Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-07-14

Following is the full text of the !
Democratic platform as adopted by
the National Convention at st. Loul
THE PLATFORM.
1--WE. the delegates to the Democratic
party of the United States, in national
convention assembled, declare our de-
votion to the essential principles OF
the Democratic faith which bring us
together in hearty communion.
"Under them local self-government
| and national unity and prosperity were
! alike established. They underla1d u
independence, the structure OF our free
| republic and every Democratic extern
sion from Louisiana to California and
| faithfully in all the States the tie be-
| tween taxation and representation.
| They yet inspirit h masses of our
people, guarding jealousy their rights
| and liberties, and cherishing their fra
ternity, 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 administration OF gov
eminent from the headstrong, arbl-
trary and spasmodic methods which
distract business by uncertainty n
pervade the public mind with dread,
distrust and perturbation.
"The application of these fundamen-
tai principles to the living issues OF
the day constitutes the first step to
ward the assured peace, safety and
progress Of our nation. Freedom OF
the press, of conscience and Of speech,
--.-1:4 Loc0-~ th0 law of oil aifi1onC
the right of trial by jury, freedom of
the person defended by the writ of
heaheas corpus, the supremacy of civil
over military authority; a we'll dis
ciplined militia; the separation Of
Church and State; economy in expen-
ditures; low taxes, that labor may be
lightly %burdened; the prompt and
sacred fulillment of public and pri-
vate obligations, including fidelity to
treaties; peace and friendship with all
nations, entangling alliances with
none; absolute acquiescence in the will
of the majority, the vital principle of
republics-these are doctrines which
Democracy has established as proverbs
of the nation, and they should be con
stantly invoked preached, resorted to
and enforced.
81. Large reductions can readily be
made in the annual expenditures of the
government without impairing the eff
6ciency Of any branch Of the public
service, and We shall insist upon tho
strictest economy and frugality COM
patible with the various and efficient
civil, military and naval administration
as a right of the people too clear to be
denied OF withheld.
INVESTIGATIONS PROMISED.
"2. The enforcement of honesty in
the public service and to that enc a
thorough Legislative investigation of
those executive departments of the
government already known to TEEN
with corruption, as we'll as other de-
partments suspected of h%arboring cor
ruption, and the punishment of ascer.
tanned corruption without fear or favor
or regard to persons. The persistent
and deliberate refusal of both the Sen
ate and House of Representatives tc
permit such investigation to be made
t by either branch of Congress demon
states that only by a change in the ex
r ecutive and in the House Of Repre-
!; sentatives can complete exposure
. punishment and correction be obtain
ed.
: "In broader furtherance of that end
the Federal government should no
Q permit itself to be robbed by entering
. into contracts with convicted trust'
:, or unlawful combinations in restrain
h Of interstate trade, existing in viola
ton Of law. We believe that one O
the best methods Of procuring econom,
and honesty in the public service is t.
have public officials, from the occupan
Il OF the White House down to the low
est Of them. return, as nearly as ma
+ be, to Jeffersonian simplicity Of liz
q ing.
:, '"3. We favor the nomination an
u election Of a President trained in tn
a ways of the constitution, who sha
set his face sternly against %executiv
usurpation of legislative and judici;
~ functions, whether that %usurpation
=; construction of existing laws. {
whether it take refuge in the tyrant
pleas of necessity or superior wisdom
= TARIFF PERVERSIONS.
ro "a. The Democratic party has bee
and will continue to be, the consiste1
opponent of that class of tariff legi
q letion by which certain interests ha,
I been permitted, through COMPRESSION
favor, to draw a heavy tribute fro
the American people. The monstro1
perversiOn of those equal opportuniti
y which our political institutions we
established to secure, has caused VIII
may once have been infant industri
3 to become tie greatest combinatiol
: Of capital that the world has ev
4 known.
? These publicly favored enterpris
have, through trust methods, be-
!. converted into monopolies, thus brir
Ing to an end domestic competitie
which was the only check upon t
extcavagant profits made possible
the protective system. These ind'
trial combinations, by the financial
= s1stance they can give, now. control t
policy Of the Republican party.
w favor a wise, conservative a
business-like revision and a grad,
Z reduction Of the tariff by the frier
n OF the masses and for the comm
R veal, and not by the friends of
abuses, it's extortions and it's discrj
DIFF nations, keeping in view the ultim;
to end of equality of burdens and eqr
me ity of opportunities, and the consti
U.s. tional purpose Of raising a evenue
will taxation; to wit, the support of
20 Federal government in all it's integ1
and virility, but in simplicity; {
-