The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-07-31
Democratic Platform
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES ENUNCi-
ATED
By the State Democratic Convention
i'm Greensboro.

We congratulate the people OF
North Carolina upon the adoption OF
the suffrage Amendment TO our
State Constitution and upon the ben
efits that have resulted therefrom
and we pledge the Democratic party
to faithfully maintain it by every le-
ultimate means and we demand that
the Republican party shall declare
its purpose either to accept or reject
it and until it is accepted as iinalitv
by all parties we declare it to be the
duty of the white people to stand to-
gether for all's protection.
The Democratic party. represent
ing the intelligence, the virtue, and
the manhood of the people Of the
State, recalls with pleasure the entire
absence of scandals during its adj
ministration Of public affairs and
the gratifying advancement which
has been made amongst us in all in
dustrial lines. We have fostered ag-
riculture and promoted manufacture
ing and have given to capital full Sc
curity and have protected the rights
of labor.
We pledge the party to q fair and
just system of taxation, and we de-
mand that all subjects of taxation
shall bear their just and equal pro-
portion of the burdens of government.
SCHOOLS AND ROADS.
We renew our pledges for the eX-
tension and improvement OF the pub
oh n1 - . 10
it may keep pace with the needs and
conditions of our people and point
with pride 10 the great impetus and
progress in this great work during
the last two years, and call attention
to the fact that this year, for the
first time in the history of the State,
every school district has been able
TO maintain public free school for
four months as required by the Con-
stitution.
We believe that the permanent
prosperity OF the people of this State
depends largely upon the construc-
ton and maintenance OF good roads,
and we pledge the party to the hearty
support of all wise measures to tina
end.
OFFICIALS COMMENDED.
We heartily commend and endorse
the administration of Governor Chas
Is. Aycock and other State officials
for their faithful execution of the
party's promises, in so far as the
same has been possible thus early in
their terms of Office. We likewise
extend oar appreciation and endorse
ment to United States Senator F. NJ
Simmons, and to our Democratic rep
resentatives in Congress and congrat-
ulate them and the people of the
State for their faithful and official
services to the State in the councils
of the nation.
We reaifirm our allegiance to the
Democratic party and its policy as
enunciated in its National platform.
We denounce the policy of imperial
ism inaugurated by the Republican
National administration, and declare
it to be obnoxious to our forms of
government and fraught with danger
to the very existence of the Republic.
TRUSTS AND TARIFFS.
We denounce as oppressive and il
legal those combinations of capital
known as trusts and monopolies that
stitle competition, throttle individual
effort and destroy the generous spirit
of rivalry that should exist in the
commercial world. We denounce
the deceptive and illusory course of
the Republican party in Congress, in
furthering the existence of the trusts
by its refusal to enact legislation re-
straining them and to enforce in
good faith the existing laws against
them, that party being in full control
of all branches of the government
We denounce the present Ubiquitous,
unjust and trust-creating protective
tariff, imposed upon the people by
the Republican party, and demand
its Immediate revision to the end
that all unjust burdens shall be re-
moved, and especially those upon
necessaries of life. Its provisions
enable the trusts to extort from the
people unreasonable profits and to
sell their products to consumers at
home at greater prices than are
charged for the same goods to the
foreign consumer. We demand,
therefore, that all such trust-made
goods be placed on the free list.
APPALACHIAN PARK
We favor the establishment of the
Appalachian Park and urge that our
Senators and Representatives in
Congress use their best efforts to Sc
cure its establishment. We again
appeal to the people with confidence
that it is only from the Democratic
party that there can be expected an
honest, capable and efficient admins
tration of the government of the
State and point with pride to its past
history in the administration of the
affairs of State, and challenge COM
parison with the iniquities of Fusion
and Republican rule.
We promise the people of the State
continuance of that honest, safe,
conservative and economical gov