Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-29
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

LtG BAf-I
I'VE, the democratic party OF the United
States, IN nal onal convention assembled,
| declare its de|oucH 10 tAa essential i,~ja-
! cipes OF the democratic 1aItn NnIcu
! brings US together III party communion.
| Under them local sef-Eovernment and
national unity and prosperity were alike
established. Thty underlaid our uldepend-
ence, the strpc.ure os our free republic
and every dsiacr atsc extension from
Louisiana to California snd Texas to Ore
gon, which preserved faithfully in all the
states the tie between taxation and rep
resentauon. They yet Inspire the masses
fights 5nasS sna theT Their
fraternity, peace and orderly develop
ment. They remind US OF our duties and
responyibiitie; nam s,,. az citizens and impress
necessity Of reform and the rescue Of the
Sdministraton Of government from the
neadastdfong, 3nstaeds s'6itrary and spasmedic
certainty and pervade the public mind
with dread, dstrust and pertur baton.
The application Of these fundamental
constitutes tfe first step toward the as
sured peace, safety and progress OF cur
nation. treeiom Of the press, Of con-
the law OF al citizens: the right OF trial
by Jury; freeom Of the person defended
by the writ habeas corpus; liberty of
personal person. contact untrammeled by sump-
tcary laws; TIC supremacy Of the civil
over military authority; a welldisciplin-d
militia; militia; the sparation Of church and
taxes that labor may be lightly bur
dened; the prompt and sacred fulfillment
OF public and 'rivate obligations. fidelity
to treaties; pece and friendship with all
nations; entarsling alliances with none:
absolute acquescence IN the will OF the
m1ha5orisy 1hs5Sa the VITAL principle Of repub!ies
and they should BE- constantly invoked
preached. reSoted to and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
Il. Large r.ducttons can readily be
made IN the annual expenditures Of the
government without impairing the eff
cheney OF any h'anch OF the public service.
economy and trugality 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
public service, and to that end a thorough
legislative investigation Of those execu-
tive departments OF the government al
ready known to teeKn with corruption, as
we'll as other departments suspected Of
Of ascertained eorruptionists without fear
or favor or regard to persons The per-
sistent and deliberate refusal Of both the
permit such Investigation to be made by
either branch Of congress demonstrates
that na % only ~ by change In the executive
rsctfon be Obtained. WI
'.1n broader furthsrsnoe 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
TING IN inlo oP l,,r,
believe that enc OF the best methods Of
procuring economy and honesty in the
public service is to have public officials.
down to the lowest OF them. return. as
nearly as may be. to JeRer sonian SIM
pltcity OF living
Presidential Recon m enLatfons.
"s We favor tho nomination and elec-
tion of president trained in tbs ways Of
the constitution, who shall set his face
eternly against executive usurpation of
legislative and judicia! functions, whether
thst usurpation be- ruled under the guise
Of executive construction Of existing
laws, or whether 1t 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 nave been per-
Enitted, through congressional favor, to
draw heavy tribute from the American
people. This menstrous perversion Of
Ntical 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 monopolies,
petition, which was the only check upon
the extraVagant profits made possible by
the protective system These industrial
they can give, now control the policy Of
the republican party.
bustnesSlike 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-
in view the ultimate end of equality OF
burdens and equality of opportunities,
and the constitutional purpose of raising
Z revenue by taxation, toWit, the sup
port Of the federal government. In all Its
Integrity and virlity. but in simplicity;
ona an &espns senas sse .ho Il vsx sxns G
however wrongfuly, mistakenly or un.
Justly brought about. and the danger to
the cause Of tariff reform Itself Of abrupt
and revolutionary reversal of policy.
I'VE should bear In mind in short these
two things; O. The general principle that
the sole derivation Of the. power of tax
ernemnt. economically, effectively and
constitutionally administered: and ca.
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 combines, seeking monopoly raise
their prices to the American consumer
above a reasonable and just profit by
such reduction depriVing trusts and mo-
nopolies of the power to eXtort from the
American people. under shelter of Amer
lean law, prices higher than those charged
foreigners for Identical articles
The IsthnliMM 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 isthmian canal.
But while making this declaration and
accepting the results as an accomplished
and irreversible fact. we can not toe
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
record our hope that this precedent Of
defiant diplomacy may never be used
against US to our humiliation and injury
Trusts and Unlawful ConbiHatiOns.