Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-08-23
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

PLAIFUkM
We, the democratic party OF the United
! states, in national convention assembled
o@eclafe @ It's devotion to the essential prin-
brings us together in party communion
cnder them local self-government and
naa6nat unity ~ and prosperity We're alike
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 ahd and her her
fraternity, peace and orderly develop
ment. They remind US of our duties and
upon us, particularly at this time, the
necessity OF reform and the rescue OF the
ssdmlnistration sanaI,str OF government from tho
methods which distract business by un-
certainty and pervade the public mind
win !tn,d dread dist1ast and perturbation.
/ principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the 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-
tuary laws; the supremacy of the civil
militia; the separation of church and
state; economy in expenditures; low
saned fhat ina labor may be ligh,X bur
of public and private obligations; fidelity
to treaties; peace and friendship with all
nations; entangling alliances with none;
aCQlleSc6nCe ~ IA
majority. the vital principle of republics
these are doctrines which democracy has
and they should be constantly invoked,
preached resorted to and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
Il Large reductions can readily be
made in the annual expenditures of the
government without impairing the efh-
cheney of any branch of the public service,
and we shall insist. upon the strictest
economy and frugality compatible with
vigorous and efficient civil military and
naval administration as a right OF the
people, too clear to be denied or with
'2. The enforcement of honesty in the
pubic 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
or favor or regard to persons. The per
sistent and deliberate refusal Of both the
u
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
complete exposure, punishment and corr
rection be obtained.
I'm 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
trade. existing i in Violation Of 5viseN}e laW' We
believe that one OF the best methods of
procuring economy and honesty in the
from the occupant of the White House
down to the lowest Of them, return, as
nearly as may be. to Jenersonian SIM
p1city of living.
Presidential Reoomme n ndations.
ton of 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
tyrants pleas Of necessity of superior
wisdom.
q, The democratic party has been,
opponent of that class of tariff legislation
by which certain interests have been per-
mitted through congressional favor, to
draw heavy tribute from the American
people. This monstrous perversion of
those equal opportunities. which our po-
Ntical institutions We're established to Sc
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
the republican party.
1--WE favor a 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 M BY taxation, tax; to-Wt, the sup
port of the federal government in all its
integrity and Nlrilty, but i'll simplicity;
and keeping also in view, as men of com
however wronstnly, mistakenly or uIl-
justly brought tHout, and the danger to
the cause Of tariff reform itself of abrupt
and revolutionary reversal of policy.
We should bear III mind, in short. these
two things: 1) The general principle that
the sole derivation OF the power of tax
alton is the support of the federal gov
ernemnt,. economically, effectively and
constitutionally administered; and 70,
the equal truth that in the assertion of
any ultimate end. however sacred and
logically unavoidable, due regard but
only due regard, must and should be paid
to actual existing conditions
1--WE 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 con bnes, seeking monopoly, raise
their prices TO the American consumer
above q reasonable and just profit, by
such reduction depriving trusts ana mo-
nopolies OF the power to eXtort from the
American people undeY shelter of Amer
lean law, prices higher than those charged
far
The Isthmiun Canal.
"Our party having long and earnestly
advocated the construction of interoceanic
canal for the purpose Of national defense
and commerce between the states and
with foreign nations, we favor the early
completion of the 1sthnlian canal
But while making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
and irreversible fact. We can not too
forcibly express our disapproval of the
methods by which, in disregard Of the
usages and obligations of International
law and treaty obligations. the canal
route has been acquired, or too solemnly