OCR Text |
Show 'DEMOCRATIC "PLATFORM, The Democratlo party of the United States, In national convontlon assembled, deolarea lu devotion to tlia essential principles of tho Demoerntlo faith which brines us together In parly communion. Under them, local self-government and national unity and prosperity were alike established. They underlaid our Independence Independ-ence the structure of our free republic and every Democratlo extonslon from Louisiana to California and Texas to Ore-run, Ore-run, which preserved faithfully In alt tho states the tie between taxation and representation. rep-resentation. They yet Inspire the masses of our people, guarding Jealously their rights and liberties nnd cherishing their fraternity, peace nnd orderly develop-ment. develop-ment. They remind us of our duties and responsibilities an citizens and Impress upon us. particularly at this time, the necessity ne-cessity of reform. The application of these fundamental principle to the living tssurs of the day Is the first step townrd tho as-ured as-ured pence, safety and proirrcas of our nation. Freedom of tho press, ot conscience con-science and of speech, equnllty beforo the law of nil cltlicns; tho right of trial by lury: freedom of the person defended by the writ of hnbcaa corpus: liberty of per-lonal per-lonal contract tintmmmeled by sumptuary sumptu-ary laws; tho supr nncy of tho lvll over military authority, a well disciplined mi-Utla: mi-Utla: the separation of church nnd Itato: economy In expenditures; low laxes. that labor may bo lightly btir-flened: btir-flened: tho prompt nnd snered flulflll- ment of publlo nnd private obligations: obliga-tions: fidelity to treaties; pence nnd friendship with nil nations. cntnngllng nl-llances nl-llances with none; nbsolute ncqulesccnco In the will of tho majority, the vital principle prin-ciple of republics theso nro doctrines which Democracy has established ns proverbs of the nation, nnd thoy should be constantly enforced. Wo favor the enactment nnd administration adminis-tration of laws giving labor and capital mpnrtlally their Just rights. Capital nnd labor ought not to be enemies. Each is necessary to tho other. Each has Its fights, but tho rights of labor nre certainly cer-tainly no less "vested," no less "sacred" and on less "Inalienable" than the rights of capital. Constitutional guarantees are violated whenever nny citizen Is denied the right to labor, ncqulro nnd enjoy property, or reside where Interest or Inclination may determine. Any donlal thereof by Individuals Indi-viduals or organizations of government ihould bo summarily rebuked and punished. pun-ished. We deny the right of any executive to Disregard or suspend any constitutional privilege or limitation. Obedience to the laws and respect for their requirements are alike the supreme duty of the cltl-len cltl-len and the ofnclal. The military should be used only to mprort and mntntaln tho lnw. We un- Runllfledty condemn Its employment for le summnry banishment of citizens fflthout trial, or for the control of elections. elec-tions. We approve the measure which passed the United States senate In 1SDS, but Which a Republican congress hns ever llnce refused to enact, relating to contempts con-tempts In federal courts nnd providing 'for trial by Jury In cases of Indirect contempt. con-tempt. We favor liberal appropriations for the earo nnd Improvement of tho waterways of tho country When nny waterway 'llko the Mississippi river la of sufllclent Importanco to demnnd special aid of the Covernment, such aid should be extended with a definite plan of continuous work until permanent Improvement Is secured. Wa oppose the Republican policy of ttarvlng home development In order to feed the greed for conquest nnd tho ap-petlto ap-petlto for national "prestige" and display dis-play of strength. Large reductions can readily be mado In tho annual expenditures of tho government without Impairing the efficiency effici-ency of any branch of tho publlo service and wo shall Insist upon tho strictest economy and frugality compatible with vigorous and effective civil, military and navnl administration an a right of tho pcoplo too clear to be denied or withheld. Wo favor honesty In the publlo service, tho enforcement of honesty In tho publlo service, nnd to thnt end a thorough executive ex-ecutive Investigation of those departments depart-ments of tho government already known to teem with corruption, ns well as other depiirtmenls suspected of harboring corruption cor-ruption nnd punishment of nsccrtnlned corruptlonlsts without fear or favor or regard to persons. Tho persistent nnd deliberate de-liberate refusal of both tho senato nnd houso of representatives to permit such suggestion to bo made demonstrates that only by a chnngo In tho executive and In tho legislative departments can com- Blete exposure, punishment and convlo-on convlo-on bo obtained. Wo condemn tho nction of the Republican Repub-lican party In