Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-08-26
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

I'VE. the democratic party OF the United
states. Ill national convention assembled.
declare It's ueNotlon to the essential pTiH-
clpIeS of the democratic 1dIjn which
brings US together in party communion.
= nder them local government and
national unity and prosperity We're alike
established. They underlaid our indepcnd-
ence, the structure of oar free republic
and every democratic extension from
Louisiana to California ana Texas to Ore
Eon, which preserved faithfully i'll all the
states the tie between taxation and rep
resentation. They yet inspire the masses
rights and liberties, and cherishing their
fraternity, peace and orderly develop
ment. They remind US of our duties and
responsibilities as citizens and impress
upon us, particularly at this time, the
necessity of reform and the rescue Of the
sdminstration Of government from tn the
methods which distract business by un--
certainty and pervade the public mind
with t1,, dread dtstpust and perturbatlon;
principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the as
Eured peace, safety and progress Of our
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-
tlary laws; the supremacy of the civil
over military authority: Weil~diseiplined
militia; the separation of church and
state; economy In expenditures; low
taxes, that labor may be 1is4t5lXy bur.
of pubic and private obligations; fidelity
TO treaties; peace and friendship with all
nations; entangiing alliances WITH none;
absolute acNtiescence In the viii Of the
majority, the vital principle of republics
these are doctrines which democracy has
established as proverbs of the nation,
and they should be constantly invoked,
preached. resorted to and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
81. Large reductions can readily be
made i'll the annual expenditures Of the
cheney of amy branch of the public service,
and shah insist upon the strictest
! economy and frugaity Compatible with
vigorous and efficient civil, military and
naval administra as a right of the
people. too clear to be denied or With
''2. 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, 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
senate and house of representatives to
permit such investigation to be made by
either branch of congress demonstrates
| that only by a change in the executive
and in the house Of representatives can
rection be obtained.
| "In broader furtherance of that end the
| federal government should not permit it.
| self to be robbed by entering into con-
! tracts with convicted trusts or unlawful
combinations in restraint Of interstate
believe that one OF the best methods of
procuring economy and honesty in the
public service is to have public officials.
! from the occupant of the White House
down to the lowest Of them, return as
| nearly as may be. to Jeffersonian SIM
plicity of living.
"s. We favor the nomination and cleo
| tion of president trained in the ways of
| the constitution, who shall set his face
! sternly against executive usurpation Of
legislative and judicial functions, whether
that usurpation be ruled under the guse
of executive construction OF existing
! laws, or whether it take refuge in the
tyrant's pleas of necessity OF superior
a. The democratic party has been,
and will continue to be, the consistent
opponent Of that class of tariff legislation
by which certain interests have been per-
mitted, through congressional favor, to
draw a heavy tribute from the American
people. This monStr0uS perNerSiOn OF
those equal opportunities, Which our po-
litical 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 extraNasant profits made possible by
the protective system. These industrial
combinations, by the financial assistance
they can give, now control the policy oi
the republican party.
I'VE favor a wise, conservative anC
businesslike revision and gradual re-
duction of the tariff by the friends of the
masses and for the common veal, anc
not by the friends of IFS abuses. its ex-
tortions and it's DETERMINATIONS, keeping
in view the ultimate end OF equality ol
burdens and equality Of opportunities,
and the constitutional purpose of raising
a revenue by taxation, to-wlt. the sup
port of the federal government, in an It's
integrity and virility. but in simplicity
and keeping also i'll View, as men Of com
mon sense should, existing conditions
however wronsfully, mistakenly or un
Justly brought about and the danger u
the cause OF tariff reform itself OF abrup
and revolutionary reversal Of policy:
1--WE should bear in mind, in short these
two things: % Tae general principle tina
the sole derivation Of the power of tax
alton is the support of the federal gov
ernemnt eeonomifayi Hie eneetyeIy i an, ,9
: the equal truth that in the assertion o
+ any general principle and in reachih'
any ultimate end however sacred am
; logically unavoidable, due regard. hu
only due regard, must and should be pai,
: to actual existing conditions.
I'VE favor the reduction of tariff tax
alton upon trust produced articles to th
r points where foreign competition may en-
ter the american market whenever trust
= and combines. seeking monopoly. ltlS
their prices to the American consume
: above "a reasonable and just profit, b
such reduction depriving trusts and mo
: nopolies OF the power to eXtort from tn
american people, undep shelter of Amer
lean law, prices higher than those charge
;, foreigners for identical articles.
! The Isthmiun Canal.
= "Our party having long and earnestl
advocated the construction OF lntcroceanl
y canal for the purpose OF national detens
and commerce between the states an
e with foreign nations, we favor the earl
completion of the lsthmian canal.
o "But while making this declaration an
J., accepting the results as an accompllshe
and irreversible fact, We can not to
. forcibly express disapproval Of tn
methods by which, in disregard Of tn
:. usages and obligations OF 1nternatloni
:. law and treaty obligations. the can;
route has been acquired, or too solemnl
J. record our hope that this precedent
defiant diplomacy may never be use
a against us to our humiliation and inJur,
Trusts and Unlawful Combination
I'VE recognize that the gigantic trus1
IS and combinations designed to enable cal
\ ital to secure moro than its just share {
y the Joint product Of capital and labor. an
If which have been fostered and promote
under republican rule are menace
II hAneficiai competition and an obstacle