Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-07-20
DEMOCRATIC FAITH.
Platform Adopted by the National
Convention without Dissent.
No Reference to Finance-Emphatic
Declarations on Trusts ana the
Tarin-PIank DenouncinE
POIygamy.


national platform, as unanimously ap-
proved in convention, is as follows:
| We, the delegates of the democratic
convention assembled, declare our devo-
| ton to the essential principles of the
democratic faith which brings US together
In party communion. Under them, local
self-government and national unity and
| prosperity were alike established. They
| undertake our independence, the structure
| Of our free republic and every democratic
| extension from Louisiana to California
| and Texas to Oregon. which preserved
| faithfully in all the states the tie be-
tween taxation and representation. They
| yet inspirit the masses of our people,
| guarding jealousy their rights and liber-
ties and cherishing their fraternity, peace
and orderly development. They remind
dS OF our duties and responsibilities as
citizens and impress upon US, particular
ty at this time, the necessity of reform
and the rescue of the administration of
government from the headstrong arbi-
| trary and spasmodic methods which dis
tract business by uncertainty and per-
wade the public mind with dread, dis
trust and perturbation.
The application of these fundamental
principles to the living issues OF the day
constitutes the first step toward the
sured peace, safety and progress of our
nation. Freedom of the press, of con-
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-
tuary laws; the supremacy of the civil
over military authority; a well-disciplined
militia; the separation of church and
state; economy in expenditures; low
taxes; that labor may be lightly bur
dened; the prompt and sacred fulfillment
to obi II AIs%
TO treaties: peace and friendship with all
nations; entangling alliances with none;
absolute acQuieScence in the will of the
majority; the vital principle of repub-
lics-theSe are doctrines which democ-
racy has established as proverbs of the
nation and they should be constantly in
voked, preached, resorted to and in
forced.
We favor enforcement of honesty in the
public service and thorough legislative
Investigation of those departments of the
government already known to TEEN with
corruption, as well as other departments
suspected Of harboring corruption and
the punishment of ascertained corrup-
ttonists without fear or favor or regard
to persons. The persistent and deliberate
refusal of both the senate and house of
representatives to permit such investi-
cation 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 corruption be obtained.
The democratic party has been and
will continue to be the consistent oppo-
nent of that class of tariff legislation
by which certain interests have been
permitted through congressional favor to
draw heavy tribute from the American
people. This monstrous perversion of
those equal opportunities, which institu-
tiOnS were established to secure has
hot nOlry
industries to become the greatest combi-
nations of capital that the world has ever
known. These favorites of the govern
ment have, through trust methods, been
converted into monopolies, thus bringing
to an end domestic competition, 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,
the many to enrich the few, and we favor
tariff limited to the needs of the gov
eminent, economically administered and
so levied as not to discriminate against
any industry. class or section, to the
end that the burdens of taxation shall be
distributed as equally as possible.
We recognize that the gigantic trusts
and combinations designed to enable cap
ital to secure more than its just share of
the joint products of capital and labor
and which have been fostered and pro-
NOTED under republican rule are men
ace to beneficial competition and an OBJ
stacle to permanent business prosperity
A private monopoly is indefensible and
1ntolerable Individual equality of oppor-
tunty and free competition are essential
to healthy and permanent commercial
prosperity; and any trust combination
or monopoly tending to destroy these by
I'M
petition or fixing prices, should be pro-
hibited and punished by law. We espe-
clalty denounce rebates and discrimina-
ton by transportation companies.
we demand an enlargement of the
powers of the interstate commerce COM
mission, to the end that the travelling
public and shippers of this country may
have prompt and adequate relief for the
abuses to which they are subjected in the
matter of transportation. We demand a
strict enforcement of existing civil and
criminal statutes against all such trusts
combinations and monopolies, and we de-
mand the enactment of such further Leg
islation as may be necessary to effectu-
ally suppress them. Any trust or un-
lawful combination engaged in interstate
commerce which is monopolizing any
branch of business or production should
not be permitted to transact business out
side of the state of its origin. Whenever
it shall be established in any court of
competent jurisdiction that such monopo-
liZation exists such prohibition should be
enforced through comprehensive laws to
be enacted on the subject.
We favor the enactment and admins
tration of laws giving labor and capital
impartially their just rights. Capital and
labor ought not to be enemies. Each is
necessary to the other. Each has its
rights, but the rights of labor are GER
tainly no less vested" no less sacred
and no less 'inalienable' than the rights
of capital.
Constitutional guarantees are violated
whenever any citizen is denied the right
to labor. acquire and enjoy property or
reside where interest or inclination may
determine. Any denial thereof by indi-
viduals or organizations or government
should be summarily rebuked and pun
ished.
We deny the right of any executive to
disregard or suspend any constitutional
| privilege or limitation. Obedience to the
| laws and respect for their requirements
are alike the supreme duty of the citizen
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