The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-07-21
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

submitted by the committee on plat
form and resolutions and Immediately
adopted by the national democratic
convention Is as follows:
The democratic party of the United
States. In national convention assem-
bled. declares it's devotion to the
cardinal prir ciples Of democracy which
brings its members together in party
communion.
Under them local self-government
and national unity of 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 Is reserved faithfully
In all the states the tie between taxa
ton and representation. They yet in
spire the masses of our people, guard
ing jealousy their rights and liberties
and cherishing their fraternity, peace
and orderly development. They re-
mind us of our duties and responsible
ties as citizens and impress upon us,
particularly at this time, the necessity
of reform and the rescue Of the ad-
ministration of government from the
headstrong, arbitrary and spasmodic
methods which distract business by
uncertainty and pervade the public
mind with dread, distrust and per-
turbation.
/. The application Of these funda-
mental principles to the living issues
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
before the law of all citizens, right Of
trial by jury, freedom Of the person
defended by the merit Of habeas cor
pus, liberty of personal contract, un-
trammeled by sumptuary laws. ST.
premacy of the civil over military au-
thority, a well-defined militia. the sep
aration of church and state, economy
in expenditures, low taxes that labor
may be lightly burdened, prompt and
sacred fulnllment of public and pri-
waite 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-
ncs-these are doctrines which democ-
racy has established, approved by the
nation and they should be constantly
invoked and enforced.
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 enc
mics. 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 "inalien-
able" than the rights of capital.
Constitutional guarantees are violat-
ed whenever any citizen is denied the
right to labor, acquire and enjoy prop
erty or reside where interest or inc!i-
nation may determine. Any denial
thereof. by individuals, organizations
or governments should be summary
rebuked or punished.
We deny the right Of any executive
to disregard or suspend any constitu-
tional privilege or limitation. Obedi-
ence 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
unqualifledly condemn it's employment
for the summary Punishment Of citi-
zens without trial or for the control
OF elections.
We approve the measure which
passed the United States senate in
1896, but which a republican congress
has ever since refused to enact, re-
lating to cortempts In federal courts
and providing for trial by jury in cases
OF indirect contempt
We favor liberal appropriations for
the care and improvement Of the wa
terways OF the country. When any
water like the Mississippi river is
of sufficient size to demand special aid
from the government, such aid should
be extended with a definite plan of
continuous work until permanent i'm
provement is secured. We oppose the
republican policy Of starving home
development in order to feed the greed
for conquest and the appetite for ma
tional prestige and display of
strength.
Large reductions can easily be made
in the annual expenditures Of the gov
eminent without impairing the eff
ficiency of any branch Of the public
service. and we shall insist upon the
strictest economy and frugality COM
patible with vigorous and efficient
civil, military and naval administra-
ton as right Of the people. too clear
to be denied or withheld
2. We favor the enforcement Of hon
esty in the public service and to that
end thorough legislative investiga-
ton Of the executive departments Of
the government already known to