The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-08
THE PLATFORM.
Draft of Document AS Reported
to Full Committee.
Hill Worked i'm Gold Plank
While Bryan Was Away.
INCOME TAX PLANK
Was Insisted Upon by the Bryan
Faction.
But Left Out Owing to Fight
Made by Hill.
INCOME TAX PLANK


of the committee on resolutions spent
the entire day to FIVE o'clock yesterday
IN perfecting the details of the platform
concluding al that hour with the adop-
tion of a gold standard plank. The
plank was voted in during the absence
of Mr.. Bryan and Congressman Will
liams. and the ballot stood to 3, the
affirmative votes being cast by Messrs.
Daniel, Hill. Pattison. Hamlin. Gable.
Poe and Davis and the negative votes
by Dubois, Shively and Newlands.
The understanding was if Messrs.
Bryan and Williams had been present
they would have cast their votes in the
negative, thus bringing the opposition
vote to five. AS agreed upon by the
subcommittee the text of the platform
follows:
The Platform.
We the delegates of the Democratic
party OF the United States in national
convention assembled declare our de-
votion to the essential principles of the
Democratic faith which brings US to-
gether in party convention
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 extern
sion from Louisiana to California and
Texas to Oregon which preserved faith
fully IN all the states the tie between
taxation and representation. They yet
inspire the masses of our people, guard
ing jealousy their rights and liberties
and cherishing their fraternity, peace
and orderly development They remind
US of our duties and responsibilities as
citizens and impress upon Us particu-
larly at this time the necessity of re-
form and the rescue Of the administra-
ton OF government from the headstrong,
arbitrary and spasmodic methods which
H1fr Of hue Nv ar-rl int nd
pervade the public mind with dread,
distrust and perturbation
The application of these fundamental
principles to the livingissues of the day
constitutes the first step toward the as
sured peace, safety and progress of
our nation. Freedom of the press, of
conscience and of speech; equality be-
fore the law OF all citizen, the right of
trial by jury. freedom of the person de-
Tended by the writ of nabeas corpus,
liberty of personal contract untram-
meled by sumptuary laws; the SUI
premacy OF the civil over military au-
thority; a we'll disciplined militia; the
separation of church and state; econ
omy in expenditures; low taxes, that
labor may be lightly burdened; the
prompt and sacred fulhllment of public
and private obligations: fidelity to trea-
ties; peace and friendship with all ma
tions, entangling alliances with none;
absolute acquiescence in the will of the
ma jority the vital principle of republics
these are doctrines which Democracy
has established as proverbs of the ma
ton and the should be constantly In
voked. preached, resorted to and en-
forced.
BY Sections.
/. Large reduction can readily be
made in the annual expenditure of the
government without imparing the eff
cheney of any branch of the public ser
vice and we shall insist upon the
strictest economy and frugality COM
military and naval administration as a
right of the principle too clear to be
denied or withheld
2 The 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 de-
partments suspected of harboring cor
Tuption, and the punishment of ascer-
tanned corTuptionists without fear or
favor or regard to persons The per-
sistent and deliberate refusal of both
the senate and house to permit such in
vestigation to be made by either
branch of congress demonstrates that
only by a change in the executive and
in the house of representatives can
complete exposure and punishment of
corruption be obtained
The government should not permit
itself to be robbed by entering into
contracts with convicted trusts or I'M
lawful combination in restraint of in
law. We believe that one of the best
methods of procuring economy and
honesty in public service is to have
public official from the occupant of the
White House down to the lowest of
them return as nearly as may be to
Jeffersonian simplicity of living.
3 We favor the nomination and cleo
tion of a president trained in the ways
of the constitution who shall set his
face sternly against executive usurpa-
ton of legislative and judicial func-
tons, whether that usurption be yelled
under the guise of executive construc-
ton of existing laws. or whether it take
refuge in the assertion of superior wis
dom.
4. The Democratic party has been,
and will continue to be the consistent
opponent of that class of tariff legisla-
ton by which certain interest have
been permitted through congressional
favor to draw a heavy tribute from the
American people This monstrous per-
version of those equal opportunities
which our constitution was established
to secure has caused what may once
have been infant industries to become |
the greatest combines of capitaI that
licly favored enterprises have. through
methods been converted into monopo-
lies. thus bringing to an end Democrat
&c competition, which was the only /
check upon the eXtravagant profits
made possible by the protective sys-
tenn These industrial combines by the /
nnaflClal ASSISTANCE InGN can give. now
control the policy of the Republican
party
We favor a wise, conservative and
busineSslike revision and a gradual re- |
duction of the tariff by the friends of
the masses and for the commonwealth
and not by the friends of it's abuses.
its extortionS and its determinations
keeping in view the ultimate end of
equality of burdens and equality of Oh |
portunity and the constitutional pur-
pose of raising a revenue by TAXATION
TO wit: The support OF the federal gov
eminent in all its integrity and virility |
and keeping also in view. as men Of |
common sense should existing condi- |
tions however wrongfully, mistakenly |
or unjustIy brought about and the dan