Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-07-15
ST. LOUIS PLATFORM
THE FULL TEXT OFTHIS IMPORT
ANT STATE DOCUMENT.

THE FULL TEXT THIS IMPORT
ANT STATE DOCUMENT.
It is Explicit on Most Of the Cardinal Princi-
pies of Democracy-Trusts and Tariff Ar
raiened-Grsater Simplicity in Living En-
joined Upon Public Officers to Promote
Public Economy-lmperialism Condemned.
The Democratic party OF the United
States, in National Convention assem-
bled, declares its devotion to the essen
:al principles of the Democratic faith
which bring us together in party COM
munion.
Under them, local self-government
and National unity and prosperity
were alike established. They under
laid our independence, the structure Of
our free Republic, and every Demo.
cratic extension from Louisiana to
California and Texas to Oregon, which
preserves faithfully in all the States
the tie between taxation and represen-
tation. They yet inspire the masses
of our people, guarding jealously their
rights and liberties, and oherishing
their fraternity, peace and orderly de-
velopment. They remind us of our
duties and responsibilities as citizens
and impress upon us, particularly at
this time, the necessity of reform.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES.
First-The application of these fun
damentsl principles to the living is
sues of the day is the first step toward
the assured peace, safety and progress
of our Nation. Freedom of the press,
of conscience and of speech-equality,
the law of all citizens; right of trial
by jury; freedom of the person defend.
ed by the writ of habeas corpus; lib
erty OF personal contract, untram.
melled by sumptuary laws; supremacy
OF the civil over the military author.
ity; q ll.disciplined militia; the
separation OF church and State; econ
omy in expenditures; low taxes, that
labor may be lightly burdened /; prompt
and sacred fulfillment of public and
private obligations; fidelity to treaties,
peace and friendship with all nations !;
entangling alliances with none; abso.
lutte acquiescence in the will of the
majority, the vital principle of repub.
lics-these are the doctrines which
Democracy has established as proverbs
of the Nation and they should be con.
stantly enforced.
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
We favor the enactment and admin
istration of laws giving labor and cap.
ital impartially their just rights. Cap
ital and labor ought not to be enemies.
Each is necessary to the other. Each
has its rights, but the rights of labor
are certainly no less vested" no less
sacred" and no less unalienable,"
than the rights of capital.
CONSTITUTIONAL UARANTY.
Constitutional guarantees are vio-
lated whenever any citizen is denied
the right to labor, acquire and enjoy
property, or reside where interest or
inclination may determine. Any de.
nial thereof by individuals or organi-
cations of government should be sum-
marily rebuked and punished.
We deny the right of any executive
to disregard or suspend any Constitu.
tional privilege or limitation. Obed.
ience to the laws and respect for their
requirements are alike the supreme
duty OF the citizen and the official.
The military should be used only to
support and maintain the law. We
unqualifiedly condemn its employment
for the summary banisment of citizens
without trial, or for the control Of
elections.
We approve the measure which
passed the United States Senate in
1896, but which a Republican Con-
gress has ever since refused to enact.
relating to contempts in Federal
Courts and providing for trial by jury
in cases Of indirect contempt.
WATERWAYS.
We favor liberal appropriations for
the care and improvement Of the wa
terways of the country. When any
waterway like the Mississippi river is
of sufficient importance to demand
special aid of the Government, such
aid should be extended with a definite
plan of continuous work until perma-
nent improvement 10 secured.
We oppose the Republican policy of
starving home development in order
to feed the greed for conquest, and the
appetite for National "prestige" and
display of strength.
ECONOMY OF ADMINISTRATION.
First-Large reductions can easily
be made in the annual expenditures of
the Government without impairing
the efficiency OF any branch of the
public service, and we shall insist upon
the strictest economy and frugslity
compatible with vigorous and effective
civil, military and naval administra-
ton for the people.
Second-We favor honesty in the
puilic service, the enforcement of
honesty in the public service, and to
that end thorough executive investi.
cation of those departments of the
Government already known to TEEN
with corruption, as we'll as other de-
partments suspected of harboring cor.
ruption, and the punishment of ascer.
tanned corruptionists without fear or
favor or regard to persons, The per.
sistent and deliberate refusal of both
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives to permit such investigation to
be made demonstrates that only by a
change in the Executive and in the
legislative department can complete
exposure, punishment and conviction
be obtained.
FEDERAL CONTRACTS WITH TRUSTS.
We condemn the action of the Re.
publican party in Congress in refusing
to prohibit the executive department