Show HEBE IS THE PLATFORM Imperialism Regarded as Paramount Issue of Campaign We the representatives of the Democratic Demo-cratic party of the United Stales assembled as-sembled in national convention on the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence do reaffirm re-affirm our faith in that Immortal proclamation proc-lamation i of the inalienable rights of Americans and our allegiance to the Constitution framed in harmony therewith there-with by the fathers of the Republic Wo hold with thc United States Supreme Su-preme court that thc Declaration of Independence In-dependence is the spirit of our Government Gov-ernment of which the Constitution Is the form and letter Wo declare again that all governments instituted among men derive their just powers from the consent of the governed that any government gov-ernment not based upon the consent of the governed Is a tyranny and that to Impose upon any people a government of force Is to substitute the methods of Imperialism for those of tho Republic I We hold that the Constitution follows the flag and denounce thc doctrine that an Executive or a Congress dCllvlng their existence and power from the people peo-ple exercise unlawful authority beyond it In violation of it Vo assert that no nation can long endure half republic and half empire and we warn the people that Imperialism abroad will lead quickly I and Inevitably to despotIsm despot-Ism at home PORTO RICAN LAW DENOUNCED Believing in these fundamental prln clplcs we denounce tho Porto RIcan law enacted by a Republican Congress against the protest and opposition of I the Democratic minority as A bold and I open violation of the Nations organic law and a fingrnnt breach of the national na-tional good faith I Imposes upon the people of Porto Rico a government without their consent and taxation i without representation I dishonors the American people by repudiating a I solemn pledge made in their behalf by I the commanding General of our army which the Porto Ricans welcomed to a peaceful and unreslsted occupation of their land I doomed to poverty and distress a people whoso helplessness appeals with peculiar force to our Jus tice and magnanimity In this the first I act of its imperialistic programme the Republican party seeks to conniit the United Slates to a colonial policy Inconsistent In-consistent with republican Institutions and condemned by thc Supremo court In numerous decisions AS TO CUBA We demand the prompt and honest fulfillment of every pledge to thc Cu ban people and tho world that the United States has no disposition or in tention to exercise sovereignty Juris < lSnt diction or control over tho Island oC Cuba except for its pacification The war ended nearly two years car ago pro found pence relsrns all over the lslrtni I I and still the Administration keeps the government of the Island from its Islane Is peo pie while Republican carpotbag olil clals plunder Its revenues and exploit the colonial theory to the disgrace of the American people CONDEMN PHILIPPINE POLICY We condemn and denounce the Phil ippine policy of the present Adminis tration I has embroiled the Republic In an unnecessary war sacrificed the saclltced lives of many of Its noblest soils and 1 placed the United States previously known and applauded throughout the world as the champion of freedom in the false and unAmerican position of crushing with military force the ef forts of our former allies to achieve lib erty and selfgovernment The Fill pinos cannot bu citizens without endan gering our civilization they cannot be subjects lthout Imnerlllnc our form rif government and as we are not willing jLo surrender OU civilization or to con g vert the Republic into an empire we favor an immediate declaration of theo Nations purpose to give to the Filipinos glve Fllplnos first a tate of government second Independence and third protection from outside Interference protecton been given for nearly a century to the lea republics l m of Central nd South Amer = icaThe The greedy commercialism which dic tates the Philippine policy of the Re publican administration attempts to Justify it with the plea atempts will pay but even this sordid and unworthy pIca fails when brought to the test of facts The war of criminal aggres ion against tho Philippines entailing annual an expense of many millions has h already cost more than any possi ble profit that could accrue from the entire Philippine trade for years to come Furthermore when trade Is ex tended at the expense of liberty the price Is always too high Ihert i OPPOSE COLONIAL POLICY i We are not opposed to territorial ex i panslon when It takes In desirable ter i rltory which can be erected into Slates In I the Union and whose people are willing and fit to become American citizens But wo ciizens are unalterably op posed to the seizing or purchasing of distant islands to be governed outside the Constitution and whose people can I never become citizens Wo are In favor of extending the Re I publics Influence among the nations but believe that among should natons tended not by force and violence but through t the persuasive power of a high and honorable example of IMPERIALISM PARAMOUNT ISSUE The Importance of other questions now pending before questons pending hefolc the American peo ple Is In no wise diminished and the Democratic party takes no backward step from its position on them but the burning l issue of imperialism growing Imperlnlsm out of the Spanish war Involves tho very existence of the Republic and the destruction of our free institutions I We inslluLols regard it as he paramount Issue of the campaign THE MONROE DOCTRINE The declaration in the Republican platform adopted at time I Philadelphia convention held in JUle hePhladelhla lOO Republican party