Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-07-13
The Kansas City Conventions
Sound Principles.
Here Is a Platform Upon Which
Democrats Of all Kinds Can
Unite.

Democratic party oil the United
States, assembled in national con.
venton on the anniversary of the
adoption of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, do reafirm our faith in
that immortal proclamation of the
inalienable rights of man, and our
allegiance to the constitution framed
in harmony Herewith by the fathers
of the republic. We hold with the
United State 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
any government not based upon
the consent of the governed is
tyranny and that to impose upon any
people a government of force is to
substitute the methods of imperial
ism for those of a republic. We
hold that the constitution follows
the flag and denounce the doctrine
that an executive or congress, de-
irving their existence and powers
from the constitution, can exercise
lawful authority beyond it, or in
violation of it. We assert that no
nation can long endure half repub.
lie and half empire, and we warn
the American people that imperial
ism abroad will lead quickly and
inevitably to despotism at home.
First Act In Imperialism.
Believing in these fundamental
principles, we denounce the Porto
Snago law, enacted by the Repubh-
can congress, against the protest
and opposition cf the Democratic
minority, as a bold and open viola
tion of the nation 5 organic law and
hagrant breach of national good
faith 1t imposes upon the people
of Porto Rico a government without
their consent and taxation without
representation 1t brings dlshonor
to the American people by rePudiat-
ing a solemn pledge made in their
behalf by the commanding general
of our army, which the Porto Ri
cans welcomed to peaceful and un-
resisted occupation of their lands
1t doomed to poverty and distress
a people whose helplessness aP-
peals with peculiar force to our
Justice and magnanimity. In this
first act of an mperialistic program,
the UNITED States TO a colonial
policy, Inconsistent with republi'
can institutions and condemned by
the supreme court ID numerous de-
cisions.
Our pledge 10 (uDa.
We demand a prompt and honest
Tulfillment of our pledge to the
Cuban people and the world tha
the United States has no disposition
nor intention toexercise sovereignty
jurisdiction, or control over the
usland of Cuba, except for its pacl
cation. The war ended nearly
two years ago and profound peace
reigns over all the island, and still
the administration keeps the gov
ernment of the island from its peo
pie, while Republican carpet-bag
officials plunder its revenues anc
exploit the colonial theory to thC
disgrace of the American people.
Justice To FiIipinos.
We condemn and denounce tn,
Philippine policy of the present ad
ministration. 1t involved the repub
lic in an unnecessary war, sacri
6ced the lives of many Of ou
uoblest sons, ana placed the Unite'
States, previously known and ap
plauded throughout the world a
the champion of freedom, in tn
false and un- American position {
crushing with military force tn
efforts of our former allies t
achieve liberty and self goyerDment
The Filipinos cannot be citizen
without endangering our ciyiliza
eion. They cannot be subject
without imperiling our form Of gov
ernment, and as we are not willini
TO surrender our civilization or con
vert the republic into an empire