Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-08-28
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

I'VE, the democratic party Of The United
States in national convention assembled,
declare its devotion to th. essential prin
cipIcs OF the democratic faith which
brings US together in party communion.
'Undcr them local self government and
national unity and prosperity were alike
established They underlaid our independ-
, ence the structure of our free republic
! and every democratic extension from
! Iouisiana to California and Texas to Ore
! gon, which preserved faithfully III all the
re.scntation. They yet Inspire the masses
! OF people, guarding jeaously their
rights and liberties and cherishing their
ment. They remind US Of our duties and
! responsibilities as citizens and impress
upon us, particularly at this time. the
! necessity of reform and the rescue Of the
! administration Of government from the
headstrong, arbitrary and spasmodic
Certainty and pervade the pui5iic mind
with dread, distrust and perturbation.
'"The application of these fundamental
principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the as
sured peace, safety and progress Of our
nation. Freedom of the press, of con-
the law Of all citizens; the right OF trial
by jury; freedom of the person defended
| Dy the VIII OF NhDeaS corpus, nDeFty Oh
personal contract untrammeled by sump-
tGary laws; the supremacy of the civil
over military authority: well-disciplined
! militia; the separation of church and
state; economy in expenditures; low
taxes. that labor may be lightly bur
F, dened; the prompt and sacred fulhliment
to treaties; peace and friendship with all
/ nations; entangling alliances with none:
majoris the Vital prncple Of rep repubIlc
these are doctrines which democracy has
established as proverbs Of tn the naton.
preached. resorted to and enforced.
| Controlling Expenses.
"1. Large reductions can readily be
made In tho annual expenditures OF the
government without impairing the effi-
and we shall insist upon the strictest
economy and frugallty compa atibe with
naval administration as right Of the
people. too clear TO be denied or with
| 80 The enforcement Of honesty in the
public service. and to thai end thorough
legislative investigation Of those execu-
tive departments Of the government al
! ready known to teem with corruption, as
! we'll as other departments suspected or
harboring corruption. and the punishment
Of aseertained eorruptionlsts With%ut ,,S fear
sistent and deliberate refusal of both the
| senate and house OF representatives to
permit such investigation to be made by
either branch of congress demonstrates
that only by a change In the executive
and in the house OF representatives can
complete exposure, punishment and cor
rection be obtained.
"In broader furtherance Of that end the
federal government should not permit IL
tracts with convicted trusts or unaW fl
combinations in restraint OF inteesfa Z
trade, existing in violation of law " {
believe that one Of the best >netaes.., ol
procuring economy and homes. a tbs
public service is to have pubIie s,,scials
tJ.. Ft.a,, Hon
down to the lowest of then. return, as
. nearly as may be. to JeHsrsonian sim
plicity of living.
Presidential concentrations.
49, We favor the nomination and eec-
tion of a president trained in the ways OF
the constitution, who shall set his face
sternly against executive usurpation o1
!. legislative and judicial functions, whether
that usurpation be ruled under the guise
of executive construction of existing
laws, or whether it take refuge in the
tyrantS pleas Of necessity OF superior
wisdom
- The democratic party has been
and Will continue to be, the consistent
opponent Of that class OF tariff Legislation
by which certain interests have been per
mitted, through congressional favor. tt
draw a heavy tribute from HE American
people. This mons arpu5 perN*rsiQu O.
those equal opportunities. which our pc
Nticttl institutions We're established to Sc
cure, has caused what inay once have
been infant industries 10 become the
greatest comb.nat tious of capital that tbs
world has ever known. These publicly
favored enterprises have. through trus
methods, been couv 3fted into monopolies
thus bringing to an end domestic com
petition. which was the onl>- check upon
the eXtraEagant profits n3Ade possible b,
the protective system. These lnCustrit
combinations, by The financia Assistance
the republican, party.
I'VE favor a wise. conservative ant
businesslike. revision and a sradua! re
duction Of the tariff by the friends Of th'
masses and for the common veal am
! not by the friends Of its abuses, its eX
tortions and its determinations keeping
| in view the ultimate eEd OF equality o
burdens and equality Of opportunities,
and the constitutional purpose Of RAISING
port OF the fedora! government, in al it
Integrity and virility, but IN simplicity
and keeping also III view, as men Of com
mon seuse should, existing conditions
\ however wrongfuly, mistakenly or un
Justly brought about and the danger t.
} the cause of tariff reform ITSELF of abrup
and reVoiut tionary reversal Of policy,
, I'VE should bear in mind, III short, thes
! two things: Cd The general principle tina
the sole derivation OF the power Of tax
} alton is the support OF the federal gov
ernemnt, economically, effectively an
, constitutionally administered; and . t2)
. the equal truth That in the assertion o
any general principle and in reaching
any ultimate end. however sacred an
logically unavoidable, due regard, bu
only due regard, must and should be pa
! to actual existing conditions.
1--WE favor the reduction of tariff tax
} alton upon trust-produced articles to tn
\ points where foreign competition may en-
, ter the American market whenever trust
! and combines, seeking monopoly rails
their prices to the American consume
} above a reasonable and just profit b
such reduction depriving trusts and mt
nopolies of the power to extort from tn
\ American people. Gndee shelter of Amer
lean law, prices higher than those charge
} foreigners for Identical articles
! The Isthmium Canal.
: "Our party having long and earnestl
? advocated the construction Of iuteroceani
; canal for the purpose Of national defens
and commerce between the states an
with foreign nations We favor the earl
- completion OF the 1sthman canal.
But while making this declaration an
- accepting the results As an accomplishe
81 and irreversibe fact. We can not to
a forcibly express our d;sapproval of tn
= methods by which, in disregard Of tn
Al usages and Obligations of internationt
y law and treaty obligations. the cani
SX route has been acquired. OF too solemn
nrI .l.af tl,jc,