VOLUME 4, NUMBER n.
H
The Commoner.
V9&
Tne Kansas City Platform
Wo tho representatives of tlio demo
cratic party of tho United States, as
sembled In national convention on
tho anniversary of tho adoption of tho
Declaration of Independence, do re
afllrm our faith in that immortal proc
lamation of tho Inallonablo rights of
man and our allegiance to tho con
stitution framed in harmony there
with by tho fathers of tho republic.
"Wo hold with tho United States su
premo court that tho Declaration of
Independence is tho spirit of our gov
ernment, of which the constitution is
the form and letter. We declare again
that all governments instituted among
mon derive their just powers from tho
consont of tho governed; that any
government not based upon tho con
sont of tho governed is a tyranny; and
that to impose upon any people a gov
ernment of force is to substitute tho
methods of imperialism for thoso of a
republic. Wo hold that tho consti
tution follows tho flag and denounce
tho doctrino that an oxecutivo or con
gross deriving tKcir existence and their
powers from tho constitution can ox
crclso lawful authority boyond it, or
in violation of it. Wo assert that no
nation can long endure half republic
and half ompiro and wo warn tho Am
orican peoplo that imperialism abroad
will load qujclcly and inevitably to des
potism at home.
Believing in these fundamental
principles, wo denounce tho Porto
Ulco law, onactcd by a ropublican
congress against the protest and oppo
sition of tho democratic minority, as
v bold and open violation of tho na
,lon's organic law and a flagrant
breach of tho national good faith. Lt
Imposes upon tho people of Porto Rico
a government without tholr consent
and taxation without representation.
It dishonors tho American people by
repudiating a solemn pledge made in
their behalf by tho commanding gen
eral of our array, which tho Porto
Ricans welcomed to a peaceful and un
resisted occupation of their land. It
doomed to poverty and distress a peo
plo whose helplessness appeals with
peculiar force to our , justice ana
magnanimity. In this, tho first act
of its imperialistic program, the re
publican party seelcs to commit the
United States to a colonial policy, In
mont; second, Independence, ana,
third, protection from outside inter
ference, such as has been given for
nearly a century to tho republics of
Contral and South America.
Tho greedy commercialism which
dictated tho Philippine-policy of tho
republican' administration attempts
to- justify with tho plea that it will
pay, but oven this sordid and un
worthy plea fails when brought to the
test of facts. Tho war of "criminal
aggression" against tho Filipinos, en
tailing an annual expense of many
millions, has already cost more than
any possible profit that could accrue
from the entire Philippine trade for
years to come. Furthermore, when
trade is extended at tho expense of
liberty the price is always too high.
We are not opposed to territorial
expansion when it takes in desirable
territory which can bo erected into
states in the Union and whode people
are willing and fit to become Ameri
can citizens. Wo favor trade expan
sion by every peaceful and legitimate
means, but wo are unalterably op
posed to the seizing or purchasing of
distant islands to bo governed outside
of the constitution and whose people
can nover become citizens.
Wo are In favor of extending the
republic's influence among the na
tions, but believe that influence shouhl
bo extended not by force and violence,
but through the persuasive power of a
high and honorable example.
Tho Importance of other questions
now pending before the American
peoplo is in no wise diminished and
tho 'democratic party takes no back
ward step from its position on them,
but tho burning issue of Imperialism
growing out of the- Spanish war in
volves the very existence of our free
Institutions. We regard it as the
paramount issue of the campaign.
The declaration In the republican
platform adopted at the Philadelphia
convention, held in Juno, 1900, that
the republican party "steadfastly ad
heres to tho policy- announced In the
Monroe doctrine," is manifestly insin
cere and deceptive. This profession
is contradicted by the avowed policy
of that party in opposition to the
spirit of the Monroe doctrine tn no.
I quire and hold sovereignty over large
h, ZZZo TZ '"I""' SSS "?' .? " numbers
in numerous 'decisions.
