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Studies in Computational Intelligence 785

Leonardo Trujillo · Oliver Schütze


Yazmin Maldonado · Paul Valle Editors

Numerical and
Evolutionary
Optimization –
NEO 2017
Studies in Computational Intelligence

Volume 785

Series editor
Janusz Kacprzyk, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
e-mail: kacprzyk@ibspan.waw.pl
The series “Studies in Computational Intelligence” (SCI) publishes new develop-
ments and advances in the various areas of computational intelligence—quickly and
with a high quality. The intent is to cover the theory, applications, and design
methods of computational intelligence, as embedded in the fields of engineering,
computer science, physics and life sciences, as well as the methodologies behind
them. The series contains monographs, lecture notes and edited volumes in
computational intelligence spanning the areas of neural networks, connectionist
systems, genetic algorithms, evolutionary computation, artificial intelligence,
cellular automata, self-organizing systems, soft computing, fuzzy systems, and
hybrid intelligent systems. Of particular value to both the contributors and the
readership are the short publication timeframe and the world-wide distribution,
which enable both wide and rapid dissemination of research output.

More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/7092


Leonardo Trujillo Oliver Schütze

Yazmin Maldonado Paul Valle


Editors

Numerical and Evolutionary


Optimization – NEO 2017

123
Editors
Leonardo Trujillo Yazmin Maldonado
Posgrado en Ciencias de la Ingeniería Posgrado en Ciencias de la Ingeniería
Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana Tecnológico de Tijuana
Tijuana, Baja California Tijuana, Baja California
Mexico Mexico

Oliver Schütze Paul Valle


Computer Science Department Posgrado en Ciencias de la Ingeniería
Cinvestav-IPN Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto
Mexico City, Mexico Tecnológico de Tijuana
Tijuana, Baja California
Mexico

ISSN 1860-949X ISSN 1860-9503 (electronic)


Studies in Computational Intelligence
ISBN 978-3-319-96103-3 ISBN 978-3-319-96104-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96104-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018948219

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2019


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part
of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission
or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar
methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from
the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
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authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or
for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to
jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface

The Numerical and Evolutionary Optimization (NEO) workshop is a forum where


researchers of two complimentary fields can meet and discuss issues related to one
of the core problems of modern artificial intelligence, search and optimization. In
particular, NEO integrates researchers that work with traditional numerical and
mathematical optimization techniques, and those that develop bio-inspired and
evolutionary algorithms. Moreover, the workshop also provides a forum for those
working in specific application domains, where such techniques are known to be
relevant or might provide new insights.
This volume comprises the post-proceeding of the fifth event of this series, the
NEO 2017. The NEO 2017 returned to Tijuana for the second time (the first time in
2015), organized in collaboration with Tecnologico Nacional de Mexico/Instituto
Tecnologico de Tijuana and CINVESTAV-IPN. The event was held from
September 27 to September 29 in the city of Tijuana, Mexico. The event also had
the first two industrial sponsors, IBM and TechData, as well as funding from
CONACyT and CINVESTAV-IPN. For more details regarding the event, the venue
and other information please visit the series webpage: http://neo.cinvestav.mx.
The event has grown since 2013, reaching 64 oral presentations and 7 invited
speakers in 2017, covering topics from evolutionary computer vision, constraint
handling, automatic design of electronic devices and many others that are relevant
to the NEO attendees. This is the largest NEO to date, showing that this area of
scientific discourse continues to grow, generating a lively conversation regarding
the present and future of the manner in which search and optimization can be
harnessed to solve the growing challenges of the modern world. Moreover, for the
first time in the NEO history, a special one-day forum called NEO Engineering was
held at the Instituto Tecnologico de Tijuana on September 26, to bring the NEO
experience to undergraduate students in order to encourage the next generation of
researchers in our field.
The presenters from the regular talks, as well as other members of the NEO
community, were invited to submit chapters for the present post-proceedings vol-
ume. A total of 31 submissions underwent a thorough blind-review process, from
which 13 chapters were chosen for publication. Moreover, three of the keynote

v
vi Preface

speakers, Efren Mezura, Miguel Moreles and Esteban Tlelo, contributed with
invited chapters.
The present volume contains sixteen chapters that are organized into four parts:
Constraint Handling Techniques (Part I), Evolutionary and Genetic Computation
(Part II), Optimal Control (Part III) and Real-World Applications (Part IV).
In Part I, three chapters are presented related to constraint handling techniques.
The first chapter is an invited work from the laboratory of Efren Mezura that
provides an extensive comparison of parameter control methods for differential
evolution. The second chapter presents a descent method for efficient search in
constrained multi-objective problems. The third and final chapter presents a con-
strained real-world application of a gradient descent method using the hypervolume
indicator.
Part II contains two chapters on evolutionary and genetic computation. The first
one deals with a problem in evolutionary computer vision, fitting multiple ellipses
with multi-objective evolutionary search. The second chapter crosses over to the
study of human interaction with evolutionary art by means of a kinect system.
Part III contains five chapters on optimal control. The first chapter applies
control techniques to optimize supply chains. The NSGA-II algorithm is used to
tune the parameters of a predictive controller in the second chapter. Similarly,
controller tuning is also studied in the following chapter, in this case with the
steepest descent method. The fourth chapter in this part deals with a self-tuning
fuzzy controller, while the final chapter presents work on the optimal design of a
sliding mode controller using differential evolution and the interior point method.
Part IV presents the final six chapters of this volume, dealing with real-world
applications. The first chapter presents work on parameter estimation of a biological
system with important biomedical applications, the second invited chapter of this
volume written by Miguel Moreles. The next work is the invited chapter from
Esteban Tlelo, where authors apply NSGA-II for the optimal sizing of voltage
regulators. The third chapter presents a genetically optimized fuzzy system for
classifying the quality of treated water. The fourth chapter deals with the optimal
stabilization of civil structures that are exposed to external forces, such as earth-
quakes. The comparison of two methods for I/Q imbalance compensation in RF
power amplifiers is presented in the fifth chapter. The final chapter of this part, and
of the NEO 2017 volume, deals with the use of a linear programming approach to
assess the impact of social networks in the hotel industry, an important financial
activity in Mexico.
We express our gratitude to all invited speakers and attendees of the NEO 2017,
you are the driving force behind this workshop and this post-proceeding volume.
Thanks are also extended to all the authors and reviewers of contributed chapters,
your hard work will make this volume a reference for future research.

September 2018 Leonardo Trujillo


Oliver Schütze
Yazmin Maldonado
Paul Valle
Acknowledgements

To all of the researchers, authors and reviewers of the great work presented at NEO
2017 and this post-proceeding volume, without you there is no NEO! Special
thanks are given to the invited speakers of NEO 2017, Dr. Efrén Mezura-Montes,
Dr. Miguel Ángel Moreles, Dr. Michael Emmerich, Dr. Gustavo Olague,
Dr. Esteban Tlelo Cuautle, Dr. Marcial Gonzalez and Ing. Leobardo Morales.
To the funding provided by CONACyT Fronteras de la Ciencia project
FC-2015-2:944 “Aprendizaje evolutivo a gran escala”, the CONACyT Basic
Science project 285599 “Toma de decisiones multiobjetivo para sistemas altamente
complejos”, the CONACyT-DAAD project 207493 “Memetic strategies for indi-
cator based multi-objective evolutionary algorithms”, the TecNM project 6350.17-P
“Planificación inteligente de recursos en sistemas reconfigurables”, the TecNM
project 6575.18-P “Ingeniería aplicada mediante el modelizado matemático para
comprender la evolución del cáncer, la respuesta inmunológica y el efecto de
algunos tratamientos” and the two industrial sponsors, IBM and TechData.
Finally, thanks are extended to the student organizers of the event,
M.C. Perla Juárez and Ing. Rogelio Valdez for their invaluable participation, also
M.C. Guadalupe Aĺarez, M.C. Darian Reyes, M.C. Carlos Goribar, Ing. Noelia Torres,
M.C. Luis Muñoz, M.C. Itzel Gaytán, M.C. Jorge Alonso, Ing. César Bernal,
Ing. Ernesto Aĺvarez, M.C. Victor López, M.C. Uriel Lopez and Ing. Carlos Dibene.