congress In refusing to prohibit Its executive departments from entering Into contracts with convicted trusts or unlawful combinations In restraint re-straint of Interstate trade. Wo have ono of the best methods of procuring economy econ-omy and honesty In tho publlo service, nnd that Is to havo public officials, from tho occupant of tho Whlto House down to tho lowest of them, return ns nearly &n may be to Jeftcrsonlnn simplicity of ving. Wo favor tho nomination and election f n president Imbued with the principles the constitution, who will sot his face itornly against executive usurpation of leglslnttvo and Judicial functions. Whether that usurpation be veiled under tho gulso of executive construction of xlstlng laws, or whether It takes refuge in tho tyrnnt's plans of necessity or superior su-perior wisdom. Wo favor tho preservation, so far as wo tan, of an open door for tho world's commerce com-merce In the Orient without unnecessary mtnnglement In Oriental nnd European Hffnlrs, and without arbitrary, unlimited. Irresponsible and absolutn government anywhere within our Jurisdiction. Wo oppose op-pose as fervently as did Oeorge Wash-Ington Wash-Ington himself nn Indefinite. Irresponsible, discretionary and vague absolutism, and a policy of colonial exploitation, no matter where or by whom exercised: we believe, with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, that no government has a right to make ono set of laws for those at home" and another and a different set of laws, absolute In their character, for those "In lhe colonies." All men under un-der the Amerlcnn flag are entitled to tho protection of the Institutions whose emblem em-blem tha flag Is; If they nre Inherently nt to be members of tho American Amer-ican body politic. Wherever there may exist a people Incapable of being roverned upon American laws under the Amerlcnn constitution, the territory or people ought not to bo part of the American Amer-ican domain. We Insist that we ought to do for tho Filipinos what we have done already for the Cubans, and It Is our duty to make that promise now. nnd. upon suitable gunrnntoes of .Protection to citizens of our own nnd other countries resident there nt tho time of our with-drawal with-drawal set tho Filipino people upon their feet? free and Independent to work out their own destiny. Tho endeavor of the socretnry of war, by pledging the Koyernmenl s Indorsement Indorse-ment for "promoters" In tho Philippine Elands, to 'mako the United States a partner In speeulntlvo legislation of the archipelago, which was only temporarily held by tho opposition of Democratlo senators sen-ators in the last session, will. If successful, success-ful, lead to entanglements from which It will be difficult to escape. Tho Democratlo party has been and will contlnuo to be tho consistent oppo-nent oppo-nent of that class of tariff legislation by which certain Interests have been permitted through congressional favor to draw a heavy tribute from the American pvaphx TWs -monrtroua -peTTorslen of thuse equal opportunities -which our political po-litical Institutions were established to secure, se-cure, has caused what may onco have been Infant Industrie to become the greatest combinations ot capital that tha world has ever hnorrn. The especial favorites of tho government, have, through trust methods, been eonverted Into monopolies, thus bringing to an end domestic competition, which was tho only check upon the extrnvngant profits made possible by the proteottvo system. Theeo industrial romblnutluns, by til Cnnhclal assistance they can give, now control the policy (if the Republican purty. Wo denonnce protection as a robbery of the many to enrich tho few and we favor a tariff limited to the necessities of the government economically administered, adminis-tered, nnd so levied as not to dlscrlml-nato dlscrlml-nato against any Industry, class or section, sec-tion, to tho end thnt the burdens of taxation tax-ation shall be distributed as equally a possible. We favor a revision nnd a gradual reduction reduc-tion of tho tariff by tho friends of tho masses and for the commonwealth, and not by tho friends of Its abuses, Its extortions ex-tortions nnd Its discriminations, keeping In view the ultlmnto end of "equality of burdens and equality of opportunities," nnd tha exccutlonnl purpose of raising a rcvenuo by taxation, to-wlt: The support of the fedcrnl government In nil lis Integrity In-tegrity nnd virility, but In Flmpllclty. Wo recognize that tho gigantic trusts nnd combinations designed to cimlilu capital cap-ital to secure moro than Its Just share of the Joint products of capital nnd labor, and which have been fostered and pro moted under Republican rule, nre a men-nco men-nco to beneficial competition and nn obstacle ob-stacle to permanent business prosperity. A prlvnto monopoly Is lndefenslblo and intolerable. Individual equality ot uppot (unity and free competition aro essential to n