Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-08-17
THE DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM

PLAlFUkM
G, tAc democratic party OF the United
Sfs, IA national convention assembled,
! ueclafe us devotion to the essential prin-
cllies OF the democratic faith which
pAMss US together III party communion.
CHdtr them local elfgovernment and
natlb}at ahi1y and prosperity were alike
ehce, the structure of our free republic
ana 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
rights and eertss and ehershing their their
fraternity. peace and orderly develop
Ia 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 with dread, distrust and perturbation.
The application OF these fundamental
principles to the living issues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the as
sured satto. peace ace safety and progress Of our
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 untrammeled by sump-
tGary laws; the supremacy OF the civil
militia; the separation of church and
state; economy in expenditures, low
taxes taxes that h labor may be lightly bur
OF public and private obligations; fidelity
to treaties; peace and friendship with all
nations; entangling alliances with none:
In tfn vxrfjJ ~ II
majority. the vital principle of republics
these are doctrines which democracy has
estabnshed est lha :, as as proverbs Of the nation.
preached. resorted to and enforced.
Controlling Expenses.
u Large reductions can readily be
made in the annual expenditures Of the
eeney n ay Of RRe pe the
and We shall insist upon the strictest
economy and frugalty 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 thorough
legislative investigation Of those execu-
tive departments Of the government al
well as other departments suspected Of
harboring corruption, and the punishment
OF ascertained corruptionists without fear
or favor or regard to persons. The per-
ststent and deliberate refusal of both tho
senate and house Of representatives to
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 COR
"In broader furtherance Of that end the
| federal government should not permit it.
to It sS rnssa snsas nG
| combinations In restraint of interstate
trade. existing In violation Of law. We
procuring economy AND honesty in the
public service is to have public officials,
from the occupant Of the White House
down to the lowest of them return, as
nearly as may be. to Jeffersonian Sim
plicity Of living.
| Presidential Reoomme n dations.
"3. We favor the nomination and elec-
| ton Of a president trained in tho ways Of
the constitution, who shall set his face
| eternly against executive usurpation of
legislative and judicial functions, whether
that usurR3aion be ruled under the gnise
| 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 have been per-
mitted, through congressional favor, to
draw heavy tribute from the American
people. This monstrous perversion of
iitical institutions We're Established to Sc 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
methods, been converted into monopolies,
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
they can give. now control the policy Of
the republican party.
I'VE favor wise. conservative and
! businesSlike revision and a gradual re-
duction OF the tariff 10y the friends of the
masses and for the common veal, and
tortions and its discrimina tions, keeping
in view the ultimate end of equality Of
burdens and equality of opportunities,
'r revenue ven ely by % taxation, " to.wt, wit the % sup
port Of the federal government in all its
Integrity and virility, but in simplicity;
and keeping also in view, men of com
mon sense should. existing conditions
however wrong1ully, mistakenly or un-
Justly brought about, and the danger to
the cause Of tariff reform itself of abrupt
and revolutionary reversal of policy.
"We 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 t2)
any ultimate end. however sacred and
logically unavoidable, due regard. but
only due regard, must and should be paid
to actual existing conditions
eve favor the reduction of tariff tax
alton upon trust st-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.
American people, under shelter of Amer.
lean law. prices higher than those charged
foreigners for identical articles.
The IxthmiMn Canal.
"Our party having long and earnestl,
advocated the construction of interoceanis
canal for the purpose OF national defense
and commerce between the states anc
, with foreign nations, we favor the early
completion of the 1sthmian canal.
But while making this declaration ant
accepting the results as an accomplished
and irreversibe fact. we can not. tot
forcibiy express. our disapproyal Of tn, tn
usages and obligations of internationa
law, and treaty obligations. the cana n;.
record our hope that this precedent O.