vii
Contents

Constraint Handling Techniques


Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution with
Combined Variants for Constrained Search Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Octavio Ramos-Figueroa, María-Margarita Reyes-Sierra,
and Efrén Mezura-Montes
A Descent Method for Equality and Inequality Constrained
Multiobjective Optimization Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Bennet Gebken, Sebastian Peitz, and Michael Dellnitz
Evaluating Memetic Building Spatial Design Optimisation
Using Hypervolume Indicator Gradient Ascent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Koen van der Blom, Sjonnie Boonstra, Hao Wang, Hèrm Hofmeyer,
and Michael T. M. Emmerich

Evolutionary and Genetic Computation


Fitting Multiple Ellipses with PEARL and a Multi-objective
Genetic Algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Heriberto Cruz Hernández and Luis Gerardo de la Fraga
Analyzing Evolutionary Art Audience Interaction
by Means of a Kinect Based Non-intrusive Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Francisco Fernández de Vega, Mario García-Valdez, J. J. Merelo,
Georgina Aguilar, Cayetano Cruz, and Patricia Hernández

Optimal Control
Applying Control Theory to Optimize the Inventory Holding
Costs in Supply Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Pablo M. Ayllon-Lorenzo, Selene L. Cardenas-Maciel,
and Nohe R. Cazarez-Castro

ix
x Contents

On the Selection of Tuning Parameters in Predictive Controllers


Based on NSGA-II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
R. C. Gutiérrez-Urquídez, G. Valencia-Palomo, O. M. Rodríguez-Elías,
F. R. López-Estrada, and J. A. Orrante-Sakanassi
IDA-PBC Controller Tuning Using Steepest Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
J. A. Morales, M. A. Castro, D. Garcia, C. Higuera, and J. Sandoval
Self-tuning for a SISO-type Fuzzy Control Based on the Relay
Feedback Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Pablo J. Prieto, Nohe R. Cazarez-Castro, Luis T. Aguilar,
and Selene L. Cardenas-Maciel
Optimal Design of Sliding Mode Control Combined with Positive
Position Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
J. Enríquez-Zárate, L. Trujillo, C. Hernández, and Claudia N. Sánchez

Real-World Applications
Biot’s Parameters Estimation in Ultrasound Propagation Through
Cancellous Bone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Miguel Angel Moreles, Joaquin Peña, and Jose Angel Neria
Optimal Sizing of Low-DropOut Voltage Regulators by NSGA-II
and PVT Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Jesus Lopez-Arredondo, Esteban Tlelo-Cuautle, Luis Gerardo de la Fraga,
Victor Hugo Carbajal-Gomez, and Miguel Aurelio Duarte-Villaseñor
Genetic Optimization of Fuzzy Systems for the Classification
of Treated Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Itzel G. Gaytan-Reyes, Nohe R. Cazarez-Castro,
Selene L. Cardenas-Maciel, David A. Lara-Ochoa,
and Armando Martinez-Graciliano
Stabilization Based on Fuzzy System for Structures Affected
by External Disturbances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Marco A. Alcaraz-Rodriguez, Nohe R. Cazarez-Castro,
Selene L. Cardenas-Maciel, Luis N. Coria,
and Sergio Contreras-Hernandez
Comparison of Two Methods for I/Q Imbalance Compensation
Applied in RF Power Amplifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
S. A. Juárez-Cázares, E. Allende-Chávez, Y. Sandoval-Ibarra,
J. R. Cárdenas-Valdez, E. Tlelo-Cuautle, and J. C. Nuñez-Pérez
An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis to the Performance
Assessment of Online Social Networks Usage in Mazatlán Hotel
Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Manuel Cázares and Oliver Schütze
Author Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
List of Contributors

Georgina Aguilar Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico


Luis T. Aguilar Instituto Politécnico Nacional—CITEDI, Tijuana, Mexico
Marco A. Alcaraz-Rodriguez Tecnológico Nacional de Mexico - Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, BC, Mexico
E. Allende-Chávez Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tecnológico Nacional de
México, Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Pablo M. Ayllon-Lorenzo Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tecnológico
Nacional de México, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Koen van der Blom LIACS, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
Sjonnie Boonstra Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The
Netherlands
Victor Hugo Carbajal-Gomez Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala,
Mexico
Selene L. Cardenas-Maciel Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California, México
M. A. Castro Tecnólogico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de La Paz,
La Paz, Mexico
Nohe R. Cazarez-Castro Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Sergio Contreras-Hernandez Tecnológico Nacional de Mexico - Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, BC, Mexico
Luis N. Coria Tecnológico Nacional de Mexico - Instituto Tecnológico de
Tijuana, Tijuana, BC, Mexico

xi
xii List of Contributors

Heriberto Cruz Hernández Computer Science Department, Cinvestav, Mexico


City, Mexico
Cayetano Cruz Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
J. R. Cárdenas-Valdez Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tecnológico Nacional
de México, Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Manuel Cázares Research Institute for Economic and Social Growth, Mazatlán,
Mexico
Michael Dellnitz Department of Mathematics, Paderborn University, Paderborn,
Germany
Miguel Aurelio Duarte-Villaseñor Catedrático CONACYT en el Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Michael T. M. Emmerich LIACS, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
J. Enríquez-Zárate Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad de
los Andes, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
Francisco Fernández de Vega Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
Luis Gerardo de la Fraga Computer Science Department, Cinvestav, Mexico
City, Mexico
D. Garcia Tecnólogico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de La Paz, La
Paz, Mexico
Mario García-Valdez Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
Itzel G. Gaytan-Reyes Tecnológico Nacional de México-Instituto Tecnológico de
Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California, México
Bennet Gebken Department of Mathematics, Paderborn University, Paderborn,
Germany
R. C. Gutiérrez-Urquídez Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto
Tecnológico de Hermosillo, Hermosillo, Mexico
C. Hernández Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N.
Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Sección de Computación, Mexico City,
Mexico
Patricia Hernández University of Seville, Seville, Spain
C. Higuera Tecnólogico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de La Paz, La
Paz, Mexico
Hèrm Hofmeyer Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The
Netherlands
List of Contributors xiii

S. A. Juárez-Cázares CITEDI, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tijuana, B.C.,


Mexico
David A. Lara-Ochoa Tecnológico Nacional de México-Instituto Tecnológico de
Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California, México
Jesus Lopez-Arredondo INAOE, Tonantzintla, Puebla, Mexico
F. R. López-Estrada Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico
Armando Martinez-Graciliano Tecnológico Nacional de México-Instituto
Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California, México
J. J. Merelo Computer Architecture and Technology, University of Granada,
Granada, Spain
Efrén Mezura-Montes Artificial Intelligence Research Center, University of
Veracruz, Centro, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
J. A. Morales Tecnólogico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de La Paz,
La Paz, Mexico
Miguel Angel Moreles Mathematics Department, Universidad de Guadalajara,
CUCEI, Guadalajara, Mexico; CIMAT, Guanajuato, GTO, Mexico
Jose Angel Neria CIMAT, Guanajuato, GTO, Mexico
J. C. Nuñez-Pérez CITEDI, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
J. A. Orrante-Sakanassi CONACYT-Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto
Tecnológico de Hermosillo, Hermosillo, Mexico
Sebastian Peitz Department of Mathematics, Paderborn University, Paderborn,
Germany
Joaquin Peña CIMAT, Guanajuato, GTO, Mexico
Pablo J. Prieto Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto Tecnológico de
Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Octavio Ramos-Figueroa Artificial Intelligence Research Center, University of
Veracruz, Centro, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
María-Margarita Reyes-Sierra Artificial Intelligence Research Center,
University of Veracruz, Centro, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
O. M. Rodríguez-Elías Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico
de Hermosillo, Hermosillo, Mexico
Y. Sandoval-Ibarra Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Tecnológico Nacional de
México, Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
xiv List of Contributors

J. Sandoval Tecnólogico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de La Paz,


La Paz, Mexico
Oliver Schütze Computer Science Department, Cinvestav-IPN, México City,
Mexico
Claudia N. Sánchez Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Panamericana,
Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
Esteban Tlelo-Cuautle Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica,
Tonatzintla, Puebla, Mexico
L. Trujillo Tree-Lab, Posgrado en Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Instituto Tecnológico
de Tijuana, Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
G. Valencia-Palomo Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de
Hermosillo, Hermosillo, Mexico
Hao Wang LIACS, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
Constraint Handling Techniques
Deterministic Parameter Control
in Differential Evolution with Combined
Variants for Constrained Search Spaces