Wo demand tho prompt and honest
fulfillment of our pledgo to tho Cubau
peoplo and tho world that tho United
States has no disposition nor Inten
tion to oxorclso sovereignty, jurisdic
tion, or control over tho island of Cu
ba, oxcopt for its pacification. The
war ended nearly two years ago, pro
found peace reigns over all tho island,
and still tho administration keeps tho
government of tho island from its
peoplo, while republican carpet bag
ofllcials plundor Its revenues and ex
ploit the colonlul theory to the dis
graco of tho American peoplo.
Wo condemn and denounce tho Phil
ippine policy of tho present a-dminie-Umtlon.
It has embroiled the repub
lic in an unnecessary war, sacrificed
the lives of many of its noblest sons
and placed the United States, :provi
. ously known and applauded through
out the world as the champion of
freedom, In tho false and un-Amerlcaa
position of crushing "with military
force tho offort3 of our former allies
to achieve liberty and self-government.
The Filipinos cannot be citi
zens without endangering our civllU
zatlon; they cannot be subjects with
out imperiling our form of govern
ment and since wo are not willing to
surrender our civilization or to con
vert the republic into an empire, wo
mvor an immediate declaration of
as un-American, undemocratic and un
republlcan and as a subversion of the
ancient and fixed principles of a free
people. . , .. ,v,
Private monopolies are indefensible
and intolerable. They destroy compe
tition, control the price of all material
and of the finished product, thus rob
bing both producer and consumer.
They lessen the employment of labor
and arbitrarily fix the terms and con
dlltons thereof and deprive individual
energy and small capital of their op
portunity for betterment.
They are tho most ' efticient means
yet devised for appropriating the
fruits of industry to the benefit of the
few at the expense of the many and
unless their insatiate greed is checked
all wealth will be aggregated In a few
hands with the republic destroyed.
The dishonest paltering with the trust
evil by the republican party in state
and national platforms is conclusive
proof of the truth of the charge that
trusts are the legitimate product of
republican policies; that they are foo
tered by republican laws and that they
are protected by the republican ad
ministration in return for campaign
subscriptions and political support.
Wo 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 pro
viding for publicity as to the affairs
of corporations engaged in interstate
TREES toe8 tV Tc8tT78 Years
" XiARQKST Nursery.
Frbit Hook free. Vs n k n. rim.
Wiu. MrT a..n.. IjFA Y.A"VU
.aia 411V1.'. OAliCDHJtH 'I A4 B Waa1I
aiAKu ukusi uHiBiaHa,mo.;Miuu8VlIlc( A
CTAF
Ia.:Efc
HEALTHY TREES ttf$m
Grafted Apples, 100 $5.60; budded peaches. ICO tr. on.
immicuciierrv. iww. ooou varieties. Concnni
Mulberry, 10&O Jl.feO: D. & II. Locust1 etc. low prices', aft
CALBRAITH NURSERIES, Bex 4, FAIR BURY, NEB.
Box 2M WlaektertJWuiu,B.A.
X9bbbbbbb?
HAKE MONEY
pulling lamp., grabs, tU.
andclewW land for yoor.
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S-T--S"-
okFiin. HkcuIm Hje. c...tail.lo;ie o;
Patent Secured WSffss-BH
i uiuiii uuuui uu lty Send for guido book
and what to Invent. Finest publications Issued for
frco distribution. Patents secured by us advortlsod
free Iff Patent Hocord SAMPLE COPY FJREK.
Evans, Wllkens Co., Dopt F, Washington, D, 0.
SWANS' Patent AUGER
eori'ontiiolcnaHU WcIl8,Tclcrnpb
iobi iioics, JL'rospccting, etc. used
Price
$2.50
by U. S. Gov't. ,
HUM 4 to
10 In.
fc -m
IWANS'
IMPROVE!) c
QFRRATPn UIY VMIPCfasteatandnaalqatouttor
uuuiiniuv nni milium
to yourdoaleror addrosa IWAN 1IKOB., Dept.
nucn i o WAN I RUi
tho world. Show thi
. wept.
