The leader., 1904-06-25

Wnlcn met IN convention IN Jackson
last week, named a solid instructed
Parker delegation to the National
Democratic Convention which meets
In st. Louis early next month. The
delegates are pledged to work for his
nomination by the party, and can alb
solve themselves from these inatruc
lions only by a two-thirds vote Of this
entire delegation.
The convention proved to be the
most notable gathering in Mississippi
history for several years, delegates
being present from every county in
the State. All the big and brainy men
of Mississippi were there, and most OF
them made ringing Democratic
speeches when called upon by friends
and admirers among the delegations
composing the convention. In short
the meeting proved to be an old-time
Democratic love feast, and the work
of the body flowed as smoothly and
quietly as the waters on the bosom
of a placid river. No hitch occurred
at any time in the proceedings of the
convention.
The platform deals particularly with
national issues, and was written by
that matchless leader and idol of Mis-
sissippi Democracy-John Sharp Will
liams, of Yazoo-and it proclaims in
words which cannot be misunderstood
the principles of Mississippi Democ-
racy in the coming campaign. The
platform was read in clear and dis
tinct voice by Mr. Williams himself
and was adopted unanimously. It is
as follows:
The Platform.
The Democracy of Mississippi, in
convention assembled, renews and en-
confidence in the Democracy of the
country and the expression of it's firm
belief that those fundamental prin.
ciples of republican government, as
expressed and exemplified by Thomas
Jefferson, in contradistinction to the
governmental principles espoused and
adopted by Alexander Hamilton and
by the Federalist party, which he ere
ated and dominated, lie at the basis OF
all good government. In the applica'
ton of these principles to present
conditions. the Democracy of Missis.
sissippi favors:
First-Economy in Federal admins
tration, and to that end cutting off all
unnecessary and imperialistic ex
penditures, the former as soon as
possible after our access to power
and the latter gradually, but surely
and safely Government has no indie
pendent source of revenue and every
dollar unnecessarily and unjustly
spent is a dollar wrung by taxation
from the citizens and is, moreover, a
dollar DETECTED from use in some bet
ter way.
Second-The enforcement of hon
csty in public service, and to that end
a thorough legislative investigation OF
those executive departments of the
government already known to TEEN
with corruption, as we'll as other de-
partments suspected of harboring cor
ruption, and the punishment of ascer-
tanned corruptionists without fear or
favor or regard to persons. In broader
furtherance of that end the Federal gov
eminent should not enter into con
tract with trusts or unlawful combina
tions in restraint of interstate trade
and in violation of law. We believe
that one of the best methods of pro
curing enocomy and honesty in pub
lie service is to have public officials
from the occupant of the White House
to the lowest of them, return, as near
lev hn 70 Tnffnrcnnfon cir
plicity of living. A Democratic presi
dent will so set that fashion.
,Third-We favor the nomination
and election Of president trained
to the ways of the Constitution, who
shall set his face sternly against ex
ecutive usurpation Of legislative and
judicial functions, whether that usur-
patton be yelled under the guise Of ex-
ecutive construction of existing laws or
whether it take refuge in the tyrant's
pleas of necessity and superior wig
dom.
Fourth-A wise, conservative and
business-like revision and reduction
of the tariff by the friends of the
masses and common veal and not by
the friends of its abuses, its extor
lions and its determinations keep
ing in view the ultimate end of equal
fly of burdens and equalities of op-
portunities and the constitutional pur.
poses of raising a revenue by taxa
ton; and keeping also in view, as
men of common sense should, existing
conditions, however wrongfully
brought about, and the danger to
cause itself too sudden and revo-
-
We should bear in mind, in short
these two things: First, the general
principle that the sole right deriva-
ton of the power of taxation is the
support of the Federal government
economically, effectively and constitu.
tionally administered, and, second, by
the equal truth, that in the assertion
of any general principle and in reach
ing any ultimate end, however sacred
and logically unavoidable, due regard,
but only due regard, must and should
be paid to the actual existing condi-
lions, however mistaken, artifcially
or unjust1y created.
Fifth-The reduction of tariff taxa.
ton upon trust produced articles to
the point where foreign competition
may enter the American market,
wherever trusts and combines seeking
monopoly raise their prices 10 the
American consumer above e. reason
able and just profit, by saeh reduc-
ton depriving trusts and monopolies
of the power to extort from the Amer.
lean people, under shelter of American
law. prices higher than those charged
foreigners for identical articles,
Sixth-The restoration, as far as
possible, under prestige of the Democ-
racy-the historic and ever-existing
party Of Americaof the foreign
policy made sacred to the American
people by the memory of the precepts
and practices of George Washington
as president of these United States,
when advised and counseled by
Thomas Jefferson, ais his secretary Of
State towit:: the broad American
policy of friendly relations with all
nations and entangling alliances with
none.g With this end in view, we
ought to secure, in as far as we can,
by treaty or by reciprocal relations,
amicable, rather than retaliatory,
trade relations with the nations Of
the world. giving and taking for mu-