Octavio Ramos-Figueroa(&), María-Margarita Reyes-Sierra,


and Efrén Mezura-Montes

Artificial Intelligence Research Center, University of Veracruz,


Sebastián Camacho 5, 91000 Centro, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
oivatco.rafo@gmail.com, {mareyes,emezura}@uv.mx

Abstract. This chapter presents an empirical comparison of six deterministic


parameter control schemes based on a sinusoidal behavior that are incorporated
into a differential evolution algorithm called “Differential Evolution with
Combined Variants” (DECV) to solve constrained numerical optimization
problems. Besides, the feasibility rules and the e-constrained method are
adopted as constraint-handling techniques.
Two parameters are considered in this work, F (related with the mutation
operator) and CR (related with the crossover operator). Two DECV versions
(rand-best) and (best-rand) are assessed. From the above elements, 24 different
variants are tested in 36 well-known benchmark problems (in 10 and 30
dimensions). Two performance measures used in evolutionary constrained
optimization (successful percentage and average number of evaluations in
successful runs) are adopted to evaluate the performance of each variant. Five
experiments are proposed to compare (1) those variants with the feasibility rules,
(2) those variants with the e-constrained method, (3) the most competitive
variants from the previous two experiments, (4) the convergence plots of those
most competitive variants and (5) the significant statistical differences of feasible
final results among variants.
The obtained results suggest that an increasing oscillation of F and CR values,
starting around 0.5 and then moving between 0 and 1, is suitable for the (rand-
best) DECV variant. In contrast, a decreasing oscillation of both parameter
values is suitable for the (best-rand) DECV variant. The convergence behavior
observed in the most competitive variants indicates the convenience of the
increasing oscillation of both parameters, coupled with the rand-best DECV
version, to promote a faster convergence. The e-constrained method showed to
be more competitive with this type of parameter control than the feasibility
rules. Finally, no significant differences among variants were observed based on
final feasible results.

Keywords: Parameter control  Differential evolution


Constrained numerical optimization  Constraint-Handling techniques

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2019


L. Trujillo et al. (Eds.): NEO 2017, SCI 785, pp. 3–28, 2019.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96104-0_1
4 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

1 Introduction

Throughout history, different numerical optimization problems of practical and theo-


retical importance have been identified within fields like Artificial Intelligence and
Operations Research [1]. Mathematical programming methods are precisely designed to
solve optimization problems. Such classic algorithms can be divided in two groups:
(1) direct methods, e.g., the Hooke-Jeeves search method, the Nelder-Mead Simplex
search method, among others [2, 3], and (2) gradient-based methods, e.g., the Cauchy
and the Newton method, among others [4]. However, each day new and more complex
problems are identified, and classic methods may not be effective enough to solve them.
In order to deal with complex numerical optimization problems, as an alternative
option, approximate algorithms have been proposed. They are also known as meta-
heuristic algorithms, i.e., strategies comprised by heuristics that guide the optimization
problem solving. Such meta-heuristic algorithms show strong capabilities to solve
search and optimization problems, and some of them are inspired by nature, i.e.,
biological processes are emulated [5].
There are different types of nature-inspired algorithms. Among the most known are:
(1) swarm intelligence (SI), inspired by the complex collective behavior that emerges
during the interaction of individuals in different social groups, usually of the same species,
such as humans or biological organisms, to perform a particular task [6]; and (2) evolu-
tionary algorithms (EAs), inspired by the biological evolution (reproduction, mutation,
recombination, natural selection and survival of the fittest) [5]. Different algorithms have
been developed under both approaches (SI and EAs) to solve a wide range of theoretical
and real-world problems, showing a very competitive performance [7].
When an EA is designed, different aspects should be taken into consideration, such
as selection and replacement strategies, and solution encoding as well. Moreover,
suitable values for the parameters of an EA (e.g., population size, crossover and
mutation rates) must be chosen. Parameter Setting (PS) is an important sub-area
devoted to deal with the parameter fine-tuning required by EAs to provide competitive
results. PS can be divided in two main branches: (1) parameter tuning problem
(PT) and (2) parameter control (PC) [8, 9].
PT is given at the design stage, where high-quality parameter values are carefully
chosen [8]. PT requires the EA to be run several times. Thus, the PT main weakness is
the high computational cost required to identify appropriate parameter values for a
certain EA, and such cost may be prohibitive for optimization problems where solution
evaluations are particularly time-consuming. On the other hand, PC is given at the run
stage. Thereby, parameter values may change as the search process progresses. Hence,
a suitable parameter control scheme (PCS) should be employed for an efficient vari-
ation of parameter values [9]. The modification of parameter values over the run is
considered the main virtue of PC. Nevertheless, getting a general PC which can deal
with different types of optimization problems is its main weakness.
Different PCS have been proposed and they can be classified into (1) deterministic,
(2) adaptive, and (3) self-adaptive. The definition of a fixed change pattern for
parameter values is named as deterministic PC. Adaptive PC uses information of the
search process to modify the parameter values. Finally, self-adaptive PC uses the same
Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution 5

evolution process to evolve parameter values at the same time that solutions to the
optimization problems are evolved [9].
Nowadays, one of the most popular EAs is Differential Evolution (DE), which was
introduced in [10]. Since its emergence, this algorithm was so-well received, mainly
because it is considered an easy yet straightforward search strategy. However, as well
as other EAs, the parameter setting is considered as the key element in its success.
Three main parameters are required by DE, (1) the population size NP, (2) the scaling
factor of the mutation operator F, and (3) the crossover rate CR. Originally, DE was
designed to solve unconstrained numerical optimization problems (UNOPs). The
specialized literature indeed reports efforts to add PC to DE, e.g., the self-adaptive
Differential Evolution algorithm (SaDE) [11] and jDE [12], both for unconstrained
search spaces.
To deal with a constrained search space, EAs require the addition of a constraint-
handling technique (CHT) [13]. According to the specialized literature, the selection of
a suitable CHT is closely related to the performance reached by an EA for Constrained
Numerical Optimization Problems (CNOPs) [14]. Penalty functions are very popular
CHTs [15, 16], where a CNOP is transformed into an unconstrained one by incorpo-
rating a certain value to the objective function based on the amount of constraints
violation in a given solution. Other popular CHTs are the feasibility rules introduced in
[15] and the e-constrained method presented in [16].
DE has been successfully adopted to solve CNOPs [13]. Among those DE-based
EAs for CNOPs, the Differential Evolution with Combined Variants (DECV) was
proposed in [17]. This EA is based on two well-known DE-variants (DE/rand/1/bin and
DE/best/1/bin), where a switch between variants is based on an expected percentage of
feasible solutions in the current population. An extension of SaDE proposed in [11]
was presented in [18] to solve CNOPs. The authors modified the replacement criterion,
such as feasible and infeasible individuals are differentiated using the set of feasibility
rules above mentioned. In the same way, the jDE adaptive algorithm introduced in [12]
was improved incorporating a CHT based on a penalty function.
On the other hand, the Diversity Differential Evolution (DDE) algorithm was
proposed in [19]. Besides NP, CR and F, two additional parameters were used: (1) NO,
which determines how many descendants can be generated by a target vector (potential
solution of the problem to be solved); and (2) Sr, which is responsible to control the
way vectors are selected. Thus, in that study, the use of a deterministic and a self-
adaptive parameter control schemes were proposed. Thereby, F, CR and NO are self-
adapted; while Sr, is controlled by a deterministic approach.
Another important adaptive algorithm is the Generalized Differential Evolution
(GDE) with Exponential Weighting Moving Average (EWMA), proposed in [20].
EWMA is a PCS that performs parameter control adaptation by updating weighted
average history of successful control parameter values. This algorithm has shown being
suitable for single- and multi-objective optimization with or without constraints.
In [21], the authors presented a Memetic Differential Evolution for CNOPs, where
DE was enhanced with a mathematical programming method called Powell´s conjugate
direction as a local search operator and the e-constrained method as a CHT. Such
algorithm was able to quickly reach the feasible region of the search space and it also
provided competitive feasible solutions.
6 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