Strcator.IlL
From Factory to Farm
NO AGENTS
NO MIDDLEMEN
Sea hat it means.
S4-Tootk Trfnrnr ITarrnn ft IK
WTooth Lever u $12.45
4iV k. tiln CImI Rm Dlnn FtinM. CLI BBB W
Mpsubest that money can balld, only X.
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sMmi?&MW Castor Coul LIbbbkIHh
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'-vssTBBk "i Plnw. 91.RD V?BHBBBBPZ9
lMn. f 8.70
19-in.i9.90
18-ln. $12.00
Sulk7Plow2a
Gang Plow f89
lOOOothornrti.
olos. Ill CtUle -
rrco. opeciai
Catalogues of
iJaRHioaiarnoM,
)i is nm
14-ln.Imp. Lister $17.75
14-in. Sulky
Lister $31.65
B.f t. Itako $16.00
ewlnpt Maohlno $9.00
Iftfit Bfiwlnc Mnchlnn
Gt. eq.ual to any $60
mnnlilnn flt17 Kn
Steel Rangu with Eos. $10.70
. jp'ino 'xop linggy J33.M)
J2-W Dlso Harrow $17.00
H APGOOD PLOW CO., UB Front SI.. ALTON. ILL.
(uniy plow factory In the United States soiling direct to fannera at wholesale prices.)
o people in the eastern hpmisnim
Wo insist ou the strict maintenance of
the Monroe doctrine in all its Integ
rity, both in letter and spirit, as nec
essary to prevent the extension of Eu-
.wi.au rtuuiuruy on this continent
and essential to our supremacy in
American affairs. At the same time
we declare that no American people
shall ever bo held by force In unwill
ing subjugation to European author-
Yc uinioao militarism. H mearn
conquest abroad and intimidation and
oppression at homo, it means the
strong arm which has ever been fntS
to free institutions n K S.,?A fat.al
lions of our citizens have fled from in
Europe, it will Impose upJi
neano-lnvintr ini .. "iJuu pur
I;ffl?Xy'affi
liberties; XmmS" to theIr
a veil discipHn d sta? e UuS? T
amply sufllcient m time of SiS Th2
republic has no nin f" 1I:.C 1?
ary service and conacrlntlon tS"1"
tho nation is in damror til ? ' , Whon
soldier is his counts w v7olPunt?er
The national guard W
States should over L ."&
patriotic hearts of a free Vnni VhG
organizations are ever J SPle' Sucn
frongth and safetj' For the n, f
in our history ani 1 , first tIne
Philippine conquest i,0 ! Wlth the
wholesale S3S h.aB there "een a
the .nation's purpose to give the Fill- honored and approve 0llr tiri
pinos, first, a stable form of govern-1 unteer organization -n?5 s,ein of v"l-
ttiion. re denounce it
Your Shoe Money
Be Your Own
Dealer
Save All
Middlemen's
Profits by
Buyinfl
Direct
From
Us.
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mvmmmam
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Montdomerv Warri p Cr
Michigan Av.. MnAnn rAir-.t . . . .
1 """""" aaiiiiiKiofi vai3., unimpft
will go almost twice as far If you will allow us
tO lUrnlSh your footwenr. Tn Kinw Alrt fmm
U3 13 to pay but one small profit from factory.- J
to wearer-the 20th-century mothod. Our J
oyvuM Biioo iisis no. 1 95 for men and
--hi ,r0, 00J or women and children
-I i, ihw iuui uunio, tor selection at
uui iciaure, a mammotn stock which
wui suPri3e you in variety and prices.
t ,u Jo:veJi tor our shoo list
vernier no, i vo or 2b5) will bring
It promptly, with our compliments.
Please don't forget-better tear,
una oui now as a reminder.
Address
BBBV3H
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years
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