The bee., 1908-07-16
THE PLATFORM.
Declaration Of Principles Adopted by
National Democratic Convention.

The national Democratic convention
adopted the following declaration of
principles:
We, the representatives Of the Democ-
racy of the United States, in national
convention assembled reaffirm our belief
in and pledge our loyalty to the princi-
pies of the party.
We rejoice at the increasing signs OF
an awakening throughout the country.
The various Investigations have traced
graft and political corruption to the rep
resentatives Of predatory wealth and laid
bare the INSCRIPTIONS methods by which
they have debauched elections and preyed
upon a defenseless public through the
subservient officials whom they have
raised to place and power
The conscience OF the nation is now
aroused to free the government from the
| grip of those who have made IL a BUSH
ness asset Of the favor-seeking corpora
tons; 1t must become again a peoples
| government. and be administered in all
its departments according to the Jeffer-
sonian maxim, Equal rights to all. spe-
cial privileges to none"
"Shall the people ruler" is the over
shadowing issue which manifests itself in
all the questions 10Y under discussion.
! officehoiders. ~enAASsN
! Coincident with the enormous increase
/
| pumber of officeholders. During the past
Year 23,7S4 were added. costing SIG. 1885,
| 600, and In the past six years Of the Re-
| publican .adpini1.ratiop the total number
Of new Offices created, aside from many
commissions. has been 99.319. entsilins
On additional expenditure Of nearly $40
900 00o as against only 1923 new offices
Created under the Cleveland and McKia-
| ley administrations, which involved an
expenditure of only 100000 We de-
nounce this great and growing increase
| in the number of officeholders as not
only unneces sary and wasteful, but also
as clearly indicating a deliberate purpose
on the part of the administration to keep
the Republican party in power at public
expense by thus increasing the number
Of its retainers and dependents. Such
procedure we declare to be no less dan.
gerous and corrupt than the open pur-
chase Of votes at the polls.
Economy In Administration.
The Republican congress in the session
just ended has made appropriations
Amounting 70 81. 0eS, 0000 900, exceeding
the total expenditures of the past fiscal
year by $50, 100000. and leaving a deficit
of more than $50. 900, 900 for the fiscal
year. We denounce the needless waste Of
the peoples money which has resulted In
this appalling increase as shameful
violation OF A.. prudent conditions of gov
eminent. II is not surprising that. in
the face Of this shocking record. the Re-
publican platform contains no reference
to economical administration or promise
thereof in the future. We demand that
a stop be put to this frightful extrava-
gance and insist upon the strictest econ
omy In every department compatible
with frugal and efficient administration.
Misuse OF Patronage.
We condemn. as violation of the
spirit of our institutions, the action OF
the present chief executive in using the
patronage of his high ONCE to secure the
nomination of one Of his cabinet officers.
A forced succession In the presidency Is
scarcely less repugnant to public senti-
ment than is life tenure in that Office.
The right Of the people to freely select
their officials is inalienable and can not
be delegated.
Home Rule.
We assert our confidence in and ad-
miration for the wisdom OF the fathers
In so organizing the federal government
as to secure home rule to the people of
each state: and we pledge ourselves TO
combat with unceasing vigilance the eff
forts of those who are striving by usur-
patton to seize the powers of the people
of the states for exploitation by the fed
eral government.
Tariff.
tariff reform now affected by the Repub-
lican party in tardy recognition OF the
righteousness of the Democratic position
on this question:; but the people can
not safely entrust the execution of this
important work to a party which is so
deeply obligated to the highly protected
interests as Is the Republican party. We
call attention to the Significant fact that
the promised relief was postponed until
after the coming election-an election TO
succeed In which the Republican party
must have that same support from the
bsnsficlaries Of the high protective tariff
as Il has always heretofore received from
them; and to the further fact that during
the years Of uninterrupted power. no
action whatever has been taken by the
Republican congress to correct the adj
mittedly existing tann iniquities.
We favor immediate revisioR Of the
tarir by the reduction OF import duties
Articles entering into competition with
trust controlled products should be placed
upon the free list. and material reduc-
tons should be made in the tarin upon
the necessaries Of life, especially upon
articles competing with such American
manufactures as are sold abroad more
eheaply than at home, and graduate re-
auctions should be made in such other
schedules as may be necessary TO restore
the tarif TO revenue basis.
Trusts.
private monopoly Is indefensible and
lntolerable We therefore favor the Wig
orous enforcement OF the criminal law
against trust magnates and ofricials, and
demand the enactment Of such additional
legislation as may be necessary TO make
Il impossible for a private monopoly 10
exist Ia the United states Among tho
additional remedies, we specify three
First a law preventing a duplication Of
diractors among cOmpeting corporation
second, a license system which VII
without abridging the right OF each stat
to create corporations or It's right 10 reg
ulate % Il will foreign corporations doin'
business within its limits, make Il neees
~ for a manufacturing or trtding cor
Doration engaged ia interstate eonmerc
ID take out a federal license before j
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