Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-01
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

I'VE, the democratic party of the United
States, in national convention assembled,
declare its devotion to the essential prin-
ciples of the democratic IaIth which
brings us together in party communion.
Under 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
louisiana to California and Texas to Ore
gon which preserved faithfully in all the
states the tie between taxation and rep
rcsentation. They yet inspire, the masses
rights and liberties. and cherishing their
fraternity. peace and orderly develop,
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
methods Which distract business by un-
certainty and pervade the public mind
with dread, distrust and perturbation.
1.-The application OF these fundamental
principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the frs first a step toward toward the as as
nation. Freedom of the press, of con-
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-7
tGary laws; the supremacy Of the civil
over military authority; well 7dlseipHned
militia; the separation of church and
state; economy In expenditures; low
taxes, that labor may be lightly. bur
dened: the prompt and sacred fultillment
OF punie and private obligations; fidelity
10 treaties; peace and friendship with al
nations; entangiiag alliances With n0nc.
absolute aequiesceuee in the will of the
majority. tire vital principle Of republic8
these are doctrines which dem9cracy has
established a. proverbs of the nati ion,
and they should be constantly invoked.
preached. rcsorted 20 aHd enforced.
C.nsroi&ns EspeHses.
.1. Large reductions can readily be
made liz H.. slnual expenditures nl the
government without irnpaiIing the ett-
cheney of any branch of the pubic service.
and we shall insist. upon the stFietest
economy and frugality compatible With
vigorous ana efficient civil, military and
naval admins tration as q right of the
people, too clear TO be denied or with
80 The enforcement of honesty In the
public service, and to that end thorough
legislative investigation of those execu-
tive departments of the government al
ready known to TEEN with corruption, 9
we'll as other departments suspected of
harboring corruption. and the punishment
OF favor or regard to persons. The per
sistent and deliberate refusal Of both the
permit i. such Investigation to be made by by
either branch of congress demonstrates
that only by change in the executive
rectfon he obtained.
"In broader furtherance OF that end the
self to be robbed by entering into con-
tracts with convicted trusts or unlawful
combinations In restraint of interstate
trade, existing in violation Of law. We
believe that one OF the best methods OF
procuring economy and honesty In the
ssry,ee is to h nry3 t6a pqSG
nsarly as may be. to Jetrersonian SIM
PresidentiaI Reoemme endations.
IS. We favor the nomination and elec-
tion of a president trained in the ways Of
the constitution, who shall set his face
sternly against executive usurpation Of
that usurpation be ruled under the guise
Of executive construction of existing
laws. or whether 1t take refuge in the
tyrant's pleas OF necessity of superior
- The democratic party has been,
and will continue to be. the consistent
by which certain interests have been per-
mitted, through congressional favor, to
draw heavy tribute from the American
people. This monStrouS pervcrSion of
those equal opportunities. which our po-
Ntical institutions We're established to Sc
cure has caused what may once have
been infant industries to become the
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
1--WE favor wise, conservative and
businesslike revision and a 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, its 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, towit. the sup
port Of the federal goveInmsnt err, in All its
and keeping also in view, as men OF COM
mon sense should, existing conditions,
however wrongfully, mistakenly or un-
The cause Of tariff reform itself of abrupt
and revolutionary reversal of policy.
we should bear in mind, in short these
two things: a The general principle that
the sole derivation OF the power of tax
alton is the support Of the federal gov
ernennt, economically, effectively and
the equal truth that in The assertion of
any general principle aAt' in reaching
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 trust s
| and combines, seeking monopoly, raise
| their prices TO the American consumer
| above a reasonable and just profit by
such reduction depriving trusts and mo-
| nopolies of the power TO extort from the
! American people. UndeF shelter of Amer
| lean law, prices higher than those charged
! foreigners for identical articles.
The Jsthmiun Canal.
'Our party having long and earnestly
| advocated the construction of interoceanc
canal for the purpose of national defense
| and commerce between the states and
| with foreign nations, we favor the early
| completion OF the lsthln!an canal
but While making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
| and irreversible fact. we can not toe
forcibly express our disapproval Of the
methods by which. in disregard OF the
law. and treaty obligations. the cana
record our. hope that this precedent OF
| defiant diplomacy may never be used
I against US to our humiliation and injury
Trusts and Unlawful Combinations.