An enhanced multi-operator differential evolution algorithm (E-MODE) was


introduced in [22], where the initial population was divided into sub-populations, and
each one of them was evolved with a different variation operator. Furthermore, a self-
adaptive PCS was used for controlling F and CR parameters, while the sub-populations
sizes were reduced with a linear reduction strategy. This algorithm showed a highly
competitive performance when solving a wide set of test problems [22]. In [23] a
framework with a mix of four CHTs was designed, where each CHT was employed by
a certain sup-population, such that different combinations of mutation and crossover
DE strategies were incorporated in each sub-population, and the parameter values of F
and CR were updated over the run, between pre-defined intervals.
According to the above described literature review, DE-based EAs for CNOPs
consider different mechanisms to improve their performance. Among them, PC is
adopted. However, to the best of our knowledge, those works do not necessarily
analyze the effects of different PCS combined with particular CHT in the performance
of a DE-based EA for CNOPs.
This is precisely the motivation of this work, where a particular PCS, deterministic
in this case, based on sinusoidal functions, already studied for UNOPs, is analyzed now
in constrained search spaces to control two DE parameters (F and CR). The aim is to
analyze the positive (or negative) effects of a given deterministic PCS when working
with a particular CHT in the performance of an EA to solve CNOPs. Therefore, 24
variants of the algorithm are designed, based on versions of the Differential Evolution
with Combined Variants (DECV) algorithm, two different CHT (the feasibility rules
and the e-constrained method) and six different deterministic PCS based on a sinusoidal
function to adapt CR and/or F parameter(s).
From the above mentioned, the contribution of this work consists on analyzing the
capacity of a deterministic PCS coupled with a CHT to improve the capabilities of a
DE-based EA to solve CNOPs.
This chapter is organized as follows: the CNOP is formally defined in Sect. 2. After
that, Sect. 3 introduces (1) DE, (2) the two CHT adopted in this work, (3) DECV,
which is used as the search algorithm, and (4) the six configurations under analysis and
used as PCS. Section 4 includes the experimental design, the results obtained and their
corresponding discussion. Finally, Sect. 5 summarizes the conclusions and future paths
of research.

2 Problem Statement

A CNOP, known also as the non-linear programming problem [13–23], without loss of
generality, can be defined as to:
Find x which minimizes:

f ðxÞ ð1Þ
Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution 7

subject to a set of constraints:


gj ðxÞ  0; i ¼ 1; . . .; m ð2Þ

hk ðxÞ ¼ 0; j ¼ 1; . . .; p ð3Þ

xLi  xi  xU
i ; i ¼ 1; . . .; n ð4Þ

where x denotes a solution, comprised by a set of n decision variables as follows:


x ¼ ½x1 ; x2 ; . . .; xn . On the other hand, the m inequality constraints and p equality
constraints are depicted by gj ðxÞ; i ¼ 1; . . .; m and hk ðxÞ; k ¼ 1; . . .; p, respectively.
 
Finally, the limits for each decision variable xi are represented by xLi ; xU i .
To deal with equality constraints a tolerance d (a very small value) is adopted.
Therefore, each equality constraint is transformed into an inequality constraint by using
Eq. 5:
j hk ð x Þ j  d  0 ð5Þ

3 Proposed Study

3.1 Differential Evolution Algorithm


Recalling from Sect. 1, DE has become one of the most popular EAs, because it has
shown a high performance on solving a wide range of theoretical and real-world
problems. Moreover, it is simple to code EA. Thereby, numerous DE variants have
been proposed, giving rise to the emergence of DE/x/y/z notation, introduced to classify
the DE variants, where x denotes the base vector, y is the number of difference vectors;
and z specifies the type of crossover operator [10]. However, like other EAs, the
performance of DE is strongly related to the setting of its three main parameters: (1) the
population size “NP”, (2) the scaling factor “F”, and (3) the crossover rate “CR”.
DE/rand/1/bin is the most popular DE variant, and the steps comprised by its search
process are presented in Algorithm 1 [10]. As in most DE variants, the search starts
with an initial population of vectors (set of potential solutions to the problem) randomly
generated. Subsequently, the population is evolved as follows: for each vector in the
population, known as target vector xG;i at the reproduction step, three different vectors
are randomly selected from the population (line 7 of Algorithm 1). After that, two
vectors, xG;r1 and xG;r2 (out of the three randomly chosen) are used to compute a
difference, which is scaled by the user-defined parameter F (line 11 of Algorithm 1).
Next, the resulting vector is added to the third vector xG;r3 (known as base vector) to
generate the so-called mutant vector vi;G . Besides, the crossover is performed simul-
taneously based on the user-defined parameter CR (line 10 of Algorithm 1). Thus, each
element of the trial vector uG;i (offspring vector) is taken from the target vector or the
mutant vector according to the CR-value. Furthermore, the variable jrand (line 8 of
Algorithm 1) ensures that at least one element in the trial vector uG;i is taken from the
mutant vector. Based on that, exact copies of the target vector are avoided.
8 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

Another popular DE variant is DE/best/1/bin. In this variant, the mutation is guided


by the best vector in the population of the current generation. Thus, the best vector
xG;best is used as the base vector to generate each mutant vector. Thereby, a faster
convergence is sought, i.e., a competitive solution can be found in less time because
exploitation of promising areas of the search space is promoted. However, the risk of
premature convergence may increase. In contrast, DE/rand/1/bin focuses more on the
exploration of the search space [17].
In Fig. 1 it can be seen that the mutation process is performed according to
parameter F, which establishes a step size, i.e., when F tends to 0, the mutant vector is
generated closer to the base vector and exploitation is promoted. In contrast, when F
has a value close to 1, the mutant vector is generated away from the base vector and
exploration is promoted instead.
On the other hand, the crossover process is directed by parameter CR. Therefore,
high CR values, i.e., close to 1, are used to generate a trial vector with the most of
values taken from the mutant vector. Thus, the offspring is generated far away from the
target vector, promoting exploration; while a lower CR value, i.e., close to 0, is used to
generate an offspring close to its target vector, promoting exploitation.
Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution 9

Fig. 1. DE mutation and crossover operators applied to trial vector i at generation G. xi;G is the
target vector. xr1;G 6¼ xr2;G 6¼ xr3;G 6¼ xi;G are three different vectors, randomly selected and
different to the target vector. vi;G is the mutant vector. Finally, ui;G is the trial vector.

From the above, the fine-tuning of parameters F and CR helps to provide a good
trade-off between exploration and exploitation, and it may lead to a success search. It is
important to emphasize that the two parameters (F and CR) are somehow related.
Hence, if one parameter is misconfigured, the performance of the other parameter may
be affected.

3.2 Constraint-Handling Techniques


Recalling from Sect. 1, EAs, in their original versions, were designed to sample
unconstrained search spaces. Therefore, they need the addition of a constraint-handling
technique (CHT), which incorporates feasibility information into the EAs, like DE, to
deal with a constrained search space. In this way, the EA is able to choose between
feasible and infeasible solutions and promote diversity in this type of search space as
well.
To get information about the feasibility of a solution, some value must be calcu-
lated. In this way, the constraint violation of each solution is computed by adding the
amounts of all violated constraints. In such a way, the sum of constraint violation can
be expressed as detailed in Eq. (6) [14]:
X  2 X
uðxi Þ ¼ j
max 0; gj ðxi Þ þ k
ðmaxð0; jhk ðxi Þj  dÞÞ2 ð6Þ

where xi is the solution evaluated, and the inequality and equality constraints are
expressed with gj and hk, respectively. Below the two CHT studied in this work are
described in detail.
10 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

The set of feasibility rules [15] is one of the most popular CHT. It is based on the
sum of constraint violation described in Eq. (6). This CHT is widely used, mainly
because is simple and easy to implement and no parameters are required. Solutions are
compared considering the following three criteria:
1. When comparing two feasible solutions, the one with the best objective function is
chosen.
2. When comparing a feasible solution and an infeasible solution, the feasible one is
chosen.
3. When comparing two infeasible solutions, the one with the lowest sum of constraint
violation (computed as in Eq. (6)) is chosen.
The e-constrained method is another popular CHT [16]. In this technique, an e-
level comparison is defined as an order relation on a pair of objective function values
and sums of constraints violation ðf ðxi Þ; uðxi ÞÞ, as it can be seen in Eq. 7.
8
< f ðx1 Þ\f ðx2 Þ; if uðx1 Þ; uðx2 Þ  e;
½f ðx1 Þ; uðx1 Þ\ef ðx2 Þ; uðx2 ÞÞ () f ðx Þ\f ðx2 Þ; if uðx1 Þ; uðx2 Þ ¼ e; ð7Þ
: 1
uðx1 Þ\uðx2 Þ; otherwise

When e ¼ 0, the solutions are compared based on the constraints violation.


