Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-11
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

A%f1 ~ AAAJA
States, III national convention assembled.
| declare It's devotion to the essential prin-
ciples of the democratic faith which
| pftnSS US together in party communion.
! Under them local clf-government ard
| national unity and prosperity were alike
: ence. the structure Of our free republic
and every democratic extension from
Louisiana to California and Texas to Ore
states the tie between taxation and rep
resentation. They yet Inspire the masses
S } ahd Pd0Rs bsrtfes and cSshs he her
nsnt Tksy Te@ind =, Of far' our dulles fsseHp and
upon US, particularly at this time, the
necessity Of reform and the rescue Of the
administration OF government from the
methods which distract business b. ul-
certainty and pervade the public mind
with ith,s dread. distrust sp and organization
principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the as
sured peace. safety and progress Of our
science and of speech; equality before
the law Of all citizens; the right Of trial
by the writ Of habeas corpus liberty OF
personal contract untrammeled by sump--
tuary lays: the supremacy Of the eivI
militia; the separation of church and
state; economy In expenditures; low
taxes that labor may be lightly bur
dened the prompt and sacred fulfillment
of public and private obligations; fidelity
to treaties; peace and friendship with all
nations; entangiing alliances with none;
absolute acquiescence In the Will of the
majority, the vital principle, of republics
these f are doctrines which democracy has
and they should be constantly invoked,
preached. resorted to and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
81. Large reductions can readily be
made in the annual expenditures of the
government without impairing the efti-
cheney OF any branch Of the public service.
and we shall insist upon the strietest
economy and frugaHty compatible with
vigorous and efficient civil. military and
naval administration as a right Of the
held. N ~
80. The enforcement of honesty in the
public service, and to that end thorough
legislative investigation of those eXecll-
tive departments of the government al
ready known to TEEN with corruption, as
well as other departments suspected of
harborng corruption. and the punishment
OF ascertained corruptionists without fear
or favor or reSard to persons. The per
Gtstent and deliberate refusal Of both The
permit such Investigation TO be made by
either branch OF congress demonstrates
that only by a change il the executive
and in the house OF Representatives c;tls
complete exposure, punishment and cor
rectiOn be obtained.
'sIn broader furtherance Of that end the
federal government should not peralt5 il
self to be robbed by entering iuto con
tracts with convicted trusts or luIGl4 lal
combinations in restraint Of I'M tstatl
trade, existing in violation Of ia~. u
believe that one OF the best Iee5ao6.z :.
procuring ec0nGmy and honesty t4t:
pubic service Is TO have puGIle e. as.
from the occupant Of the Whit .5Vps9
nearly as may be. to Je4aeGzz Ian SIM
plicity of living.
Presidential RECON- fs.vs '4s4stious.
''5. We favor the nomination and cleo
ton of a president trained in the ways Of
the constitution, Wn0 &EaI4 st his face
sternly against executive psurpation Of
legislative and judiCiai functions. whether
that usurpation be ruled under the guise
OF executive construction q existing
laws, or whether it take refuge III the
ty:rant's pleas of necessity Of superior
~. The democratic party has been,
and viii continue to be. the consistent
opponent CT tdat elaSs ii tarin legislation
by which certain Interests have been per
draw u heavy tribute from tie American
people This fnoiIstroas perVsrs.oa OF
those equai opportunities, w&ieA cur po-
Itical institutions We're eStab- -l:,hed TO Sc
cure, has caused What may once nave
been infant Industries TO become the
greatest combinations Of capital thlt the
world has ever known. These nubIicIy-
favored enterprises have, through trust
thus bringing to a!! END domestic COM
petition, which the only cncck upon
the extraEagant profits made possible by
the protective system. These industrial
combinations. by the financial assistance
they can give, nov control the policy Of
the republican party.
I'VE favor a wise, conservative and
businesslka revision aud gradual re-
duction OF the tariff by the friends of the
t,r fTr ffl.,
not by the friends Of its abuses, its eX-
tortions and its determinations, Keeping
burdens and equality of opportunities,
and the constitutional purpose OF raising
q revenue by taxation, to-wit, the sup
port of the federal government, III all lis
integrity and viliity but i'll simplicity;
and keeping also in view, as men Of com
mon 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
alton is the support OF the federal gov
constitutionally administered; aud (2),
the equal truth that in the assertion of
any ultimate end, however sacred and
logically unavoidable. due regard but
only due regard, must and should be paid
to actual existing conditions.
I'VE favor the reduction OF tariff tax
alton upon trust-produced articles to ths
points where foreign competition may en-
ter the American market whenever trusts
and combines, seeking monopoly, raise
their prices to the American consumer
above reasonable and just profit, by
such reduction depriving trusts anG mo-
nopolies Of the power to eXtGrt from the
American people, undes shelter of Amer
lean law, prices higher than those Charged
foreigners for identical articles.
The lsthniiun Canal.
"Our party having loug and earnestly
advocated the construction Of interoGeanic
canal for the purpose OF national deieusa
and commerce between the states and
with foreign nations. We favor the early
completion % Tive lsthmian canal
'sBut while making this declaration and
accounting results as an asro1131,Itei,ad