The Portland daily press., 1900-07-06


not by force and violence. but through
the persuasive power of high and honor
able example.
The Importance Of other questions now
pending before the American people IS IN
no wise diminished and the Democratic
party takes no backward step from its
position on them, but the burning issues
of Imperialism growing out of the Spanish
war involves the very existence of the re-
public and the destruction of our free in
situations. We regard it as the para
mount issue of the campaign. The decla-
ration in the Republican platform
adopted at the Philadelphia convention
held in June, 1900, that the Republican
party "steadfastly adheres to the policy
announced In the Monroe doctrine, is
manifestly insincere and deceptive. This
profession is cOntradicted by the avOWed
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 In
the eastern hemisphere. Ne Insist upon
the strict maintenance Of the Monroe
doctrine and in all its integrity, both In
letter and spirit as necessary to prevent
the extension of European authority on
this continent and as essential to our SUI
premacy in American affairs. AT the
same time we declare that no American
people shall ever be held by force in I'M
willing subsection to European authority.
We oppose militarism. 1t means con-
quest abroad, Intimidation and Oppres-
sion at home. 1t means the strong arm
Which has ever been fatal to free institu-
t1Ons. 1t is what millions of our citizens
fled from in Europe. 1t will impose upon
our peace-lOving people a large standing
army and unnecessary burden Of taxation
and cOnstat menace to their liberties.
small standing army and we'll dis
c1plln9d state militia are amply sufficient
IN time of peace. This republic has no
fNro ccf11 ife,rary
seriptiOn.
When the nation is in danger the
volunteer is his country's best defender.
The national guard of the United States
should ever be cherished in the patriotic
hearts Of the free people. Such Organiza-
tiOns are ever an element of strength and
safety. For the first time in our history
and eO-eval with the Philippine conquest
there has been a wholesale departure from
our time hOnOred and approved system of
volunteer organization. We denOunce it
as un-American, un-DemOcratic and I'M
Republican and as subversion of ancient
and fixed principles of a free people.
Private mOnOpOlies are indefensible and
1ntolerabie. They destroy competition,
control the price Of all material and of
the finished product, thus rObbing both
producer and consumer. They lessen the
employment of labor AMI arbitrarily fix
the terms and conditions thereof, and de-
prlve individual energy and small capital
OF their opportunity for betterment
They are the most efficient means yet
devised for apprOpriating the fruits of in
dustry to the benefits of the few and at
the expense of the many, and unless their
1nsatiate gree ! is checked, all wealth will
be aggregated in a few hands and the re-
public destroyed. The dishonest paltering
with the trust evil by the Repu bIican
party in state and national platforms, is
conclusive proof OF the truth of the charge
that trusts are the legitimate product of
Republican policies, that they are fOstered
by Republican laws and that they are
protected by the Republican administra-
tlOn IN return for campaign subscriptions
and political support. We pledge the
Democratic party to an unceasing war
fare on nation, state and city against
private monopoly in every form. Existing
laws against trusts must be enforced and
more stringent ones must be enacted pro-
Yldlng Tor publicity as to the affairs of
the corporations engaged in Interstate
commerce and requiring all corporations
TO show, before doing business outside of
the state Of their origin, that they have
no water IN their stock, and that they
have not attempted and are not attempt
ing to monOpOlize any branch of business
or production of any articles OF merchan-
disc and the whole constitutional power
or Congress over Interstate commerce, the
mails and all modes of Interstate cOmmu-
n1cat1On shall be exercised by the enact
ment of comprehensive laws upon the
subject OF trusts. Tariff laws should be
amended by putting the products of
trusts upon the free list to prevent
monopoly under the plea of protection.
Ihe failure OF the present Republican
administration with an absolute control
over all the branches of the National
government to enact legislation designed
to prevent or even curtaiI the absorbing
power of trusts and illegal combinations
or to enforce the antitrust laws already
10 tot
ty OF the high sounding phrases of the
Republican platform.
Corporations should be protected in all
their rights and their legitimate interests
should be respected but any attempt by
corporations to Interfere with the DubIic
affairs OF the people or to control the
sovereignty which creates them should
be forbidden under such penalties as will
make such attempts impossible.
We condemn the Dingley tariff law as
trust breeding measure skilfully devised
to give the few, faVorS which thew do
not deserve and 10 place upon the many
burdens which they should not bear.
We favor such an enlargement of the
scope OF the Interstate commerce law as
Will enable The commission to protect in
dlYlduals and communities from discri1n-
nations and the public from unjust and
unfair transportation rates.
We re-ad11rm and endorse the principles
OF the national Democratic platform
adopted at Chicago in 1896, and we reit
crate the demand Of that platform for an
american financial system made by the
American people for themselves which
shall restore and maintain bimetalIic
price level and as part OF such system
the immediate restoration Of the free
and unlimited coinage of silver and gold
at the present Iegal,. ratio of is to l.
without waiting for the consent of any
other nation
We denounce the currency bill enacted
at the last session of Congress as a step
forward in the Republican policy which
aims to discredit the sovereign right of
the national government to issue all
money, whether coin or paper; and to
bestoW upon national banks the power 30
issue and control the vOlum9 of paper
money for their own benefit.
A permanent national bank currency.
secured by government bonds, must have
a permanent debt to rest upon and if the
bank currency is to incr ase with popula-
zion and NHEiT7pcc no dol al -,