HI.
Conservative *
PLATFORM OF THE NATIONAL DEMO-
CBATIO PARTY.
[ Adopted at Indianapolis , Ind. , Sept , 8,1800. ]
This convention hns assembled to uphold the
principles upon which depend the honor and
welfare of the American people , In order that
democrats throughout the Union may unite
their patriotic efforts to avert disaster from
their country and ruin from their party.
Standard Democratic Principles.
The democratic party is pledged to equal and
exact justice to all men of every creed and
condition ; to the largest freedom of the indi
vidual consistent with good government ; to
the preservation of the federal government in
its constitutional vigor , and to the support of
the states in all their just rights ; to economy
in the public expenditures ; to the maintenance
of the public faith and sound money ; and It is
opposed to paternalism and all class legis
lation.
The Chicago Convention Arraigned.
The declarations of the Chicago convention
attack individual freedom , the right of private
contract , the independence of the judiciary ,
and the authority of the president to enforce
federal laws. They advocate a reckless at
tempt to increase the price of silver by legisla
tion to the debasement of our monetary stand
ard , and threaten unlimited issues of paper
money by the government. They abandon for
republican allies the democratic cause of tariff
reform to court the favor of protectionists to
their fiscal heresy.
In view of these and other grave departures
from democratic principles we cannot support
the candidates of that convention nor be bound
by its acts. The democratic party has survived
many defeats , but could not survive a victory
won in behalf of the doctrine and policy it pro
claimed in its name at Chicago.
The Republican Party Responsible.
The conditions , however , which make possi
ble such utterances from a national convention
are the direct result of class legislation by the
republican party. It still proclaims , as it has
for years , the power and duty of government
to raise and maintain prices by law , and. it
proposes no remedy for existing evils except
oppressive and unjust taxation.
The Tariff Issue.
The national democracy here convened there
fore renews its declaration of faith in demo
cratic principles , especially as applicable to the
conditions of the times. Taxation , tariff , excise
or direct , is rightfully imposed only for public
purposes and not for private gain. Its amount
is justly measured by public expenditures ,
which should bo limited by scrupulous econo
my. The sum derived by the treasury from
tariff and excise levies is affected by the state
of trade and volume of consumption. The
amount required by the treasury is determined
by the appropriations made by congress.
The demand of the republican party for an
increase in tariff taxation has its pretext in the
deficiency of revenue , which has its causes in
the stagnation of trade and reduced consump
tion , due entirely to the loss of confidence that
has followed the populist threat of free coinage
and depreciation of our money and the repub
lican practice of extravagant appropriations
beyond the needs of good government. Wo
arraign and condemn the populistic conven
tions of Chicago and St. Louis for their co
operation with the republican party in creating
these conditions which are pleaded in justifi
cation of a heavy increase of the burdens of the
people by a further resort to protection.
Protection and Its Ally.
Wo therefore denounce protection and its
ally , free coinage of silver , as schemes for the
personal profit of a few at the expense of the
masses , and oppose the two parties which
stand for these schemes as hostile to the people
-K v ' 12.jj ( U * ura MTS ltt T& nE8KAVM
of the republic , whoso food and shelter , com-
: ort and prosperity , arc attacked by higher
: axes and depreciated money ; in fine , wo re-
afHrm the historic democratic doctrine of
tariff for revenue only.
American Shipping.
Wo demand that henceforth modern and
liberal policies toward American shipping shall
taho the place of our imitation of the restricted
statutes of the eighteenth century , which have
boon abandoned by every maritime power but
the United States , and which , to the na'ion's
Humiliation , have driven American capital and
enterprise to the use of alien flags and alien
crows , have made the Stars and Stripes an
almost unknown emblem in foreign ports , and
have virtually extinguished the race of Ameri
can seamen.
Wo oppose the pretence that discriminating
duties will promote shipping ; that scheme is
an invitation to commercial warfare upon the
United States , un-American in the light of our
great commercial treaties , offering no gain
whatever to American shipping , while greatly
increasing ocean freights on our agricultural
and manufactured products.
The Currency.
The experience of mankind has 'shown that
by reason of their natural qualities , gold is the
necessary money of the large affairs of com
merce and business , while silver is convenient
ly adapted to minor transactions , and the most
beneficial use of both together can bo insured
on it by the adoption of the former as a stand
ard of monetary measure , and the maintenance
of silver at a parity with gold by its limited
coinage under suitable safeguards of law.
