Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-07-06
A Forecast of the II eniOcratic
Platform

A press dispatch from st. Loui
!. saws that the main features Of tn
Democratic platform have beel
practically agreed upon. The tw'
men vino largely shaped it are tn
Democratic leaders in the tw,
Houses of Congress, Representa-
tive John Sharp Williams and Sen
ator Arthur p. German:
The proposed platform begins
with an expression of the conf
dence of the Democracy in the
principles OF Alexander Hamilton
and the Federalist party. II
favors economy in Federal admin
istration and the cutting off of all
unnecessary and imperialistic ex-
penses.
The platform favors the election
of President trained in cOnstitu-
tional methods, who will sternl =
oppose executive usurpation OF
legislative and judicial powers,
whether the usurpation be dis
gnised under executive construc-
tim Of statutes or sheltered in the
plea of necessity or superior wis
dom.
Then comes the tariff plank. 1t
proposes conservative and bust
ness like revision and reduction Of
t. e tariff by the friends of the
people, and not by those who favor
its abuses, extortions and discrimi-
nations, having in view the con-
stitutional purposes OF raising a
revenue by taxation, the mainten-
ance of the national government
in its integrity and virility, but in
republican simplicity.
The platform favors the lower
ing of the tariff on trust-produced
articles to the point where foreign
competition may enter America,
where combinations aiming at
monopoly lift their prices to the
American consumer, and under the
shield of law advance these prices
higher than those demanded of the
people of other countries for the
same articles.
Another plank favors reciprocal
commercial relations with other
nations by treaty or legislation, as
against commercial retaliation. 1t |
is especially suggested that mutu
ally beneficial trade relations with
Canada and Cuba should be se-
The maintenance Of the Monroe
as announced by Monroe
and enforced by Grant and Cleve-
land, is favored, but the platfoi III
declares that it is not the duty of
the United States, as the present
President seems o bel eve, to adj
minister the governments Of Cen
trail and South America.
The Philip ire plank opens by
favoring the preservation, so far
Us possible, of an open door foI the
commerce in Asia, without un- {
necessary ENHANCEMENT in Asiat.c
II European affairs, and without /
irresponsible and abso- /
ute government anywhere under (
he flag or within the jurisdiction t
If the Union. Am indefinite, ir-
'esponsible, discretionary and
,ague absolutism and colonial ex-
,loitation is strongly opposed. t
The example of Japan is point q
ID to as holding out hope that the
'ilipinos can produce civiliza-
ion of their own better than any L
American veneering. II
Capital and labor should not be ,
Oes: laws giving each impartially Il
is just rights should be enacted :
nd enforced. The rights of enc are. c
ot more sacred thai the rights of I
he other. .
The negro question is dealt with a
n brief paragraph, declaring L
hat the Democracy is out of o
with those who wish, OF a
'ho would not by every legul and m
institutional means prevent the p
fricahization or Mongolization II
{ any State or community in the OF
.public. Il
Nowhere in the platform Is ther- IN
direct reference to the money
andard. The free silver issue is
IMPLY ignored. The main features u
re a promise of tariff revision, -,
riot enforcement of the antitrust IN
WIS and pledge of ultimate in. 81
for the Philippines. o.