Otherwise, if e ¼ 1 the solution are compared using the objective function. The e-
level is updated with Eqs. 8 and 9.

eð0Þ ¼ uðxh Þ ð8Þ


  cp
eð0Þ 1  Tct 0\t\Tc;
eðt Þ ð9Þ
0 t  Tc

where t is the current iteration, Tc is the maximum number of iterations using the e-
level comparison, xh is the top h-th solution, h ¼ 0:2  n, and the e tolerance reduction
speed is controlled by cp.

3.3 Differential Evolution with Combined Variants for Constrained


Numerical Optimization
Differential Evolution with Combined Variants (DECV) [17] is the algorithm chosen
for this research. Such decision lies in the fact that it has provided competitive results
when solving CNOPs. However, there is room for improvement in its performance and
this research looks to analyze such positive effect with different PCS combined with
two CHTs in its two original versions.
DECV conveniently combines two DE variants: DE/rand/1/bin and DE/best/1/bin.
DECV starts with DE/rand/1/bin and changes to DE/best/1/bin when a certain popu-
lation percentage has reached the feasible region. The moment of DE variant change is
controlled by the Percentage Change Variant parameter (PCV). Therefore, the per-
centage of feasible solutions must be computed at each generation. Such value is
compared against the PCV parameter and when the computed value surpasses PCV, the
Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution 11

variant change is carried out. Originally, the feasibility rules are used as CHT in
DECV. Such rules are used when the best vector between the target and its trial must be
chosen. The steps comprised by the DECV algorithm are shown in Algorithm 2.

Other DECV versions have been proposed [17], i.e., the DECV version where the
DE variants order is swapped. Thus, the algorithm starts with DE/best/1/bin, and
changes to DE/rand/1/bin after the percentage of feasible solutions surpasses the PCV
value [17].
The two DECV versions mentioned above are studied in this research. To identify
them, they will be referred as follows: (1) DECV (rand-best) is the algorithm which
starts with DE/rand/1/bin and changes to DE/best/1/bin with PCV = 90%; and
(2) DECV (best-rand) is the algorithm that starts with DE/best/1/bin and changes to
DE/rand/1/bin with PCV = 10%.
12 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

3.4 Deterministic Parameter Control Scheme Based on a Sinusoidal


Function
A deterministic PCS, which has shown competitive results in unconstrained search
spaces [24], is studied here in constrained optimization. That is, the parameters in
question are altered based on a particular rule, and the parameter values are generated
in a deterministic way using a fixed function. Thus, search feedback is not used, and the
time variation is employed to guide the parameter value changes.
In this study, six different deterministic PCS introduced in [24] are added to the two
above mentioned DECV versions. The configuration adapts the F and/or CR parameter
values based on a sinusoidal function. Thus, the initial parameter values are close to

Table 1. Deterministic PCS based on a sinusoidal function taken from [24]. freq: Frequency; G:
current generation and MaxGen: maximum number of generations.

(continued)
Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution 13

Table 1. (continued)

0.5; as the search process progresses, the sinusoidal function is employed to increase
and decrease the parameter-values, oscillating between 0 and 1. That is to say, an
increasing oscillatory behavior is presented.
On the other hand, there are other configurations where the parameters are ini-
tialized with values close to 0.5. After that, as the search advances, the parameter
values present a remarked oscillation between 0 and 1; such oscillation decreases once
the end of the search approaches and the values reach 0.5 again, i.e., a decreasing
oscillatory behavior is presented.
The different deterministic PCS studied in this work, e.g., Conf1, Conf2, …, Conf6,
are shown in Table 1. It can be observed that in some schemes, e.g., Conf1, Conf4,
Conf5 and Conf6, only one parameter is adapted and the other remains with a fixed
value. In contrast, in the remaining two schemes, e.g., Conf2 and Conf3, both
parameters are controlled by the sinusoidal behavior. Besides, Table 1 also contains the
expected behavior of the six DPCSs, where those values F and CR can take at
14 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

generation x are depicted in the y-axis. Thus, an increasing oscillatory behavior is


presented by Conf1, Conf2 and Conf5, while a decreasing oscillatory behavior is
indicated in Conf3, Conf4 and Conf6.

4 Experiments and Results

The experiments were performed based on the following four variants: (1) DECV
(rand-best) with the feasibility rules, (2) DECV (best-rand) with the feasibility rules,
(3) DECV (rand-best) with the e-constrained method, and (4) DECV (best-rand) with
the e-constrained method. Each one of the six different deterministic PCS (Conf1, …,
Conf6) were added to each one of the four algorithm variants. Therefore, a total of 24
algorithm variants were assessed. Table 2 contains a detailed description of the 24
variants designed.

Table 2. Description of the 24 variants designed. “CHT” means constraint-handling technique.


“Variant” indicates the DECV version. “DPCS” means deterministic parameter control scheme.
“Algorithm” is the variant description.
CHT Variant Deterministic PCS Algorithm
fr rand-best Conf1, …, Conf6 fr-DECV (rand-best) Conf1, …, Conf6
best-rand Conf1, …, Conf6 fr-DECV (best-rand) Conf1, …, Conf6
e rand-best Conf1, …, Conf6 e-DECV (rand-best) Conf1, …, Conf6
best-rand Conf1, …, Conf6 e-DECV (best-rand) Conf1, …, Conf6

36 well-known constrained test problems [25] were solved in the experiments.


A summary of their features is presented in Table 3 and further details can be found in
[25]. 18 test functions have 10 Dimensions (10D) and the remaining 18 functions have
30 Dimensions (30D).
Performance measures taken from the specialized literature in constrained opti-
mization with EAs were computed. Besides analyzing effects of a CHT with a par-
ticular PCS, the aim was to identify (if any) the variant with the most competitive
performance. Such performance was measured by computing two measures proposed
in [26]: (1) probability of convergence P (percentage of successful runs, where a
successful run is that where a feasible solution in the neighborhood of the best feasible
known solution is found, and in this work an error of 1  104 was adopted), and
(2) average number of function evaluations in successful runs (AFES). 25 independent
runs per function were performed to validate the results.
In this research, a test function was considered as “solved”, when at least one of the
25 independent runs was successful. On the other hand, when an algorithm has the
ability to solve several test problems with high P values, it was then considered as
“robust”.
Deterministic Parameter Control in Differential Evolution 15

Table 3. Details of 36 test problems [25], 18 with 10D and 18 with 30D. D is the number of
decision variables, q is the estimated ratio between the feasible region and the search space, I is
the number of inequality constraints, E is the number of equality constraints.
Problem/search Type of Number of constraints q
range objective E I 10D 30D
C01 [0, 10]D Non 0 2 Non separable 0.997689 1.000000
separable
C02 [−5.12, separable 1 separable 2 separable 0.000000 0.000000
5.12]D
C03 [−1000, Non 1 Non separable 0 0.000000 0.000000
1000]D separable
D
C04 [−50, 50] Separable 2 Non separable, 2 0 0.000000 0.000000
separable
C05 [−600, Separable 2 separable 0 0.000000 0.000000
600]D
C06 [−600, Separable 2 rotated 0 0.000000 0.000000
600]D
C07 [−140, Non 0 1 separable 0.505123 0.503725
140]D separable
C08 [−140, Non 0 1 rotated 0.379512 0.375278
140]D separable
C09 [−500, Non 1 separable 0 0.000000 0.000000
500]D separable
C10 [−500, Non 1 rotated 0 0.000000 0.000000
500]D separable
C11 [−100, Rotated 1 Non separable 0 0.000000 0.000000
100]D
C12 [−1000, Separable 1 Non separable 1 separable 0.000000 0.000000
1000]D
C13 [−500, Separable 0 2 separable, 1 non 0.000000 0.000000
500]D separable
C14 [−1000, Non 0 3 separable 0.003112 0.006123
1000]D separable
C15 [−1000, Non 0 3 rotated 0.003210 0.006023
1000]D separable
C16 [−10, 10]D Non 2 separable 1 separable, 1 non 0.000000 0.000000
separable separable
C17 [−10, 10]D Non 1 separable 2 non separable 0.000000 0.000000
separable
C18 [−50, 50]D Non 1 separable 1 separable 0.000010 0.000000
separable
16 O. Ramos-Figueroa et al.

