The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-07-14
DEMOCRATIC FAITH.
Platform Adopted by the National
Convention without Dissent.
No Reference TO Finance-EmphRtic
Declarations on TRUSTS and the
TarIn-P1ank DenouncinE
PolyEamy.

We, the delegates Of the democratic
party OF the United States, In national
convention assembled, declare our devo-
ton to the essential principles Of the
democratic faith which brings us together
I'm party communion. Under them, local
self-govcrnment and national unity and
/ prosperity were alike established. They
underaid our independence. the structure
Of our free republic and every democratic
extension from Louisiana to California
and Texas to Oregon. which preserved
faithfully in all the states the tie be-
tween taxation and representation. They
yet inspirit the masses of our people.
guarding jealousy their rights and liber-
ties and cherishlng their fraternity, peace
and orderly development. They remind
US Of our duties and responsibilities as
citizens and impress upon us, particular
~ Mt this time, the necessity of reform
and the rescue Of the administration OF
government from the headstrong, arbi-
| trary and spasmodic methods which dis
| tract business by uncertainty and per-
wade the public mind with dread, dis
| trust and perturbation.
The application of these fundamental
| principles TO the living issues of the day
| constitutes the first step toward the as
| sured peace. safety and progress OF our
|
science and of speech: equality before
the law of all citizens; the right OF trial
| by jury: freedom of the person defended
| by the writ of habeas corpus; liberty OF
| personal contract untrammeled by sump-
tuary laws; the supremacy Of the civil
| over military authority; well-disciplined
| militia; the separation OF church and
state: economy In expenditures: low
taxes; that labor may be lightly bur-
| dencd; the prompt and sacred fulfilment
| Of public and private obligations: fidelity
| to treaties peace and friendship with all
nations; entangling alliances with none;
absolute acquiescence In the will OF the
majority; the vital principle of repub-
| lics-these are doctrines which democ-
racy has established as proverbs Of the
nation and they should DO constantly in
voked, preached resorted to and in
| forced
| We favor enforcement of honesty In the
| public service aud thorough legislative
| investigation Of those departments of the
| government already known to TEEN with
| corruption. AS well as other departments
suspected of harborng corruption and
| the punishment of uScertaincd corrup-
| tionists without fear or favor or regard
| ~ persons, The persistent aud deliberate
| refusal OF both the senate and house of
ropr' srntatives To- permit such invcsti-
! Cation To be made by either branch of
| congress demonstrates that only by n
| change In the executive and in the house
4, OF representatives can complete cxuusure.
| punishment and corruntion be ohtained
The democratic party has been and
| will continue to h. the consistent uppo-
| nent Of that class of tariff legislation
| by which certain interests have been
| permitted through cpngr,S Sinnal favor 70
| draw heavy tribute from the American
| people This mOustrous pcrvcrsion OF
those equal opportunities which institu-
lions were established to secIire, has
caused what may only have been infant
industries to become the greatest cOmbi-
nations OF capital that the world hats ever
known. These favorlt,s of the govern
| mnnt have, through trust methods, been
| converted Into uUnprollcS, thus bringing
| 20 an end domestic rnmnr,ition, which
Was III, dl!. Shccl; upon he extrav0rant
| profits made possible by the protective
| system. These industrial combinations,
by the financial assistance they can give,
now control the policy of the republican
party.
| We denounce protection as a robbery of
| :hc many to enrich the few, and We favor
tariff limited to the needs of the gov
eminent economically administered and
so levied as not to discriminate against
any industry, class or section, to the
end that the burdens of taxation shall be
distributed as equally as possible.
We recognize that the gigantic trusts
| and combinations designed to enable cap
ital to secure more than its Just share of
the joint products of capital and labor,
| and which have been fostered and pro-
NOTED under republican rule, are men,
| tn cta ~ oh
| stace to permanent business prosperity
A private monopoly is indefensibe and
intolerable. Individual equality of oppor-
| tunty and free competition are essential
| to n healthy and permanent commercial
| prosperity; and any trust, combination
or monopoly tending to destroy these by
controlling production, restricting COM
petition or fixing prices, should be pro.
hib!ted and punished by law We espe.
cially denounce rebates and dscrimina
tiou by transportation companies.
We demand an enlargement OF TN
powers of the Interstate commerce com
mission. to the end that the travelling
public and shippers Of this country ma,
have prompt and adequate relief for tn,
abuses to which they are subjected in tn,
matter of transportation. We demand
strict enforcement of existing civil ant
criminal statutes against all such trusts
combinations and monopolies, and we de
mand the enactment Of such further leg
islatiOn as may be necessary to effectu
ally suppress them. Any trust or un
lawful combination engaged in interstate
commerce which Is monopolizing an!
branch of business or production shoul,
not be permitted to transact business out
side of the state of its origin. Wheneve
II shall be established in any court o
competent Jurisdiction that such monopo
lization exists such prohibition should b
enforced through comprehensive laws :
be enacted on the subject.
We favor the enactment and admins
tration of laws giving labor and capita
impartially their just rights. Capital an
labor ought not to be enemies. Each
necessary to the other. Each has 1t
rights. but the rights of labor are Ger
tainly no less vested" no less sacred
and no less ''inalienable' than the right
| of capital
Constitutional guarantees are violate
whenever any citizen IL denied the RICH
to labor. acquire and enjoy property o
reside where interest or inclination ma
determine. Any denial thereof by ind
| .viduals or organizations or governmer
Should be summariy rebuked and pur
| ished.
, We deny the right OF any executive I
disregard or suspend any constitutions
privilege or Limitation. Obedience TO tn
laws and respect for their requirement
! are alike the supreme duty of the citize
and the official.
hn In -4H q he sa1 xza1.v