Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-27
The DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

[ LAlI UEI
. We, the democratic party OF the United
states, III national convention assembled,
ot,>i oetlafe ITS devotion TO the essential prin-
cpies OF the democratic faith which
brings US together in party communion.
hder them LEGAL self government and
nauomai unity and prosperity were alike
estaplIs he'd. They underlaid our independ
ence, the structure of our free republic
and every democratic extension from
Louisiana to California and Texas to Ore
gon. which preserved faithfully in all the
states the tie between taxation and rep
Iesentalon. They yet inspire the masses
ss}s Gar aha sna }eaoq their
ment they remind u. Of fe our duties dsse,un snd
RESPONSIBILITIES as ciuzens and impress
necessity OF reform and the rescue OF the
administration OF government from tho
aar66,tra1y and spasmodio
with dread. distrust and perturb baton.
The application OF these fundamental
constitutes the first step toward the as
sured peace, safety and progress OF our
nation Freedom of tho press, OF con-
the law of all citizens: the right of trial
by jury: freedom OF the person defended
ny the writ OF habeas corpus; liberty OF
tuary laws; the supremacy OF the civil
over military authority: well-dlseiplinrd
s,ats mln1'a; .theo the separation of church and
taxes, that labor may be lightly bur
dened; the prompt and sacred fulf1lment
of public and private OBLIGATIONS; fidelity
to treaties; peace and friendship with all
absolute acQuiescence In the will OF the
majority. the vital principle OF republics
established as proverbs Of the nation.
and they should be constantly invoked,
preached. resorted to and enforced
Controlling E1Denses.
Il Large reductions can readily be
MADE in nth the ,ai, annual expenditures OF the
cheney OF any branch of the public service,
and we shall insist upon the strictest
economy and fIugaiity compatible with
vigorous and efficient civil, military and
naval administration as a right OF the
people. too clear to be denied or with
80 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 teem with corruption, as
well as other departments suspected Of
corruption. and the punishment
Of ascertained corruptionists without fear
s1stent 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 change In the executive
and in the house OF Representatives can
Som|Rle'e ;. e1Rosu1e; punishment and corr
In broader furtheTance Of that end the
federal government should not permit it.
eelf TO be robbed by entering into con-
combinations In restraint Of Interstate
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, as
Aeerly as may ee. 10 JeneTsonian sim
Dliclty of living
Presidential Recon- me n dations.
'y We favor the nomination and elec-
ton OF a president trained in the ways OF
the constitution. who shall set his face
legislative ano Judicial functions whether
that usuIpatlon be ruled under the euise
Of executive CONSTRUCTION Of existing
laws, or whether II take refuge IN the
tyrAhts pleas OF necessity OF superior
wisdom.
g. The democratic party has been.
and WILL continue 70 be, The consistent
opponent of that Class OF tariff legislation
by which certain interests have been per.
matted, through congressional favor, to
draw & heavy trbute from the American
those equal opportunities, which our po-
lit1cal insti1 utICDs were established to Sc
cure, has Caused what may once have
been infant Industries 10 become the
greatest combinations of capital that the
world has ever known. These publicly
favored enterprises have. through trust
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
the republican party,
businesslike revision and gradual
duction Of the tariff by the friends of the
masses and for the common veal and
not by the friends Of its abuses its ex-
In view the ultimA1s ENG of equality or
burdens and e1ualily of opportunities
and the constitutional purpose of raising
revenue by taxation. to-wit, the sup
port Of the federal government in all It's
integrity and Virllity, but IN simplicity;
and keeping also in view, as men Of com
however wrongfully mistakenly or un-
Justly brought about, and the danger to
tho cause Of tariff reform Itself Of abrupA
and revolutionary reversal of policy.
1--WE should bear In mind, in short, these
two things a. The general principle that
the sole derivation of the power Of tax
ernemnt, economically, effectively and
constitutionally administered; and (2),
the equal truth that in the assertion OF
any general principle and in rea aehing
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 the
points where foreign competition may en-
ter the American market whenever trusts
and combines seeking monopoly, raise
their prices to the American consumer
above a reasonable and just profit, by
such reduction deprivinE trusts and mo-
nopolies of the power to extort from the
American people, unde1 shelter Of Amer
lean law, prices higher than those charged
foreigners for Identical articles.
The IsthmaNM Canal
''Our party having long and earnestly
advocated the construction OF tnteroceanC
canal for the purpose Of national defense
and commerce between tho states and
with foreign nations, we favor the early
completion Of the isthmian canal.
But while making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
and irreversible fact. we can not too
methods by which,, sn disregard OF. the
usages and obligations of International
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.