Those parameters which are not part of this study were tuned according to the
suggested values in the specialized literature [10]. Those parameters values for fr-
DECV and e-DECV variants are shown in Tables 4 and 5, respectively.

Table 4. Parameter values used in fr-DECV (rand-best) Conf1, …, Conf6 and fr-DECV (best-
rand) Conf1, …, Conf6 algorithms, “PCV” means percentage to change DE variant, “NP” is the
population size, “MaxEval” is the maximum number of evaluations, “freq” is the oscillation
frequency of sinusoidal functions.
Variant PCV Dimension NP MaxEval freq
rand-best 90% 10D 90 200000 0.5
30D 90 600000 0.5
best-rand 10% 10D 90 200000 0.5
30D 90 600000 0.5

Table 5. Parameter values used in e-DECV (rand-best) Conf1, …, Conf6 and e-DECV (best-
rand) Conf1, …, Conf6 algorithms. “PCV” means percentage to change DE variant, “NP” is the
population size, “MaxEval” is the maximum number of evaluations, “freq” is the oscillation
frequency of sinusoidal functions, “cp” is the descent speed of e tolerance, and “Tc” is the
percentage of iterations considering e.
Variant PCV Dimension NP MaxEval freq cp Tc
rand-best 90% 10D 90 200000 0.5 5 0.2
30D 90 600000 0.5 5 0.2
best-rand 10% 10D 90 200000 0.5 5 0.2
30D 90 600000 0.5 5 0.2

Five experiments were carried out:


(1) The 12 variants fr-DECV (rand-best) Conf1, …, Conf6 and fr-DECV (best-rand)
Conf1, …, Conf6 were compared in the 36 test functions (with 10 and 30
dimensions) by computing the P measure.
(2) The 12 variants e-DECV (rand-best) Conf1, …, Conf6 and e-DECV (best-rand)
Conf1, …, Conf6 were compared in the 36 test functions (with 10 and 30
dimensions) by computing P values.
(3) The two most competitive variants of the first experiment and the two most
competitive variants of the second experiment were further compared by using P
and AFES.
(4) The convergence behavior of the four variants of the third experiment was
analyzed.
(5) The 24 variants were compared based on final feasible results by computing the
95%-confidence Kruskal-Wallis test and the Bonferroni post-hoc test.
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that the standard silver dollar shall be a full legal tender,
equally with gold, for all debts, public and private, and we
favor such legislation as will prevent for the future the
demonetization of any kind of legal-tender money by private
contract.

"We are opposed to the policy and practice of surrendering to


the holders of the obligations of the United States the option
reserved by law to the Government of redeeming such
obligations in either silver coin or gold coin.

"We are opposed to the issuing of interest-bearing bonds of


the United States in time of peace, and condemn the
trafficking with banking syndicates which, in exchange for
bonds and at an enormous profit to themselves, supply the
Federal Treasury with gold to maintain the policy of gold
monometallism.

{567}

"Congress alone has the power to coin and issue money, and
President Jackson declared that this power could not be
delegated to corporations or individuals. We therefore demand
that the power to issue notes to circulate as money be taken
from the National banks, and that all paper money shall be
issued directly by the Treasury Department, be redeemable in
coin, and receivable for all debts, public and private.

"We hold that the tariff duties should be levied for purposes
of revenue, such duties to be so adjusted as to operate
equally throughout the country and not discriminate between
class or section, and that taxation should be limited by the
needs of the Government honestly and economically
administered.

"We denounce, as disturbing to business, the Republican threat


to restore the:McKinley law, which has been twice condemned by
the people in national elections, and which, enacted under the
false plea of protection to home industry, proved a prolific
breeder of trusts and monopolies, enriched the few at the
expense of the many, restricted trade, and deprived the
producers of the great American staples of access to their
natural markets. Until the money question is settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes in our tariff
laws, except such as are necessary to make the deficit in
revenue caused by the adverse decision of the Supreme Court on
the income tax.

"There would be no deficit in the revenue but for the


annulment by the Supreme Court of a law passed by a Democratic
Congress in strict pursuance of the uniform decisions of that
court for nearly 100 years, that court having sustained
constitutional objections to its enactment which had been
overruled by the ablest judges who have ever sat on that
bench. We declare that it is the duty of Congress to use all
the constitutional power which remains after that decision, or
which may come by its reversal by the court, as it may
hereafter be constituted, so that the burdens of taxation may
be equally and impartially laid, to the end that wealth may
bear its due proportion of the expenses of the Government.

"We hold that the most efficient way to protect American labor
is to prevent the importation of foreign pauper labor to
compete with it in the home market, and that the value of the
home market to our American farmers and artisans is greatly
reduced by a vicious monetary system, which depresses the
prices of their products below the cost of production, and
thus deprives them of the means of purchasing the products of
our home manufacture.
"We denounce the profligate waste of the money wrung from the
people by oppressive taxation and the lavish appropriations of
recent Republican Congresses, which have kept taxes high,
while the labor that pays them is unemployed, and the products
of the people's toil are depressed in price till they no
longer repay the cost of production. We demand a return to
that simplicity and economy which best befit a Democratic
Government and a reduction in the number of useless offices,
the salaries of which drain the substance of the people.

"We denounce arbitrary interference by Federal authorities in


local affairs as a violation of the Constitution of the United
States and a crime against free institutions, and we
especially object to government by injunction as a new and
highly dangerous form of oppression, by which Federal judges,
in contempt of the laws of the States and rights of citizens,
become at once legislators, judges, and executioners, and we
approve the bill passed at the last session of the United
States Senate, and now pending in the House, relative to
contempts in Federal courts, and providing for trials by jury
in certain cases of contempt.

"No discrimination should be indulged by the Government of the


United States in favor of any of its debtors. We approve of
the refusal of the Fifty-third Congress to pass the Pacific
Railroad funding bill, and denounce the effort of the present
Republican Congress to enact a similar measure.

"Recognizing the just claims of deserving Union soldiers, we


heartily endorse the rule of the present Commissioner of
Pensions that no names shall be arbitrarily dropped from the
pension roll, and the fact of an enlistment and service should
be deemed conclusive evidence against disease or disability
before enlistment.

"We extend our sympathy to the people of Cuba in their heroic


struggle for liberty and independence.
"We are opposed to life tenure in the public service. We favor
appointments based upon merit, fixed terms of office, and such
an administration of the civil-service laws as will afford
equal opportunities to all citizens of ascertained fitness.

"We declare it to be the unwritten law of this Republic,


established by custom and usage of 100 years, and sanctioned
by the examples of the greatest and wisest of those who
founded and have maintained our Government, that no man should
be eligible for a third term of the Presidential office.

"The absorption of wealth by the few, the consolidation of our


leading railroad systems, and formation of trusts and pools
require a stricter control by the Federal Government of those
arteries of commerce. ''We demand the enlargement of the
powers of the Inter-state Commerce Commission, and such
restrictions and guarantees in the control of railroads as
will protect the people from robbery and oppression.

"We favor the admission of the Territories of New Mexico and


Arizona into the Union as States, and we favor the early
admission of all the Territories giving the necessary
population and resources to entitle them to Statehood; and
while they remain Territories we hold that the officials
appointed to administer the government of any Territory,
together with the District of Columbia and Alaska, should be
bona fide residents of the Territory or District in which
their duties are to be performed. The Democratic party
believes in home rule, and that all public lands of the United
States should be appropriated to the establishment of free
homes for American citizens.

"We recommend that the Territory of Alaska be granted a


Delegate in Congress, and that the general land and timber
laws of the United States be extended to said Territory.
"The Federal Government should care for and improve the
Mississippi River and other great waterways of the Republic so
as to secure for the interior people easy and cheap
transportation to tidewater. When any waterway of the Republic
is of sufficient importance to demand aid of the Government,
such aid should be extended upon a definite plan of continuous
work until permanent improvement is secured.

{568}

"Confiding in the justice of our cause and the necessity of


its success at the polls, we submit the foregoing declaration
of principles and purposes to the considerate judgment of the
American people. We invite the support of all citizens who
approve them, and who desire to have them made effective
through legislation for the relief of the people and the
restoration of the country's prosperity."