steadfastly adhere 1 to the policy announced in the Monroe doctrine Is manifestly Insincere and deceptive This profession Is contra dicted by the avowed policy of the par ty in opposition to the spirit of the spirll Monroe doctrine to acquire and hold sovereignty over large areas of ter ritory and large numbers of people In the Eastern hemisphere We Insist on L the strict maintenance of thc Monroe doctrine and in all Its integrity in letter and in spirit leler plII as necessary to I prevent the extension of European au thority on this continent and us cssen tlal to our Bumpivmacy in American I affairs At the name time we clare i that no American people shall ever be t held by force In unwilling subjection I Unwilng subjeclon to European authority OPPOSE MILITARISM We oppose militarism I means conquest con-quest abroad and Intimidation and op pression at home I means the strong arm which has ever been fatal to free m Institutions I is what millions of our citizens have fled from In Europe I L will Impose on our peaceloving people a large standing army an unnecessary j burden of taxation and a constant L i menace to their liberties A small 1 standing army and a welldisciplined State militia are amply sufficient In time of peace This Republic has no place for a vast military service and I conscription When thc Nation Is In danger tho volunteer soldIer Is bin countrys best defender The National I Guard o the United States chould ever L be cherished In the patriotic hearts of p m free people Such organizations aro I ever an element of strength and Plc ty For the first tlrne In our hlstor and coevll with tho Phlllpplno contest has there been a wholesale departure from our timehonored and approved i sytucrri of volunteer organization Wo denounce it I as unAmerican unDcmo cratic and unRepubllcan inc ds a subversion of ancient and fixed principles prin-ciples of a free people TRUST PROBLEM Prlyntc monopolies are indefensible nndj intolerable They incofcnslblo > qompo tltlon1 control the price of all material I > J < l r t < Jk J 1 I c C t r r I and finished product thus robbing both producer and consumer They lessen Ilhe I employment of labor and arbltrarl I ly I fix tho terms and conditions thereof and deprive individual energy and small capital of their opportunity for betterment They are the most efficient means yet devised for appropriating the fruits of industry to thc benefit of the fow at the xpcnse of the many and unless their insatiate greed Is checked all wealth will bo aggregated In a few I i i hands and the Republic destroyed The j dishonest paltering with time trust fvll by the Republican party in State and national platforms Is conclusive proof I of the truth of tho charge that trusts r are thc legitimate product of Republican Repub-lican policies that they are fostered by Republican laws and that they are protected by the Republican Administration Adminis-tration in return for campaign subscriptions sub-scriptions and political support WHAT DEMOCRATS PROMISE We pledge the Democratic party to an unceasing warfare In Nation State and city against private monopoly In every form Existing laws against trusts must be enforced and more stringent ones must be enacted providing pro-viding for publicity as to the affairs of corporations engaged In interstate commerce and requiring all corpora lions to show before doing business outside of time State oClhclr origin Ilhat they have no water In their stock and that they have not attempted and are not attempting lo monopolize any business or tho production of any articles ar-ticles of merchandfse and time whole constitutional power of Congress over Interstate commerce and the malls and all modes of Interstate communication shall bo exercised by the enactment of comprehensive laws upon the subject of trusts Tariff laws should bo amended amend-ed by putting the products of trusts upon the free list to prevent monopoly under the plea of protection ARRAIGNS ADMINISTRATION I Tho failure of the present Republican Administration with an absolute control I j con-trol over all the branches of the national na-tional Government to enact any legislatIon legis-lation designed to prevent or even cur tall the absorbing power of trusts and I I I illegal combinations or lo enforce tho nntltrust laws already on the statute books prove the Insincerity of the high sounding phrases of the Republican platform Corporations should bo prQtected In all their rights and their legitimate interests in-terests should be respected but any attempt by corporations to Interfere with thc public affairs of the people or to control the sovereignty which cro I I atcd them should be forblddeh under such penalties as will make such attempts I tempts Impossible CONDEMNS DINGLEY LAW We condemn tho Dingley tariff law I as a trustbreeding measure skillfully I devised to give thc few favors which I they do not deserve and to place upon thc many burdens which they should i not bear j We favor such an enlargement of the I I scope of tho interstate tariff as will I enable the commission to protect Individuals I I Indi-viduals and communities from discrimination discrimi-nation and the public from unjust and r unfair transportation rates FOR SIXTEEN TO ONE I j I We reaffirm and indorse the principles princi-ples of the national Democratic platform plat-form adopted at Chicago In 1S9C and I we reiterate the demand of that platform plat-form for an American financial platform I plat-form adopted for the American people for themselves which shall restore and maintain a bimetallic price level and as a part of such system thC Imme late restoration of the free and unlimited un-limited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation i CURRENCY BILL DENOUNCED I We denounce