Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-15
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

we, The democratic party OF The United
state III national convention assembled.
declare It's devotion TO the essential prin-
Ciplcs of the democratic laith which
brings us together i'll party eoDmunion
II ndgr them iuc;tl sell government and
national unity and prosperity were alike
established. They undcTlaid our independ-
ence, the structure Of our free republic
and every de1noc"atie eN1enSioh from
Louisiana TO California and Texas to Ore
3 ~, which preserved faithfully i'll all tho
states the tie between taxation and rep
rgsentation. They yet Inspire the masses
Of our people. guarding jealously their
rights and liberties. and cherishing their
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
Administration of government from the
methods which distract business by un--
certainty and perVade the public mind
with dread, siruss and perturbation.
1.-The application OF these fundamental
principles TO the living issues OF the day
constitutes The hrst step toward the as
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 untrammeied by sump-
tCary laws; the supremacy of The civil
militia the separation of church and
state; economy in expenditures; low
'aaes, that h labor may be hshily h, bur
Of public and private obligations hdeiity
to treaties; peace and friendship with Gil
nations; entangling alliances with none:
absolute acQuicscence In the will OF the
majority. the vital principle OF republics
these are doctrines which democracy has
And ttey should be constantly Invoked.
preached. reSorted TO and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
''l. Large reductions can readily be
Maoe il tt;e annual expenditures of the
government without tmpairiHg the eff
ciency Of any branch OF the public service.
and we shah Insist upon the strictest
economy and trugaiisy compatible with
vigorous anG efficient civil. military and
naval administration as a right of the
people. tco clear 10 be denied or with
20, TIE enforcement Of honesty in the
public service, and to that END thorough
legislative Investigation OF those eNecu-
tive departments OF the government al
ready hno.'G TO teeIn with corruption, as
we'll us other departments suspected of
hsfbofing cQ:tnpUon. anG the punishment
Of ascertained corc0ptionists without fear
or favor or regard 20 persons Ihe per
Sistent And de!ihera te refusiAa of both the
senate &1ad house OF representatives to
permit such investigation to be made by
either branch Of congress demonstrates
that only by a change IA tic executive
and IL .ae house ot repseses. tstiNes can
Yection be obtained.
I'm broader tuytaerance Of shat end the
lGO6Tat government EL0GlQ TAot permit IL
self 10 be robbed by entering into CON
tracts with convicted trusts OF unlawful
combinations X. restraint O. Interstate
trade. existing in violation Of law We
believe that OF the best methods OF
procuring economy an0 honesty In this
public service is TO haxee public officials.
down to the lowest OF them, return. as
nearly as may be. to Jehes soiaian sim
plicity of living.
President Recon
"s We favor the nomination and elee,,
ton Of "a president trained in the ways Of
the constitution, who shall set his face
sterniy against executive usOfpation OF
legislative and judicial functions, whether
Of executive construction of existing
laws, or whether it take refuge in the
tyrants pleas OF necessity OF superior
q. 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
mitted, through congressional favor, to
draw a heavy tribute from the American
people. This mOnStrouS perverSion Of
those equal opportunities, which our po-
litical Institutions We're established TO Sc
cure, has caused what may, once have
been infant industries to become the
world has ever known. These publicly
favored enterprises have. Through trust
met hods, been converted into monopolies,
thus bringing 10 an end domestic com
petition. which was the only check upon
the eXtraVaSauL prOuLS maUe QOSSlDle by
the protective system. These industrial
combinations, by the financial assistance
they can give, now control the policy OF
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 it's determinations, keeping
in view the ultimate end of equality Of
burdens and equality OF opportunities
and the constitutional purpose of raising
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,
! 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: % The general principle that
| the sole derivation OF the power of tax
alton is the support Of the federal gov,
eomshna eonsti5utonay adminstered d;'n and 1 co.
the equal truth that, in the assertion of
any general principle and in reaching
iogicaIiy @ Sii1s um1vodable, due regard but but
| only due regard. must and should be paid
! to actual existing conditions.
I'VE favor the reduction of tariff tax
alton upon ,rust-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-
nopoes 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 Isthmiun Canal.
"Our party having long and earnestly
| advocated the construction of interoceanic
| canal for the purpose of nationa! defense
and commerce between the states and
with foreign nations, we favor the early
completion of the lsthmian canal.
! "But while making this declaration and
| accepting the results as an accomplished
| and iIreversble fact. We can not toe
forcihly express. our disapprova! of the
methods by which, in disregard Of the;
law, and treaty obiigations' the cana
| record our hope that this precedent OF
defiant diplomacy may, never be used
| against us to our humiliation and injury
| Trusts and Unlawful Combinations.
I'VE recognize that the gigantic trus Is
and combinations designed to enable cap
ital to secure more than it's just share OF
| the joint product Of capital and labor ard