In the course of the debate upon the silver question, a speech


of impassioned eloquence was made by William J. Bryan, of
Nebraska, who had represented his district in Congress for two
terms, 1891-1894, and who was rising to prominence among the
leaders of the free-silver Democracy of the west. The speech
excited an enthusiasm and an admiration which led to the
nomination of Mr. Bryan for the presidency. That unexpected
choice was reached after four ballots, in each of which the
votes for the Nebraska orator rose steadily in number. At the
fifth ballot they had passed the requisite two-thirds, and his
nomination was declared to be unanimous, though protests were
made. The entire delegation from New York and many delegates
from New England and New Jersey cast no votes, refusing to
take any part in the nomination of a candidate on the platform
laid down. The chosen candidate for Vice President was Arthur
Sewall, of Maine.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: 1896.


The National Silver Party.
The considerable body of Republicans who desired an unlimited
free coinage of silver, and were prepared to quit their party
on that issue, had made efforts to persuade the Democratic
convention at Chicago to accept their leader, Senator Teller,
of Colorado, for its presidential candidate. Failing in that,
they assembled a convention of delegates at St. Louis, July
22-24, and, under the name of the "National Silver Party,"
took the alternative method of uniting the free-silver
Republican vote with that of the free-silver Democracy, by
accepting the Democratic nominations as their own. William J.
Bryan and Arthur Sewall were duly nominated for President and
Vice President, and a "platform" set forth as follows:

"The National Silver Party in Convention assembled hereby


adopts the following declaration of principles:

"First. The paramount issue at this time in the United States


is indisputably the money question. It is between the gold
standard, gold bonds, and bank currency on the one side and
the bimetallic standard, no bonds, and Government currency on
the other.

"On this issue we declare ourselves to be in favor of a


distinctively American financial system. We are unalterably
opposed to the single gold standard, and demand the immediate
return to the constitutional standard of gold and silver, by
the restoration by this Government, independently of any
foreign power, of the unrestricted coinage of both gold and
silver into standard money at the ratio of sixteen to one, and
upon terms of exact equality, as they existed prior to 1873;
the silver coin to be a full legal tender equally with gold
for all debts and dues, private and public, and we favor such
legislation as will prevent for the future the demonetization
of any kind of legal-tender money by private contract.

"We hold that the power to control and regulate a paper


currency is inseparable from the power to coin money, and
hence that all currency intended to circulate as money should
be issued, and its volume controlled by the General Government
only, and should be legal tender.

"We are unalterably opposed to the issue by the United States


of interest-bearing bonds in time of peace, and we denounce as
a blunder worse than a crime the present Treasury policy,
concurred in by a Republican House, of plunging the country in
debt by hundreds of millions in the vain attempt to maintain
the gold standard by borrowing gold, and we demand the payment
of all coin obligations of the United States as provided by
existing laws, in either gold or silver coin, at the option of
the Government and not at the option of the creditor.

"The demonetization of silver in 1873 enormously increased the


demand for gold, enhancing its purchasing power and lowering
all prices measured by that standard; and since that unjust
and indefensible act the prices of American products have
fallen upon an average nearly fifty per cent., carrying down
with them proportionately the money value of all other forms
of property. Such fall of prices has destroyed the profits of
legitimate industry, injuring the producer for the benefit of
the non-producer, increasing the burden of the debtor,
swelling the gains of the creditor, paralyzing the productive
energies of the American people, relegating to idleness vast
numbers of willing workers, sending the shadows of despair
into the home of the honest toiler, filling the land with
tramps and paupers, and building up colossal fortunes at the
money centres.

"In the effort to maintain the gold standard the country has,
within the last two years, in a time of profound peace and
plenty, been loaded down with $262,000,000 of additional
interest-bearing debt, under such circumstances as to allow a
syndicate of native and foreign bankers to realize a net
profit of millions on a single deal.
"It stands confessed that the gold standard can only be upheld
by so depleting our paper currency as to force the prices of
our product below the European and even below the Asiatic
level to enable us to sell in foreign markets, thus
aggravating the very evils our people so bitterly complain of,
degrading American labor, and striking at the foundations of
our civilization itself.

"The advocates of the gold standard persistently claim that


the cause of our distress is over-production; that we have
produced so much that it has made us poor—which implies that
the true remedy is to close the factory, abandon the farm, and
throw a multitude of people out of employment, a doctrine that
leaves us unnerved and disheartened, and absolutely without
hope for the future.

"We affirm it to be unquestioned that there can be no such


economic paradox as over-production, and at the same time tens
of thousands of our fellow-citizens remaining half-clothed and
half-fed, and who are piteously clamoring for the common
necessities of life.

{569}

"Second. That over and above all other questions of policy we


are in favor of restoring to the people of the United States
the time-honored money of the Constitution—gold and silver,
not one, but both—the money of Washington and Hamilton and
Jefferson and Monroe and Jackson and Lincoln, to the end that
the American people may receive honest pay for an honest
product; that the American debtor may pay his just obligations
in an honest standard, and not in a standard that has depreciated
100 per cent. above all the great staples of our country, and
to the end further that the standard countries may be deprived
of the unjust advantage they now enjoy in the difference in
exchange between gold and silver—an advantage which tariff
legislation alone cannot overcome.

"We therefore confidently appeal to the people of the United


States to leave in abeyance for the moment all other
questions, however important and even momentous they may
appear, to sunder, if need be, all former party ties and
affiliations, and unite in one supreme effort to free
themselves and their children from the domination of the money
power—a power more destructive than any which has ever been
fastened upon the civilized men of any race or in any age, and
upon the consummation of our desires and efforts we invoke the
gracious favor of Divine Providence.

"Inasmuch as the patriotic majority of the Chicago convention


embodied in the financial plank of its platform the principles
enunciated in the platform of the American Bimetallic party,
promulgated at Washington, D. C., January 22, 1896, and herein
reiterated, which is not only the paramount but the only real
issue in the pending campaign, therefore, recognizing that
their nominees embody these patriotic principles, we recommend
that this convention nominate William J. Bryan, of Nebraska, for
President, and Arthur Sewall, of Maine, for Vice President."

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: 1896.


People's or Populist Party Platform and Nominations.

The People's Party, more commonly called the Populist Party,


held its national convention at St. Louis on the 22d-25th of
July, simultaneously with that of the National Silver Party,
and with strong influences urging it to act on the same line.
One section of the party strove to bring about a complete
endorsement of the Democratic nominations made at Chicago.
Another section, styled the "Middle-of-the-Road" Populists,
opposed any coalition with other parties; while a third wished
to nominate Bryan, with a Populist candidate for Vice
President, looking to an arrangement with the Democratic
organization for a fusion of electoral tickets in various
States. The idea of the latter prevailed, and William J. Bryan
was nominated for President, with Thomas E. Watson, of
Georgia, for Vice President. The People's Party had little
disagreement with the Chicago declarations of the Democratic
Party, and none at all on financial questions, concerning
which its doctrines were set forth in the following platform:

"The People's Party, assembled in National Convention,


reaffirms its allegiance to the principles declared by the
founders of the Republic, and also to the fundamental
principles of just government as enunciated in the platform of
the party in 1892.

"We recognize that through the connivance of the present and


preceding administrations the country has reached a crisis in
its National life, as predicted in our declaration of four
years ago, and that prompt and patriotic action is the supreme
duty of the hour.

"We realize that while we have political independence, our


financial and industrial independence is yet to be attained by
restoring to our country the constitutional control and
exercise of the functions necessary to a people's government,
which functions have been basely surrendered by our public
servants to corporations and monopolies. The influence of
European money-changers has been more potent in shaping
legislation than the voice of the American people. Executive
power and patronage have been used to corrupt our legislatures
and defeat the will of the people, and plutocracy has been
enthroned upon the ruins of democracy. To restore the
government intended by the fathers, and for the welfare and
prosperity of this and future generations, we demand the
establishment of an economic and financial system which shall
make us masters of our own affairs and independent of European
control, by the adoption of the following declaration of
principles:
"We demand a National money, safe and sound, issued by the
general government only, without the intervention of banks of
issue, to be a full legal tender for an debts, public and
private, and a just, equitable, and efficient means of
distribution direct to the people and through the lawful
disbursements of the Government.

"We demand the free and unrestricted coinage of silver and


gold at the present legal ratio of sixteen to one, without
waiting for the consent of foreign nations.

