The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-05-24
Democratic s ta&e Platform

Democratic s tate Platform
To show our rea' jere the Democratic
Inconsistency we publish the bourbon
state platform:
We, the Dem. craf:y OF the state oil
Missouri, in convention assembled,
her eby affirm our faith in and ad-
herence to the time. honored principles
of our party as set fourth in its state
and national plato ms of the past and
express our convictions that the pros
perity OF the people and tn, prosperity
of representative COVER nment depend
upon their continued supremacy.
We especially reatfirm our devotion
OF the cardinal Democratic doctrine of
absolute equality among all citizeLs
and sections in bearing the burdens and
enjoving the benefits of government,
and we denounce ell legislation as an
just and undemOcratic which has the
effect of creating partnerships between
the government and private interests
at the expense Of the great body of our
people and we again assert, as in 1892.
that "the Federal government has no
constitutional power to impose and COL
lect tariff duties except for the pur-
pose of revenue only, and we demand
that the collection OF such duties shall
be limited to the necessities OF the
government honestly and economically
administered"
We denounce the Mckinley act a.
the culmir ating outrage OF tariff tax
alton. and we unequivOcally disapproye
Of the action of every Democratic sena-
tor and representative in congress who
opposes or delays, directly or indirectly
under any pretext, the passage OF a bill
decreasing the import duties imposed by
that law.
We favor the imposition of an income
tax as proposed by the Wilson bill, not,
as is falsely asserted by its opponents.
for the purpose OF discriminating
against the wealth of any section, but
because every citizen should be taxed
in proportion to the benefit he receives
from the protection to his property by
the government. and no tax can be Sc
just as that which is collected not on
consumption or unproductive property.
bnt from the profits of incomes, which
really represents the benefits received
by the citizens from just and equa,
laws.
We denOunce as unamerican and un-
democratic the system of taxation on
consumption only now advocated by the
Republicans and pretended Democrats,
under which the poor pay the same OF
greater taxes than the rich.
Whereas, the Constitution of tn,
United States provides that congress
shall have power to coin money, regu-
late the value thereof and of foreign
coins, and also provides that the State
shall coin money or make anything but
gold and silver coin tender in pay
ment OF debts, hence we declare it to
be a duty enjoined upon congress by
the Constit ,tion to coin both gold and
silver money for the use of the people
of the states; that congress has no
rightful power to refuse the coinage of
either metal.
We therefore demand the free blme-
tallic coinage of both gold and silver,
and the restoration of the bimetallic
standard as it existed under our laws
for over 80 years prior to the demone-
tizatiOn OF the standard silver dallor in
1873. and should it become necessary
in order to maintain the two metals in
circulation to readjust the ratio, it
should be determined whether gold has
risen or silver has fallen, and whether
there should be change of the gold
dollar or of the silver dollar, or of both
TO the end that whatever ratio is
adopted, the rights of both creditor and
debtor shall be preserved alike, having
in view the demands of the people for
an adequate circulation medium. We
declare that We are not in favor of gold
recommendation or silver monOmetal-
lism, but that both should be coined at
such ratio rs will maintain the two
metals in circulation.
We insist upon the Democratic doc.
trine of Jackson and Benton, that ali
money issued by the authority of con-
gress shall be issued and its value
maintained by the government. Tha,
We are opposed to farming out to
national banks the right to issue circu-
lating notes. That We are opposed to
any further increase of the interest
bearing debt Of the government.
We affirm our adhearance to the
great truth that free institutions can
only be preserved by u strict construc-
ton of the Federal constitution and the
recognition at all times of the limi-