The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-02
Silver Champion Writes Plat
form for Nebraska Democrats.
1t Was Adopted Without a Dis
senting Voice.
TARIFF FOR REVENUE.
Old Doctrine of the Party Comes
to the Front.
Demands Pledge of Indepen-
dence for the Philippines.

Democratic state convention unaniln-
ously selected w. ]. Bryan to head the
Nebraska delegation to the national
convention at St. Louis and adopted a
platform which reaffirms the Kansas
City platform Of 1900 and places before
the public Mr.. Bryan's views of wnat
should be embodied in the platform OF
the coming national convention. Mr.
Bryan was himself Chairman of the
committee on resolutions and wrote the
platform He had associated with him
men who have been his most loyal sup
porters.
There was no opposition to the adop-
ton of the platform as read although
one delegate attempted to secure the
adoption of an additional plank pledg-
ing the Nebraska Democracy to the
support of nominees of the St Louis
convention regardless of who they
might be- He was ruled out of order
however, after reading his resolution
There was but a handful of delegates
/ VINO had not been pledged to the sup
/ port OF a reamirmation of the Kansas
/ city platform. and they came from
Lancaster, Mr.. Bryan's county They
/ did not, however, attempt to secure
! recognition, and Mr.. Bryan sat with the
/ Lancaster delegation while he was on
the floor of the convention.
The proceedings were characterized
/ by harmony. and the delegates at all
/ times appeared anxious to outdo each
other in their support of the leaders
and the principles they represented.
| Several speeches were delivered, among
them being addresses by Mr.. Bryan in
support of the platform, by Congress
man Cochran and the delegates select
I ing is the platform:
I'VE, the Democrats Of the state of
/ Nebraska in convention assembled, re-
affirm our faith in Democratic prin-
ciples as those principles were set forth
in the last national platform of the
party adopted at Kansas City in 1900.
Democracy means the rule of the
/ peOple-a government resting upon the
consent of the governed and admins
tered according to the Will and in the
1 interest of the people.
With an increasing love for the
principles of Democracy and an in
creasing confidence in their final tri-
umph we look upon the present time
as opportUle for their earnest and
courageous PRONUNCIATION. With a chief
executive who has disregarded cOnSti-
tutional limitations, stirred up antag-
Onism between the races employed all
the powers of his office to secure a re-
nomination and purchase special sup
! port by turning the treasury depart
ment over to the financiers and putting
the law department into the hands of
trusts-with such a chief executive and
with Republican leaders openly and ar
rOgantly in alliance with organized
| wealth, the country imperatively needs
a return of the government to positive
and clearly defined Democratic prin-
ciples. Democracy as taught by JEFF
ferson and exemplifled by Jackson is
the hope of the republic and offers the
/ only relief from the plutocracy which
/ now dOmirates the Republican party
and through that party the country
Democracy would oppose as mimi
4 cal to the welfare of the people all
private monopolies and would EXTERN
mate them by the enforcement of the
tod
platform. The failure of the present
administration to enforce existing laws
/ or to suggest more effective laws is
/ conclusive proof that it lacks the de-
sire, the intelligence or the moral cour-
age to attack the constituencies COM
/ binatiOns of capital that have flourish
I ed during recent years.
/ Democracy would relieve the coun-
/ try of the menace of militarisn and
4 imperialism by following the example
set by this country in its dealing with
/ Cuba and giving the Philippines an inn
mediate promise of ultimate independ-
4 ence. The administra tiOn of n colonial
J system according to monarchical prin-
| ciples is repugnant to our theory of gov
I ernment and can not be depended upon
/ without the assertion of doctrines
which. if carried out, will undermine
! free government in the United States.
Democracy would restore the tariff
to a revenue basis and administer it
I for revenue only, thus demolishing the
i legal bulwarks behind which the pre-
datory trusts have found refuge. Pro
| lection for protectors sake is an in
/ geniOus device for the exploitation of
the masses by the privileged classes; it
has brought great injustice to the con-
sumers and has been the fruitful
source of widespread political cOrrup-
I ton
/ treasury department in behalf Of the
1 public not as now. in the interest of
4 Wall street. 1t would prevent the re-
I coinage of legal tender silver dollars
| to limited legal tender subsidiary coin.
It would have to secure to the people
a volume Of standard money sufficient
money. It would favor paper money
/ issued by the government without in
tervention of national banks. It would
resist the attempt to establish a set
I currency and branch banks and it
I would oppose the lOaning Of govern
ment money to favored banks-by
which the. peoples money is employed
/ to lay a foundation for a campaign
fund and to bribe the financial inter-
est to oppose any reduction of taxa
ton The present administration OF the
treasury department IS progressively
n beneficial to the capitalistic classes and
progressively harmful to the producers
of wealth.
Democracy would make taxation
more equitable by collecting a part OF
the revenues from an income tax Sc
cured by a constitutional amendment
and bring the government nearer to the
people by the popular election of Uni
ted States senators and direct legisla-
tion.
Democracy would strictly regulate
the railroads. thus protecting farmers
and merchants from excessive rates
and determinations
Democracy would safeguard th'
interest Of the wage Garner and th'