Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-07-14
ODE Platforn1

/; by the convention at ST. Louis is as fol-
| lows:
| We, the delegates of the democratic
party OF the United States, in national
convention assembled. declare our de-
lvotion to the essential principles of the
| democratic faith, which brings us to-
getheG in party communion.
Under them local self government
and national unity and prosperity We're
alike established. They underlaid our
Independence, the structure Of our free
republic and every democratic extern
sion from Louisiana to California and
Texas TO Oregon. which preserved
faithfully in all the states the tie be-
tween the taxation and the representa-
ton. They yet inspire the masses of
our people, guarding jealousy their
rights and liberties, and cherishing
their fraternity peace and orderly de-
velopmcnt They remind us of our
duties and responsibilities as citizens,
and impress upon us, particularly at
this time the necessity of reform and
the rescue of the administration of our
government from the headstrong, arbi-
trary and Spasmodic methods which
distract business by uncertainty and
pervipe the public mind with dread.
iistrist and perturbation.
Covers All the Days Issues.
Tho application of these fundamental
principles TO the living issues of the
day constitutes the first step toward
the assured peace. safety and progress
Of olir nation. Freedom of the press
of conscience and of speech; equality
before he 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. untram
meIled by sunlptuiry laws the su-
preinacy of the civil over the military
the separation of church and state;
economy i'm expenditures; low taxes,
that labor may be lightly burdened; the
prompt and sacred fuliilment of pub
lie and private obligatons: fidelity 10
treaties: peace and Friendship with ali
nations entangiing alliances With none;
absolute acqtliescence in the will of the
majority; the vital principle of repuh-
lies these are doctrines which dcmoc-
racy has established rs proverbs of the
nation, and they should be constantly
Invoked, preached, resorted to and en-
forced
Large reductions can readily be made
in the annual expenditures of the gov
ernment without imnairing the eff
fciency of amy braneh of the public
service. and we shah insist upon the
stl'iotest economy and iiu;ality COM
patible with vigorous and efficient civil.
military and naval administration as
u rish. of the people too clear to be
denied or withheld
Honesty in Public Service.
We favor honesty in the public SER
vice and to that end II thorough in
vestigation of those executive depart
ments of the government already
known to teem with corruption. as We'll
us other departments suspected of har
boring corruption and the punishment
of ascertained corruptionists. without
fear or favor or regard TO persons. The
persistent and deliberate refusal of
both the senate and the house of rep
itscnta1ives TO permit such inveStga-
ton to be made by either branch of
congress demonstrates that only by Il
change In the executive and in the
legislative departments can complete
exposure and punishment of corruption
be obtained.
In broader furtherance OF that end
the federal government should not per-
INIT itself to be robbed by entering into
contracts With convicted trusts or UNI
lawful combinations in restraint of i'm
terstate trade, existing in violation of
laws.
We believe that one of the best
methods of preserving economy and
honesty in the public service is To have
public officials from the occupant of
the White House down to the lowest
10 Jcifersonan simplicity of living.
We favor the nomination and cleo
tion of a president trained i'm the ways
of the constitutions who shall set his
face STORMY against executive usurpa-
tion of legislative and judicial func-
tons whether that usurpation be made
under the guise of executive construc-
ton of existing laws, or whether it take
refuge in tho tryant's pleas of necessity
or superior wisdom.
Would Check Trusts.
The democratic party has been, and
will continue to be the consistent OPP
ponent of that class of tariff legisla-
tion by which certain interests have
been permitted, through congressional
favor To draw heavy tribute from the
American people. This monstrous per-
Version of those equal opportunities
which our political institutions We're
established to secure has caused what
may once have been infant industries
TO become the greatest combinations of
capital that the world has ever known
These especial favorites of the gov
eminent have through trust methods
been converted into monopolies, thus
bringing TO an end domestic compete
tion, which was the only alleged check
upon the eXtravasant profits made pos
sible by the protective system. These
industrial combinations, by the finan-
cial assistance they can give. now con-
troll the policy of the republican party
We denoupce protection as a robbery
of the many 10 enrich the few, and
we favor u tariff limited to the needs
OF the government economically adj
ninlsteretl. and so levied as not to dis
criminals against any industry. class
or section. to the end that the burdens
of taxation shall be distributed as
equally as possible. We favor IL re-
lot, ,lt al +I.1
tariff by the friends of the masses and
of the commonwealth and not by the
friends of it's abuses. its eXtortions and
its DETERMINATIONS, keeping i'm view the
ultimate ends for equality of burdens
and the equality of opportunities" and
revenue by taxation, without the
support of the federal government, in
all it's integrity and virilty, but in
simplicity.
Citizenship Rights.
We pledge ourselves to insist upon The
Just and lawful protection of our citizens
Mt nome and abroad and use all proper
measures to secure for them. whether ma
tive born or naturallzed and without DIS
tinction of race or breed, the equal pro-
lection of laws and the enjoyment of all
rights and privileges open to them under
the covenants of our treaties OF friendship
and commerce, and if under existing
treaties the right of travel and sojourn is
denied to American citizens or recogni-
ton is withheld from American passports
by any countries on the ground of race or
creed we favor the beginning of negotia-
tons with the governments of such coun-
tries to secure by treaties the removal of
these unjust Determinations. We demand
that all over the world duly authentic
Gated passport issued by the government
of the United States to an American citi-
zen shall be proof of the fact that he is
an American citizen and should be ac-
corded the treatment due him as such.
We favor the election of United States
senators by the direct vote of the people.
We recognize that the gigantic trusts
and combinations designed u enable cap
ital 10 secure more than Its Just share OF
The joint products of capital and labor,