Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-10-05
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORll

PLATFORiI
1--WE, the democratic party Of the United
States, In national convention assembled.
declare its devotion to the essential prtn-
ciples of the democratic faith which
brings us together in party communion.
Under them local self-Eovernment and
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
resentation. They yet Inspire the masses
ghs aRd Ra' ana cSs1shnys the her
ment: They remind y. Of our duties and
upon us, particularly at this time. the
necessity Of reform and the rescue Of the
administration OF government from the
methods Which d,strae. susnes. na paS0n1o s1 Sn
certainty and pervade the public mind
with dread, distrust and perturbation.
principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the tirst step toward the as
su1ed ,ee peace. safety and progress Of our
science and of speech: equality before
the law Of all citizens; the right of trial
by jury; freedom OF the person defended
by the writ Of habeas corpus; liberty Of
personal contract untrammeled by sump-
tusry laws: the supremacy OF the civil
ssel,,n over military authority: we,dscipl'ned
taxes, that labor N may be Iiehtly' buT- 'uE
dened; az the prompt and sacred fulf,llment ne,
to treaties: peace. and friendship with all
nations; ertangtng alliances with none;
aosolate on, IN the e. VIII Of she
these are doctrines which democracy has
established: est, lh as proverbs Of the nation
preached. resorted to and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
81, Large reductions can readily be
made in the annual expenditures Of the
government without impairing the eff
and we shall insist upon the strictest
economy and frugality compatible with
vigorous and efficient civil. military and
R:siR''. ESD. toe clear to be Asni'd or with
"a The enforcement Of honesty IN the
legislative investigation OF those execu-
tive departments Of the government al
ready known to tesm with corruption, as
hArboring corruption. and the punishment
Sf ascertained corruptionists without fear
or favor or regard - persons. The per-
senate and house Of representatives to
permit such investigation to be made by
either branch Of congress demonstrates
and In the house OF representatives. can
complete 9|ae :. :1Rs:ui1s, punishment and cor
federal government should not permit IT
esf to he robbed BY entering into con;
tracts tracts. with .,aa convicted trusts or unlawful
trade. existing in violation Of law We
believe that one OF the best methods Of
from the occupant OF the White House
down to the lowest OF them. return. aa
nearly as may be. to Jeffersonian sim
Presidential Recommendation.
-. We favor the nomination and elec-
ton Of q president trained in the ways OF
the constitution, who shall set his face
legislative and judicial functions, whether
that usurpation be ruled under the guise
Of executive construction Of existing
laws, or whether 1t take refuge in the
wisdom.
- 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-
mttted, through congressional favor, to
draw a heavy tribute from the American
people. This monstrous perversion Of
those equal opportunities. which our po-
Nt1eal institutions were 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 monopolies
thus bringing to an end domestic COM
petition, which was the only check upon
the protective system. These industrial
combinations, by the financial assistance
they can give. now control the policy of
the republican party.
I'VE favor a wise. conservative and
eusinessike revision and a gradual re-
duction of the tariff by the friends of the
not by the friends of its abuses. its e2,
tortions and its Determinations. keeping
IN view the ultimate end of equality Of
3nd the constitutional purpose of raising
q revenue by taxation, to-wit, the sup
port Of the federal government. in all its
and keeping also in view, as men of COM
mon sense should, existing conditions.
howevsr wrengfully, mistakenly or un.
the cause Of tariff reform itself of abrupt
and revolutionary reversal Of policy
1--WE should bear In mind. In short, these
the sole derivation Of the power Of tax
alton is the support OF the federal gov
ernemnt., economically: effectively and
the equal truth that. In the assertion Of
any general principle and in reaching
any ultimate end, however sacred and
only due regard, must and should be paid
to actual existing conditions.
eve 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
ana combines seeking monopoly, raise
their prices to the American consumer
above reasonable and just profit, by
such reduction depriving trusts and mo-
nopolies of the power to extort from the
American people, undeY shelter Of Amer
lean law. prices higher than those charged
foreigners for identical articles.
The Isthmian Canal.
sour party having long and earnestly
advocated the construction Of tnteroceanic