"We demand that the volume of circulating medium be speedily


increased to an amount sufficient to meet the demands of the
business population of this country and to restore the just
level of prices of labor and production.

"We denounce the sale of bonds and the increase of the public
interest-bearing bond debt made by the present administration
as unnecessary and without authority of law, and we demand
that no more bonds be issued except by specific act of
Congress.

"We demand such legislation as will prevent the demonetization


of the lawful money of the United States by private contract.

"We demand that the Government, in payment of its obligations,


shall use its option as to the kind of lawful money in which
they are to be paid, and we denounce the present and preceding
administrations for surrendering this option to the holders of
government obligations.

"We demand a graduated income tax, to the end that aggregated


wealth shall bear its just proportion of taxation, and we
denounce the recent decision of the Supreme Court relative to
the income-tax law as a misinterpretation of the Constitution
and an invasion of the rightful powers of Congress over the
subject of taxation.
"We demand that postal savings banks be established by the
Government for the safe deposit of the savings of the people
and to facilitate exchange.

"Transportation being a means of exchange and a public


necessity, the Government should own and operate the railroads
in the interest of the people and on non-partisan basis, to
the end that all may be accorded the same treatment in
transportation, and that the tyranny and political power now
exercised by the great railroad corporations, which result in
the impairment if not the destruction of the political rights
and personal liberties of the citizens, may be destroyed. Such
ownership is to be accomplished gradually, in a manner
consistent with sound public policy.

{570}

"The interest of the United States in the public highways


built with public moneys and the proceeds of extensive grants
of land to the Pacific railroads should never be alienated,
mortgaged, or sold, but guarded and protected for the general
welfare as provided by the laws organizing such railroads. The
foreclosure of existing liens of the United States on these
roads should at once follow default in the payment of the debt
of the companies, and at the foreclosure sales of said roads
the Government should purchase the same if it becomes
necessary to protect its interests therein, or if they can be
purchased at a reasonable price; and the Government should
operate said railroads as public highways for the benefit of
the whole and not in the interest of the few, under suitable
provisions for protection of life and property, giving to all
transportation interests and privileges and equal rates for
fares and freight.

"We denounce the present infamous schemes for refunding those


debts and demand that the laws now applicable thereto be
executed and administered according to their true intent and
spirit.

"The telegraph, like the post-office system, being a necessity


for the transmission of news, should be owned and operated by
the Government in the interest of the people.

"The true policy demands that the National and State


legislation shall be such as will ultimately enable every
prudent and industrious citizen to secure a home, and
therefore the land should not be monopolized for speculative
purposes.

"All land now held by railroads and other corporations in


excess of their actual needs should by lawful means be
reclaimed by the Government and held for actual settlers only,
and private land monopoly, as well as alien ownership, should
be prohibited.

"We condemn the frauds by which the land grant to the Pacific
Railroad Companies have, through the connivance of the
Interior Department, robbed multitudes of bona fide settlers
of their homes and miners of their claims, and we demand
legislation by Congress which will enforce the exemption of
mineral land from such grants after as well as before patent.

"We demand that bona fide settlers on all public lands be


granted free homes, as provided in the National homestead law,
and that no exception be made in the case of Indian
reservations when opened for settlement, and that all lands
not now patented come under this demand.

"We favor a system of direct legislation through the


initiative and referendum under proper constitutional
safeguards.

"We demand the election of President, Vice-President, and


United States Senators by a direct vote of the people.

"We tender to the patriotic people of Cuba our deepest


sympathy in their heroic struggle for political freedom and
independence, and we believe the time has come when the United
States, the great Republic of the world, should recognize that
Cuba is and of right ought to be a free and independent State.

"We favor home rule in the Territories and the District of


Columbia and the early admission of the Territories as States.

"All public salaries should be made to correspond to the price


of labor and its products.

"In times of great industrial depression idle labor should be


employed on public works as far as practicable.

"The arbitrary course of the courts in assuming to imprison


citizens for indirect contempt and ruling by injunction should
be prevented by proper legislation.

"We favor just pensions for our disabled Union soldiers.

"Believing that the elective franchise and untrammelled ballot


are essential to a government of, for, and by the people, the
People's Party condemn the wholesale system of
disfranchisement adopted in some States as unrepublican and
undemocratic, and we declare it to be the duty of the several
State legislatures to take such action as will secure a full,
free, and fair ballot and an honest count.

"While the foregoing propositions constitute the platform upon


which our party stands, and for the vindication of which its
organization will be maintained, we recognize that the great
and pressing issue of the pending campaign, upon which the
present Presidential election will turn, is the financial
question, and upon this great and specific issue between the
parties we cordially invite the aid and co-operation of all
organizations and citizens agreeing with us upon this vital
question."

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: 1896.


National Democratic Platform and Nominations.

An extensive revolt in the Democratic Party against the


declarations and the action of the party convention at Chicago
had been quickly made manifest, and steps were soon taken
towards giving it an organized form. These led to the
assembling of a convention of delegates at Indianapolis, on
the 2d and 3d of September, which, in the name of the
"National Democratic Party," repudiated the platform and the
candidates put forward at Chicago, and branded them as false
to the historic party name which they assumed. General John M.
Palmer, of Illinois, was put in nomination for President, and
General Simon Bolivar Buckner, of Kentucky, for Vice
President, of the United States, and a declaration of
Democratic principles adopted, the fundamental passages of
which are quoted in the following:

"This convention has 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.

"The democratic party is pledged to equal and exact justice to


all men of every creed and condition; to the largest freedom
of the individual 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 legislation. 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 attempt to increase the
price of silver by legislation, to the debasement of our
monetary standard; and threaten unlimited issues of paper
money by the government.
{571}
They abandon for republican allies the democratic cause of
tariff reform, to court 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 defeats, but could not survive a victory
won in behalf of the doctrine and policy proclaimed in its
name at Chicago.

"The conditions, however, which made possible 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 demand of
the republican party for an increase in tariff taxation has
its pretext in the deficiency of the revenue, which has its
causes in the stagnation of trade and reduced consumption, due
entirely to the loss of confidence that has followed the
populist threat of free coinage and depreciation of our money,
and the republican practice of extravagant appropriations beyond
the needs of good government. We arraign and condemn the
populistic conventions of Chicago and St. Louis for their
cooperation with the republican party in creating these
conditions, which are pleaded in justification of a heavy
increase of the burdens of the people by a further resort to
protection. We 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 of the
republic, whose food and shelter, comfort and prosperity are
attacked by higher taxes and depreciated money. In fine, we
reaffirm the historic democratic doctrine of tariff for
revenue only. …

"The experience of mankind has shown that, by reason of their


natural qualities, gold is the necessary money of the large
affairs of commerce and business, while silver is conveniently
adapted to minor transactions, and the most beneficial use of
both together can be insured only by the adoption of the
former as a standard 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
employment of both metals is gained with a value universally
accepted throughout the world, which constitutes the only
practical bimetallic currency, assuring the most stable
standard, and especially 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 these truths demonstrated by long and public


inconvenience and loss, the democratic party, in the interests
of the masses and of equal justice to all, practically
established by the legislation of 1834 and 1853 the gold
standard of monetary measurement, and likewise entirely
divorced the government from banking and currency issues. 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 purchase of silver bullion. But we denounce
also the further maintenance of the present costly 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 of our country uniform,
safe, and elastic bank currency under governmental
supervision, measured in volume by the needs of business.

"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 enforcement of the laws,
its equal regard for the rights of every class and every
section, its firm 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. We also commend the administration for the
great progress made in the reform of the public service, and
we indorse its effort to extend the merit system still
further. We demand that no backward step be taken, but that
the reform be supported and advanced until the un-democratic
spoils system of appointments be eradicated."

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: 1896.


Prohibition Platform and Nominations.

The Prohibition Party had been the first to open the


presidential campaign with candidates placed in the field. Its
national convention was held at Pittsburg, on the 27th and
28th of May, and its nominees for President and Vice President
were Joshua Levering, of Maryland, and Hale Johnson, of
Illinois. But a split in the convention occurred on attempts
made to graft free-silver and kindred doctrines on the
one-issue platform which the majority of the party desired.
Except in a single particular, the latter prevailed. The
platform adopted was as follows:

"The Prohibition Party, in national convention assembled,

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