Thus the largest possible enjoyment of both
metals is gained with a value universally ac
cepted throughout the world , which consti
tutes the only practical bimetallic currency ,
assuring the most stable standard , and es
pecially the best and safest money for all who
earn their livelihood by labor or the produce
of husbandry. They cannot suffer when paid
in the best money known to man , but are the
peculiar and most defenceless victims of a
debased and fluctuating currency , which offers
continual profits to the money changer at
their cost.
Realizing the truths demonstrated by long
and public inconvenience and loss , the demo
cratic party , in the interest of the masses and
of equal justice to all , practically established
by the legislation of 1884 and 1853 the gold
standard of monetary measurement and like
wise entirely divorced the government from
banking and currency issues.
Gold Must Be the Standard.
To this long-established democratic policy
we adhere , and insist upon the maintenance of
the gold standard and of the parity therewith
of every dollar issued by the government , and
are firmly opposed to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and to the compulsory pur
chase of silver bullion.
Government Must Cease the Banking
Business.
But we denounce also the further mainte
nance of the present patchwork system of
national paper currency as a constant source
of injury and peril. We assert the necessity
of such intelligent currency reform as will
confine the government to its legitimate
functions , completely separated from the
banking business , and afford to all sections ol
our country a uniform safe , and elastic bank
currency under governmental supervision ,
measured in volume by the needs of business.
The Cleveland Democratic Administration
The fidelity , patriotism , and courage with
which President Cleveland has fulfilled his
great public trust , the high character of his
administration , its wisdom and energy in the
maintenance of civil order and the enforce
ment of the laws , its equa1 , regard for the
rights of every class and every section , its flrm
and dignified conduct of foreign affairs , and its
sturdy persistence in upholding the credit and
honor of the nation , are fully recognized by
the democratic party , and will secure to him a
place in history beside the fathers of the
republic.
Civil Service Reform.
We also commend the administration for the
great progress made in the reform of the pub
lic service , and wo endorse its effort to extend
the merit system still further. Wo demand
that no backward stop bo taken , but that the
reform bo supported and advanced until the
un-democratic spoils system of appointments
shall bo eradicated.
Economy In Public Expenditures.
Wo demand strict economy in the appro
priations and in the administration of the
government.
Arbitration of International Disputes.
We favor arbitration for the settlement of
international disputes.
Pensions.
Wo favor a liberal policy of "pensions to deserving -
serving soldiers and sailors of the United
States.
Integrity of the Supreme Court.
The supreme court of the United States was
wisely established by the framers of our con
stitution as one of the three co-ordinate
branches of the government. Its independence
and authority to interpret the law of the land
without fear or favor must bo maintained.
Wo condemn all efforts to degrade that
tribunal or impair the confidence and respect
which it has deservedly held.
The Maintenance of Public Order.
The democratic party over has maintained ,
and over will maintain , the supremacy of law ,
the independence of its judicial administration ,
the inviolability of contract and the obligations
of all good citizens to resist every illegal trust ,
combination , or attemut against the just rights
of property , and the good order of society , in
which are bound up the peace and happiness of
our people.
Believing these principles to bo essential to
the well-being of the republic , wo submit them
to the consideration of the American people.
THE NEAREST THEY HAD.
Mr. Ohoafce went into a London book
shop to buy a copy of Dante's "Hell. "
The clerk departed to seek the book , but
soon returned to remark : "I am very
sorry , but we haven't got 'Hell , ' by Mr.
Dante. We've got 'Twenty Years in
South Africa , ' by Cfeoil Rhodes , if that
would do. " "And , feeling , " concludes
Mr. Ohoate , "that that was practically
the same thing , I took the book. " Wo
man's Journal.
HOW IMPERIALISM BRINGS FREE
DOM.
In the course of Louis Napoleon's
Mexican operations 1861-2 he sent out
General Forey , who is described as a
man of blood and iron.
"Upon arriving at Vera Oruz , he pro
claimed that the object of his emperor
was to liberate the Mexican people , and
then allow them to select freely their
form of government. " ( Sohouler ,
Hist. U. S.Vol. 0 , pp. 266. )