Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1893-09-08
CANTON. SOUTH DAKOTA.
The I@ad@r.
Political Platforms.
POPULIsTs, 1892.

Political Platforms.
PoPULIsTs, 1892.
The Populist platform adopted by the
national convention in 1892 contained
these words:
yer and gold at tha present legal ratio OF 10 to L.
AS the members of that party, both in
the senate and in the house, stand ready
to carry out the pledge there made, no
appeal to them is necessary.
THE REPUBLICAN, POSITION.
1888.
The Republican national platform ad-
opted in 1883 this plank:
The Republican party is in favor Of the use OF
both gold and silver as money and condemns
the policy Of the Democratic administration in
it's efforts to demonetize silver.
1892,
The same party in 1892 adopted plat
form containing the following language:
The American people from tradition and In
terest favor bimetallism, and the Republican
party demands the use OF both gold and silver
as standard money, such restrictions to be de-
termined by contemplation OF values OF the two
metals, SO that the purchasing and debt-paylne
power OF the dollar, whether silver, gold or pa
per, shall be equal at oil times.
The interests Of the producers Of the country
it's farmers and its workingrnen, demand tna1
every dollar, paper or gold, issued by the gov
ernment, shall be as good as any other. we
commend the wise and patriotic steps already
taken by our government to secure an 1nterna
tional parity OF value between gold and silver
for use as money throughout the world.
Are the Republican members of this
house ready to abandon the system which
the American people favor 'from ira
dition and interest?' Having won a
presidential election upon a platform
which condemned "the policy of the
Democratic administration in its efforts
to demonetize silver" are they ready to
ioin in that demonetization? Having ad.
vocated the Sherman law because it gave
IN increased use of silver, are they ready
to repeal it and make no provisions fol
silver ut all: Are they willing to go be-
fore the country confessing that they Sc
cured the present law by sharp practice
and only adopted it as an ingenious de-
vice for preventing free coinage, to be re-
pealed as soon us the hour of danger was
passed?
THE DEMOCRATIC POSITION.
1880.
The Democratic platform Of 1880 con
tanned these words:
Honest money, consisting Of gold and silve
and paper convertible into coin ON demand.
It would seem that at that time slve
was honest money, although the bullion
value was considerably below the coinag
value.
In 1884 the Democratic platform con
tanned this plank:
We believe in honest money, the gold and si
yer coinage OF tho Constitution, and circulat
ing medium convertible into such money with
out loss. ..
1t would seem at that time silver wa
considered honest money.
-- ..>... 1888.
In 1883 the Democratic party did no
express itself on the money question eX
cept by saying:
It renewed the pledge OF its fidelity to Demo
cratic faith. and rea;firms the platform adopted
by its representatives in the convention OF 1854
Since lh: platform Of 1884 commended
nUct
sumo that the reasfirlning Of that plat
form declared anew that silver was hon
est money rs late as 1888, although II
that time its bullion value had fallcl
still more. as @.a
The last utterancc of the Democratic
national convention upon this subject l.
contained in the platform adopted a
Chicago in 1892 1t is as follows:
We denouncc the Republican legislatio,
known as the Sherman act OF 1890 as q cowardl.
make-shift, fraught with possibilities OF dange
in the future, which should make all af its sup
por.crs as well as it's authors, anxious for IT.
speedy repeal. We hold to the use OF both golt
and silver as the standard money OF the countr.
and to the coinage Of both gold and silver with
out discrimination against either metal o.
charge OF mintage. but the dollar unit of coin
age of both metals must be Of equal intrinsic
and exchangeable value or be adjusted through
international agreement or by such safeguard
of legislation as shall insure the maintenance
of the parity OF the two metals, and the equa
power OF every dollar at oil times in the 1nalk
cts and in the payment of debts: ana we de
mand that all paper currency shall be kept a
par with, and redeenable in. such coin. W.
insist upon this policy as especially necessar.
for the protection of the farmers and laborinl
classes. the first and most defenseless victim:
of unstable money and n huctuating currency
Thus it will be seen that gold and silver
has been indissolublv linked together il
our platforms. Never in the history o
the party has it taken position in favor
Of = rold standard. On every vote taier
in the house and senate Il majority of The
party have been recorded not only in ia
yor of bmrlailism, but for the free anC
unlimited coinage of gold and silver al
The ratio of Is to 1.-Congressmar
Bryan.
- The Baltimore corn and flour cN'
chnnre asks the MARYLAND senators &c