Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-04
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

States, in national convention assembled,
declare its devotion to the essential prln-
ciples of the democratic faith Whlch
brings us together in party communion
Under them local selt-government ftiia ana
established. They underlaid our lndepend-
ence, the structure of our free repuohc
Louisiana to California and Texas Tex, to ore re,
gon. which preserved faithfully IN al the
states the tie between taxation n and ,rep. rep
Fights 1sr and RdoRe fibertfes. and eSerishng their
ment. e They remind US Of our duties and
responsibilities as citizens and impress
upon us. particularly at this ,ln time, e., the the
administration Of government from the
headstrong, arbitrary and spasmodc
Certainty and pervade the public. 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
Eured peace safety and progress OF our
nato 10 snaech OF 5he epuv before
the law of all citizens; the right of trial
by jury; freedom of the person defended
personal contract untrammeled by sump77
tLary laws; the supremacy of the clVll
over military authority; WeH7dIsciphned
militia, the separation OF church at4d
state; economy In expenditures; lew
taxes that labor may be i!sat!y bur
dened; the prompt and sacred fnlf linent
of public and private oblisationss fidelity
to treaties: peace and Friendship with all
nations; entangling alliances WItn none;
majority the vital principle of republics
these are doctrines which democracy has
established as proverbs o. the nailo4'
and they should be constantly invoked
preached. rescrted to and enforced.
CCHtroling Expenses.
81 Large reductions can readily be
made in th> annual expenditures of the
government without impairlng the efh-
cheney OF any branch Of the publc service,
and we shall insist upon The strlctest
economy ana frugaIity compatible with
vigorous and efficient civil, military and
naval administration as a night Of the
people, too clear to be denied or with
- The enforcement Of honesty in the
public service and to that end a thorough
legislative investigation OF those execu-
tive departments of the government al
| ready known to TEEN with corruption, as
! well as other departments suspected of
harboring corruption, and the punishment
Of ascertained corruptionists without fear
or favor or regard to persons. The per
! sistent and deliberate refusal of both the
permit such investigation to be made by
! either branch of congress demonstrates
snd % in MI the y house Of representatives can
reetfon be obtained.
federal government should not permit 1t
self to be robbed by entering into con,
With s1ss Of or
trade. existing in Violation OF law. We
believe that one Of the best methods Of
public service is to have public officials,
! from the occupant OF the White House
down to the lowest OF them, return. rs
Prcsfdential Recommendations.
) '.s. We favor the nomination and elec-
ton Of President trained S in tn the ways Of
J sternly against executive usurpation of
/ legislative and judicial functions, whether
that usurpation be ruled under the guise
tyrant's pleas Of necessity of superior
- The democratic party has been,
and will continue to be, the consistent
| opponent of that class of tariff leglsla ton
by which certain interests have been per-
mitted, through congressional favor, to
! draw a heavy tribute from the American
people. This monstrous perversion of
/ those equal opportunities, which our po-
| itical institutions We're established to Sc
cure. has caused what may once have
greatest combinations of capital that the
world has ever known. These publicly
favored enterprises have. through trust
! methods, been converted into monopoies,
| thus bringing to an end domestic COM
| petition, which was the only check upon
the eXtravagant profits made possible by
| the protective system. These industrial
| combinations, by the financial assistance
they can give. now control the policy Of
| INC iepuDIlCd1l pdl W
We favor wise. conservative and
businesslike revision and d gradual re-
duction of the tariff by the friends of the
masses and for the common veal, and
not by the friends of its abuses, it's eX
tortions and its Determinations keeping
in view the ultimate END of equality OF
| burdens and equality of opportunities >
and the constitutional purpose Of raising
a revenue BY taxation, to-wit The sup
| integrity and virllity, but in simpiicity
and keeping also in view. as men of com
Ton sense should existing conditions
! justly brought about. and the danger to
the cause Of tariff reform itself of abrupt
! and revolutionary reversal of policy.
1--WE should bear in mind, in short, these
two things: % The general principle that
the sole derivation of the power of tax
ernemnt, economically, effectively and
constitutionally administered; and , ~.
the equal truth that in the assertion OF
any general principle and in reaching
any ultimate end, however sacred and
logically uIlavoidable, due regard. but
| to actual existing conditions.
I'VE favor the reduction Of tariff tax
alton upon trust-produced articles to the
| points where foreign competition may en-
| ter the American market whenever trusts
and combines, seeking monopoly, laise
their prices to the American consumer
above u reasonable and just profit, by
such reduction deprivng trusts and 11u-
nopolies OF the power to eXtort from the
Aeriesn raop9, hshs Inaef sheer Of Amer
| foreigners for identical articles.
| The Isthmiun Canal.
'Our party having long and earnestly
| advocated the construction of interoceanic
| canal for the purpose Of national defense
| and commerce between the states and
with foreign nations, we favor the early
| completion of the 1sthmian canal.
| "But while making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
| and irreversible fact we not too
forcibly express our disapproval OF the
methods by which,. in disregard of the
law and treaty obligations. the canal
route has been acquired, or too solemnly
record our hope that this precedent Of
defiant diplomacy may never be used
against us to our humiliation and injury.
Trusts and Unlawful Combinations.
I'VE recognize that the gigantic trusts
and combinations designed to enable cap
ital to secure moro than its Just share OF
the joint product Of capital and labor, and
which have been fostered and prornot ed