tho currency bill en 1 i acted at the last session of Congress I as a step forward in the Republican ppllcy which attempts to discredit the sovereign right of the national Government Govern-ment to Issue all money whether coin or paper and to bestow upon national banks the power to Issue and control tho volume of paper money for their own benefit A permanent national bank currency secured by Government bonds must have a permanent debt to t rest upon and If the bank currency is i to increase with population and busl 11993 l the debt must also increase The Republican currency scheme is therefore a scheme for fastening upon the taxpayers a perpetual and growing debt for the benefit of thc banks Were a We-re opposed to this private corporation paper circulated as money but without legal l tender qualities and demand the retirement of national bank notes as fast as the Government paper of silver certlllcales can be substituted for them We favor an amendment to thc Federal Fed-eral Constitution providing for the election of United States Senators by a direct vote of thc people and we favor direct legislation wherever practicable prac-ticable We are opposed to government by Injunction In-junction we denounce the blacklist and favor arbitration as a means of settling set-tling disputes between corporations and their employees FOR NEW CABINET POSITION In the Interest of American labor and the t uplifting of the working man as thc cornerstone of the prosperity of our country we recommend that Congress Con-gress create a department of labor in charge of a secretary with a seat in the Cabinet believing that the elevation eleva-tion of the American laborer will bring with It Increased production and Increased In-creased prosperity lo our country at home and to our commerce abroad FAVORS PENSIONS We are proud of the courage and fidelity of the American soldiers and sailors In all our wars we favor liberal pensions to them and their dependents and we reiterate tlio position taken In the Chicago platform of 18DC that the fact of enlistment and service shall be deemed conclusive evidence against disease and disability before enlistment enlist-ment I I ISTHMIAN CANAL We favor the Immediate construction ownership and control ot the Nicaraguan Nicara-guan canal by the United States and wo denounce the > Insincerity of the plank in the Republican national platform plat-form of an Isthmian canal In the face of the I failure of the Republican majority ma-jority to pass the bill ponding In Congress Con-gress Wo condemn the HayPnunce foto treaty as a surrender of American rights and interests not to be toleru Led by the American people 0 STArE IOOD FOR TERRITORIES We denounce the failure of time Republican Re-publican party to carry out its pledges r to grant Statehood to the Territories of Arizona New 9Tcxlco and Oklahoma and we promise the people of those Territories immediate Statehood and I homo rule during their condition JIH t Territories and we favor home rule as a Territorial form of government for Alaska and Porto Rico IMPROVING ARID LANDS I We favor an Intelligent system of Improving Im-proving the arid lands of tho Vest storing the waters for purposes of Irrigation Ir-rigation and the holding of such lands for actual settlers We favor the continuance and strict enforcement of the Chinese exclusion law and Its application to thc same classes of all Asiatic racer t NO FOREIGN ALLIANCE Jefferson said Peace commerce r I and honest friendship with all natlonn ontinfrllng alliances with none We approve this wholesome doctrine and I I i earnestly protost against the Kepub I llcan departure which has Involved us In socalled world 1 polltlei including time diplomacy of Europe and In thc intrigue and landgrabbing of Asia and l we condemn the Illconcealed Republican Re-publican alliance vith England which I must mean discrimination against other friendly nations and which has J already etirkd tho Nations voice while liberty is WinG HlrauGlfid in Africa f fSY1I jt IIYFbR BOERS Believing In the principles of self government and rejecting as did our owS forefathers the claim of monarchY we view with indignation the purpose of > i fc > Englandto overwhelm with force the South African republics Speaking as wfe believe for the entire American nation na-tion t 1 except Its Republican officeholders officehold-ers and for all free men everywhere WI extend our sympathy to the heroic burghers In the unequal struggle tom to-m Intaln their liberty and Independence Independ-ence enceWe We denounce tile lavish appropriations I appropria-tions of the recent Republican Con cresses which have kept the taxes I high and which threaten the perpetua I I I ion of oppressive war levies We oppose op-pose the accumulation of a surplus toe h to-e squandered in such barefaced frauds upon the taxpayers as the I shipping subsidy bill which under the false pretense pre-tense of prospering American ship building would put unearned millions Into i the pockets of favorite contributors contribu-tors to the Republican campaign fund We favor the reduction and speedy repeal I re-peal of the war taxes and a return to I the timehonored Democratic policy of economy In Government expenditures Believing that our most cherished Institutions In-stitutions arc In great peril that the very existence of our constitutional Republic I public Is at stake and that the decision de-cision now to be rendered will determine I deter-mine whether or not our children are to enjoy those blessed privileges of I free government which have made the United States great prosperous and honored i we earnestly ask for the foregoing fore-going declaration of principles thc hearty support of the libertyloving American people regardless of previous party affiliations |