The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-10-03
THE DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE.
II Remains Firm and Unchanged on the
Money Question,

money question,
The reaffirmation OF the Ohio democ-
racy of the democratic plank in the ma
tional convention of 1892 on the sub
ject Of gold and silver calls atten.
tion to something that has been over
looked by a good many of the takers
on the free coinage question. 1t has
been assumed by many Of these that
the doctrine Of the democratic party
on the subject is in doubt, while some
have not hesitated to affirm that the
party is in favor of the free coinage OF
silver at the old rate Of sixteen for
one. 1t Is worth while, therefore, at
this time to recall that the only au-
thoritative utterance of the democratic
party on the subject is contained in
the platform of 1892, which was in
dorsed by the Ohio democracy. The
plank reads as follows:
I'VE denounce tho republican legislation
known as the sherman act Of 1890 as n coward
ly makeshift fraught with possibilities OF
danger In the futGre which should make all
Its supporters as well os its author anxious
for Its speedy repeal We hold to the use OF
both gold and silver Us the standard money Of
the country and to the coinage Of both gold
and silver without discriminating against
either metal or charge for mutage: but the
dollar unit Of coinage OF both metals must be
OF equal intrinsic and exchange able value or
be adjusted through international agree
ment or by such safeguards Of legislation as
shall Insure the maintenance Of tlSo parity OF
the two metals and the equ 4 power OF every
dollar at all times in tho markets and in the
payment Of debts; and we demand that all
paper currency shall kept at par with and re-
deemable in such coin, We insist upon this
mol NNwT1 -
uon OF the farmers and laboring classes, the
hrst and most defenseless victims Of unstable
money and fiuctuating currency"
As TO what this meant there could be
no real doubt. The friends of free sill
yer had none at the time, for they
moved through Mr.. Patterson, OF Colo
RADIO, to insert the word free" before
the words coinage Of both gold and
silver" in the money plank. This mo-
ton was emphatically voted down, and
the meaning of the plank, so far as
free coinage Of silver was concerned,
was thereby put beyond the possibil-
ity Of misconception or mlsconstruc-
ton. 1t Is worth while TO recall also
what President Cleveland said on the
same subject In his letter of accept
ance. Starting with the proposition
that the people are entitled to sound
and honest money abundantly suffi-
cient In volume to supply their busi-
ness needs, he proceeded:
Whatever may be the form Of ths peoples
currency, national or state-whether gold, sill
YER or pRper-it should be so regulated and
guarded by governmental action or by wise
and careful laws that no one can be deluded
as TO the certainty and stability OF its value
Every dollar put into the hands Of the people
should be Of the same intrinsic value or pur-
chasing power With this condition abso-
lutely guaranteed both gold and silver can be
safely utilized upon equal terms IN the adjust
ment Of our currency,
I'm dealing with this subject no selfish
scheme should be allowed TO intervene and
no doubtful experiment should be attempted
The wants OF our people arising from the def
cheney or imperfect distribution OF money ctr
culation ought to be fully and honestly recoR-
nized and efficiently remedied II should,
however be constantly remembered that the
inconvenience or loss that might arise from
such q situation can be much more easily
borne than the universal distress which must
follow a discredited currency"
This Is the national democratic doc.
trine to-day; and 1t will remain SC
until the democratic party in national
convention sees fit to modify or change
it. Its strong affirmation by the Ohio
democracy indicates that 1t will not be
essentially changed at the next assem-
bling of the national democracy De
troit Free Press.