The Worthington advance., 1900-07-13
DEMOCRATIC !. CREED.

DEM0CRATIC. Il CREED.
Full Text Of Platform, Adopted by
the National Convention.
Inperi9li.4a Made the sParamount, -,
=, q aae-specinc Dee1aration for Sill
yer Coinage at 1e to 1-strong :"
ss}nensAciatloh OF Trusts. -. /
Kansas City, Mo-, July 6.-FollOwing is
the .omc1al text OF the platform unanimous-
ly adopted by the national democratic con-
vention: -''' 80
We. the representatives of the democrat
&c party Of the United States. assembled
IN national convention. on the anniver-
sary of the adoption Of the declaration Of
independence. do reaf1irm our faith in
that immortal proclamation Of the in
alienable rights Of man, and our alle-
glance to the constitution framed in har-
mony herewith by the fathers Of the
republic. We hold, with the; United
States supreme court. that the declara-
tl0n 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
vnAt ~ toll F4~ =
republic. We hold that the constitution
follows the flag and denounce the doc
trine that an, executive or congress, de-
riying their existence and their powers
from the constitution, can exercise law.
full authority beyond it. or in violation of
It.. We assert that no nation can long
endure half republic and half empire, and
perialism abroad will lead quickly and
Inevitably to despotism at home.
i. Believing in these fundamental prin-
ciples, we denounce the Porto Rico law,
enacted by a republican congress against
the protest and opposition of the demo-
cratic minority, as bold and open vio-
lation Of the nations organic law and a
fragrant breach Of the national good
faith. It imposes upon the people OF
Porto Rico a government without their
consent and taxation without represent
alton. It dishonors the American people
by repudiating a solemn pledge made in
their behalf by the commanding general
of ou: army, which the Porto Ricans
welcomed to a peaceful and unresisted
occupation of their land. It doomed to
poverty and distress people whose help
lessness appeals with peculiar force to
our justice and magnanimity. In this,
the first act of its imperialistic pro-
gramme, the republican party seeks to
commit the United States to q colonial
policy, inconsistent with republican in
stitutions and condemned by the supreme
court in numerous decisions.
Pledge to Cuba Must BE Kept.
We demand the prompt and honest full
fillment of our pledge to the Cuban people
and the world that the United States has
no disposition nor intention to exercise
sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over
the island of Cuba, except for it's pacif1ca-
profound peace relgns over all the island
and still the administration keeps the gov
ernment of the island from its people
while republican carpet bag officials plum
der its revenues and exploit the colonial
theory, to the disgrace of the American
people.
The Philippines.
We condemn and denounce the Philippine
policy of the present administration. II
has involved the republic in unnecessary
war, sacrificed the lives of many of oul
noblest sons and placed the United States
previously known and applauded through.
out the world as the champion of freedom
in the false and un-American position OF
crushing with military force the efforts OF
self-government. The F'iliptnos cannot be
citizens without endangering our civiliza.
ton: they cannot be subjects without i'm.
periling our form of government, and as
we are not willing to surrender our civil
ization or to convert the republic into ar
empire we favor an immediate declaration
of the nations purpose to give to the Fill
second, Independence and, third, protec.
ton from outside interference, such as has
been given for nearly century to the re.
publics of Central and South America.
The greedy commercialism which die.
tated the Philippine policy of the repub'
it with the plea that it will pay, but ever
this sordid and unworthy plea fails when
brought to the test of facts. The war OF
criminal aggression against the Fill
pinos, entafling 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
the expense of liberty the price is always
too high.
We are not opposed to territorial expan.
sion when it takes in desirable territory
which can be erected into states in the
union and whose people are willing and fiji
to become American citizens. We favor
trade expansion by every peaceful and
legitimate means. But we are unalterably
opposed to the selling or purchasing of dis
tant islands to be governed outside the con-
stitution and whose people can never be-
come citizens.
We are in favor of extending the repub.
lies influence among the nations. but be.
lfeve that influence should be extended
not by force and violence, but through the
pursuaive power of a high and honorable
example.
The Paramount Issue.
The importance Of other questions now
pending before the American people is ir
NO wise diminished, and the democratic
party takes no backward step from its po.
sition on them. but the burning issue of i'm.
perialism growing out Of the Spanish wal
involves the very existence of the republic
and the destruction of our free institutions
We regard 1t as the paramount issue of the
campaign.
Republican Platform Deceptive.
The declaration in the republican plat
form, adopted at the Philadelphia conven.
ton, held in June, 1900, that the republican
party "steadfastly adheres to the policy
announced in the Monroe doctrine" Is man.
ifestly insincere and deceptive. This pro.
fession is contradicted by the avowed pol.
Icy 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. We insist on the strict main.
tenance of the Monroe doctrine and in al
its integrity, both in letter and in spirit
as necessary to prevent the extension OF
European authority on this continent 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.
4ilitarism Opposed.
We oppose milftarism, 1t means con.