healthy and permanent commercial prosperity; pros-perity; nnd nny trust, combination Or monopoly tending to destroy these by controlling production, restricting competition com-petition or fixing prices, should ba pro-nlblted pro-nlblted nnd punished by law. We especially especi-ally denounce rebates and discrimination by the transportation companies as tha most potent agency In promoting and strengthening theso unlawful conspiracies conspira-cies against trade. We demand an enlargement of the powers pow-ers ot tha Interstate commerce commission commis-sion to the end that the traveling publlo and shippers of this country may have prompt and ndequate relief for the abuse to which they aro subjected to In tha matter of transportations. Wo demand a strict enforcement of x Istlng civil and criminal statutes against all such trusts, combination and monopolies, mo-nopolies, nnd we demand tha enactment of such further legislation as may b necessary to effectually suppress them. Any trust or unlawful combination engaged en-gaged In interstate commerce which Is monopolizing nny brnnch of business or production should not be permitted to transact business outside of the state of Its origin. Whenever It shall be established estab-lished lu any court of competent Jurisdiction Jurisdic-tion that such monopolization exUts such prohibition should be enforced through comprehen-lvo laws to be enacted on the subject Wo congratulate our western citizens upon tho passngo of the measure known ns tho Newland Irrtgntlon act for tha irrigation ir-rigation nnd reclamation of arid lands of tho west a mensuro framed by a Democrat, Demo-crat, passed In the senato by a non-partisan voto and passed In tho house against the opposition of almost all tho Republican Republi-can leaders by a vote, tho majority of which was Democratic. Wo call attention to this great Democratic measure, broad and comprehensive as It Is, working automatically auto-matically throughout all tlmo without further action of congress, until the reclamation re-clamation of all the lands In the arid west capable of reclamation Is accomplished, accom-plished, reserving the Innds reclaimed for homeseekers In small tracts, and rigidly guarding against land monopoly, ns an evidence of tha policy of domestlo development contemplated by tho Democratlo Demo-cratlo party, Bhould It be placed In power. Tho Democracy, when entrusted with power, will construot tho Tanama canal speedily, honestly and economically, thereby giving to our people whnt Democrats Dem-ocrats havo always contended for a grent Inter-occnnlc cannl, furnishing shorter nnd cheaper lines of transportation transporta-tion and broader nnd less trammeled trado relations with tho othur peoples of tho world. We pledge ourselves to Insist upon tho Just nnd lawful protection of our citizens nt home nnd abroad, and to use all proper prop-er measures to secure for them, whether native born or naturalized, and without distinction of race or creed the equal protection of laws nnd tho enjoyment of all rights and privileges open to them under un-der tho covenants of our treaties of friendship and commerce; and If under oxlstlng trcntlos tho right of travel and sojourn Is denied to Amerlatn citizens or recognition is withheld from American passports by any countries on the ground of race or creed, to favor the beginning of negotiations with tho governments of such countries to securo by treaty the removal re-moval of these unjust discriminations. We demnnd that all over the world a duly authenticated passport Issued by the government of tho United Btntos to an American citizen shall bo proof of the fact that he Is an American citizen and shall entitle him to tho troatment due him as such. We favor the election of United Stntes senntora by the direct voto of tho people. We favor the admission of the territories terri-tories of Oklahoma nnd tho Indian Territory. Terri-tory. We nlso favor tho Immediate admission ad-mission of Arizona and New Mexico aa separate states, and n territorial government govern-ment for Alnska and Porto Rico. We hold that the officials appointed to administer tho government of any territory, terri-tory, as well as with the District of Alaska, should be bona fide residents of the territory or tho district In which tho duties nre to be performed at the time of their appointment We demnnd the extermination of polygamy polyg-amy within the Jurisdiction of tho United States and tho complete separation of church and state In political affairs. We denounce the ship subsidy bill recently re-cently passed by the United States senate an an Iniquitous appropriation of public funds for private purposes and a wasteful, waste-ful, Illogical and useless attempt to overcome over-come by subsidy obstructions raised by Republican legislation to the growth and development of American commerce on the sea. We favor tho upbuilding of n merchant marine without now or additional addi-tional