and as a subversion of the ancient and fixed principles of free people.
 MoNoPoLIEs AND TRUSTS.
 Private mOnOpolieS are indefensl- ble and intolerable. They destroy competition, control the price of all material and finished product. thus robbing both producer and consumer. They lessen the employment of labor, and arbitrarily fix the terms and con ditions thereof, and deprive individual energy and small capital of their Op- portunity for betterment. They are the most efficient means yet devised for appropriating the fruits of indus. try to the benefit of few at the eX. pense of the many, and unless their insatiate greed is checked, all wealth will be aggregated in few hands and ! the republic be destroyed. The dis. honest paltering with the trust evil by the republican party in state and national platform is conclusive proof of the charge that trusts are the legit innate product of republican policies that they are fOstered by republican | laws, and that they are protected by the republican administration in re turn for campaign subscriptions and political support.
 We pledge the democratic party tt | an unceaSing warfare in nation. state