The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-07-14
National Democratic Convention
Announces What the Party
Is Standing For.
LABOR AND CAPITAL Is FIRST
With a Rap at the Action of the Gov.
ernor of Colorado.
Plank on the Tariff Is Short-What Is
Said of Trpsts-Promise of Fill
ipino Independence.

st. Louis, July 9.-Following is the
platform adopted by the Democratic
national convention:
THE Democratic party of the Unit
ed States, in national convention as
sembled, declares its devotion to the
essential principles of the Democratic
faith which brings it together in party
communion
The platform then says that under
these principles local self-government
and national unity and prosperity were
established, and declares that ''the
application of these fundamental prin-
ciples to the living issues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the as
slIred peace and safety of our nation"
An enumeration of these fundamentals
Is given anddeclared to be the doctrines
that Democracy has established.
I'VE favor the enactment and admin
istration of laws giving labor and CAPT.
tai impartially their just rights.
Each has its rights, but the
rights of labor are certainly no less
vested no less sacred and no less in
alienable' than the rights of capital.
Constitutional guarantees are yio-
lated whenever any citizen is denied
the right to labor, acquire and en-
joy property or reside where interest
or inclination may determine. Any de-
NAL thereof by individuals. organiza-
tons. or governments should be sum-
marily rebuked and punished.
1--WE deny the right of any executive
to disregard or suspend any consti-
tutiOnal privilege or limitation. Obedi-
ence to the laws and respect for their
requirements are alike the supreme
duty of the citizen and the official. The
military should be used only to support
and to maintain the law. We unqual-
fiedly condemn its employment for the
summary Punishment of citizens with
out trial, or for the control of cleo.
tons. We approve the measure which
passed the United States senate in
1896, but which Republican congress
has ever since refused to enact, relat-
ing to contempts in federal courts, and
providing for trial by jury in cases Of
indirect contempt"
Liberal grants for improved water
ways and strict economy and honesty
I'm national administration are ap-
proved, and declared to be obtainable
only by a change Of administration.
I'VE favor the nomination and
election 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
voted under the guise Of executive con-
struction of existing laws, or whether
1t take refuge In the tyrants' pleas Of
necessity or superior wisdom.
1--WE favor the preservation, insofar
as we can, of an open door for the
worlds commerce in the Orient, with
out unnecessary ENHANCEMENT in ORR
entail and European affairs, and with
out arbitrary, unlimited, irresponsible
and absolute government anywhere
within our jurisdiction. We oppose.
as fervently as did George Washing
ton himself. an indefinite, irresponsible,
discretionary and vague absolutism,
and a policy of colonial exploitation,
no matter where or by whom invoked
or exercised; we believe with Thomas
Jefferson and John Adams that no gov
eminent has a right to make one set
of laws for those at home and another
and a different set Of laws, absolute
in their character. for those in the
colonies. All men under the American
| flag are entitled to the protection of
the institutions whose emblem the flag
is; if they are inherently unfit for those
| institutions then they are inherently
unfit to be members Of the American
body polite. Wherever there may ex-
list a people incapable Of being gov
erned under American laws, in con-
sonance with the American constitu-
ton, that people ought not to be part
| of the American domain.
I'VE insist that we ought to do for
the Filipinos what we have done al
ready for the Cubans, and 1t is our
duty to make that promise now, and
upon suitable guarantees Of protection
to citizens of our own and other coun-
| tries resident there at the time Of our
withdrawal, set the Filipino people
upon their feet, free and independent
to work out their own destiny.
|. The Democratic party has be.n
and will continue to be, the consistent
opponent of that class of tariff legisla-
ton by which certain interests have
been permitted through congressional
favor to draw a heavy tribute from
the American people.
1--WE denounce protection as a rob
1 berry of the many to enrich the few,
and we favor tariff limited to the
needs of the government, economically
administered, and so levied as not ia
discriminate against any industry,
class or section, to the end that the
burdens of taxation shall be distributed
as equally as possible. We favor a
revision and gradual reduction of
the tariff by the friends Of the masses
and for the common veal, and not by
the friends of its abuses, its extortions
and its determinations, keeping In
view the ultimate ends of equality OF
burdens and equality o. opportunities.
and the constitutional purpose of rails
ing revenue by taxation. to-wit: the
support of the federal government IN
all its integrity and virility, but in
simplicity.
I'VE recognize that the gigantic
trusts and combinations. designed to
enable capital to secure more than as
just share of the joint product of {: J,
+ ifo1 and labor and which have b..eu