burdens upon tho peoplo and without with-out bounties from the publlq treasury. We favor liberal trado arrangements with Canada and with tha peoples of other countries where they can be entered en-tered Into with benefit to American agriculture, agri-culture, manufactures, mining or commerce. com-merce. Wo favor tho malnlennco of the Mon-roo Mon-roo doctrine In Its full entirety. Wo favor tho reduction of tho nrmy and of army expenditure to tho point historically histori-cally demonstrated to bo safe and sufficient. suf-ficient. The Democracy would securo to tho surviving sur-viving soldiers nnd sailors nnd their dependents de-pendents generous pensions, not by an nrhltrary executive order, but by legislation legis-lation which a grateful pcoplo stand ready to enact Our soldiers and sailors who defend with their lives tha constitution constitu-tion nnd the laws, hnve a sacred Interest In their Just administration, They must, therefore, share with us tho humiliation with which we havo wltnesed tho exaltation exal-tation of court favorites, without distinguished distin-guished service, over tho scarred heroes of many battles; or aggrandized by executive ex-ecutive appropriations out of the treasures treas-ures of a prosperous people. In violation or tko act of congress which axe th compensation and allowance t military mili-tary oflleem. The Democratlo party stands committed to the prlnclphw of civil eorvloo roform nnd wo demand their honest. Just and Impartial enforcement We denounce the Republican party for Its continuous en- , eronchment upon tho spirit and operation of civil service rules, whereby It hns arbitrarily arbi-trarily dispensed with examinations for omen In the Interest of favorites and employed em-ployed all manner of devices to overreach over-reach and net aside tho principles upon which the drll servlco was established. The race question has brought countless count-less woon to this country. The calm wisdom wis-dom of the American people should see to It that It brings no more. To revive the dead nnd hateful race and sectional animosities In any part ot our common country moans confusion, distraction ot busluens nnd the reopening of wounds now happily healed. North, south, oast nnd west have recently stood together In line or battle from the walls of Pekln to the hills of Santiago, and as sharers of a, common glory nnd a common destiny, des-tiny, we should share fraternally th oominon burdens. Wo therefore dopre-onte dopre-onte nnd condemn the Rourbonllko, sel-nsh sel-nsh nnd nnrrow spirit of the recent Republican Re-publican convention nt Chicago, which sought to kindle nnew rnclal ami factional fac-tional strife, and wo appeal to tho sobel common sense and pntrlotlo spirit of th Amerlcnn people. The existing Republican administration hns been spasmodic, spectacular nnd nrhltrary nr-hltrary It hns mnde Itself a satire upon tho congress, tho courts nnd upon th settled pr.tctlces nnd usnges of nntlona) and International law It summoned thi congress Into hnsty nnd futllo extra session ses-sion nnd virtually adjourned It, leavlns behind Its lllgnt from Washington uncalled un-called calendnra nnd unaccomplished tasks It mado war (which Is tho sole power ol congress, without Its nuthorlty, thereby usurping Its fundamental prerogatives. It vlolnted n statute of tho United States as well as plain trenty obligations, International Inter-national usnges nnd constitutional lawl nnd has done so under pretense of executing exe-cuting a grent publlo policy which could hnve been moro easily effected lawfully, constitutionally nnd with honor. It forced strained nnd unnatural constructions con-structions upon statutes, usurping Judicial Judi-cial Interpretation and substituting congressional con-gressional enactments. It withdrew from congress their customary cus-tomary duties of Investigation which havo heretofore mado tho representatives of the people and states tha territory of evil-doers. It conducted a secret Investigation of It own and boasted of a few sample convicts while It threw a broad coverlet over the bureaus which had been their chosen field of operntlvo abuses and kept In power tho superior officers under whose administration the crimes had beon committed. it ordered assault upon some monopolies, monopo-lies, but paralyzed by Its first victory It flung out the ring of truco and declared that It would not "run nmuck." leaving It future purposes beclouded by It vacillations. vac-illations. Conducting "the campaign upon this declaration of our principles nnd purposes, pur-poses, we Invoko for our candldnte the support, not only of our great nnd time-honored time-honored organization, but nlso the nctlve assistance of all our fellow-citizens, who, disregarding past differences upon questions ques-tions no longer In Issue, deslro tho perpetuation per-petuation of our constitutional government govern-ment as frnmed and established by tha fathers of the republic. |