The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-08-21

and the country, we are assembled as
individual Democrats to take counsel
together, and for the undisguised pur-
pose of inaugurating and promoting a
thorough and systematic organization
of the Democratic masses, so that they
may 60 forward as one man with
reSolute purpose to rescue the old par
ty founded by Thomas Jefferson from
plutocratic domination.
Therefore, with this object in view,
this convention of American Demo
Gratis, composed of representatives
from twenty-five of the leading States
of the Union, make the following de-
claration on the monetary question,
which has been forced into the leading
place among the issues of today:
The Federal Constitution names sill
yer and gold together as the money
metals of the United States. The first
coinage law passed by Congress under
the Constitution made the silver dollar
the unit of value and admitted gold to
free coinage at a ratio measured by
the silver dollar unit.
From the beginning of the govern
ment, following policy formulated
by Thomas Jefferson and firmly es-
tablished by Jackson, the Democratic
party has been the party of bimetal-
Iism, favoring the free coinage of both
silver and gold at the national mints,
and opposed to farming out to bank
corporations the governments sover-
eign power of issuing and controlling
the money of the people.
The act of 1873 demonetizing silver
was surreptitiously passed without the
approval or knowledge OF the Ameri-
can people, and from the time when
the effect of this act in fastening upon
this country the single gold standard
was understood, the Democratic party
has consistently and persistently urged
that the grievous wrong be righted.
Failure to accomplish this object
has resulted in the steady apprecia-
ton of gold and a conspicuous fall IN
the price Of commodities produced by
the people; heavy increase in the
burden of all debts, public and pri-
vate; the enrichment of the money
lending class; paralysis of industry,
and the impoverishment OF the people
and unexampled distress in all gold
standard countries. Experience has
shown that while, under the single
gold standard, there may be an occa-
sional revival of business, actively ac-
companied by enhanced prices of a
limited number of commodities, such
revival is due to artificial and tenn
porary causes and cannot permanent
ly alleviate the sutferings due to the
falling of prices brought about by the
appreciation of gold and the ioade-
quate supply ofpnmary or redemption
money.
The rights of the American people,
the interests of American labor, and
the prosperity of American industry
have a higher claim to the considera-
ton of the peoples lawmakers than
the greed of foreign creditors, or the
avaricious demands made by idle
holders of idle capital The right to
regulate its own monetary system IN
the interests Of its own people IS a
right which no free government can
barter, sell or surrender. This re-
served right is part of every bond,
of every contract and of every obllga-
ton. No creditor or claimant can set
up a right that can take precedence
over nations obligations to promote
the welfare of the masses of its peo-
pie. This is debt higher and more
binding than all other debts, and one
that it is not only dishonest, but trea-
sonable to ignore.
The land and its products are the
basis of all Developments and pros
perity. The productive capacity OF
a country must be the basis Of its
credit. In opposing the policy ofcon-
traction, which must inevitably de-
preciate the value of land and its pro-
ducts we are the supporter of property
rights and sound credit, and stand be-
tween the homes and estates of the
people and the red flag of the auction
eer. The policy of gold monometal-
lism has been characterized by repeat
cd and disastrous financial panlcs.
The farmers have found their prosper
ity and independence constantly wan
ing under its blighting influence.
Manufacturers are interested too, for
they find the prices of sale falling
below the cost of the production. Mer-
chants should oppose it, for with fall-
ing prices they are often compelled to
sell for less than they paid for manu-
factured goods. Neither manufacture
er nor merchant can prosper unless
the mass of consumers realize such
prices for their products and labor as
to supply themselves literally with
the necessities and Injuries of life,
nor can the wage-earner prosper, for
under depressed conditions there is
less and less competition for his labor
The Democratic party is the tradition
al friend and champion of 5imetal-
lism. Its strength and power and
popularity have been largely built
upon its steadfast opposition to the
demonstration of silver money and
its record of unwearied effort to re.
store it to its historic place as a full
money metal equal with gold. The
effort at this late day to make it par
excellence the champion of gold mono
metallism, the enemy of the policy 1t
has upheld and defender of the crime
it has denounced, is an effort to dis
honor its record, its promises, and its
principles. The moment the Demo
cratic party is forced into this posi-
ton, it heaps, obloquy on its own past
and crowns its great adversary with
glory and honor.
Duty to the people requires that the
party of the people continue The bat
Tie for bimetallism until its efforts
are crowned with success; therefore,
belt,
Resolved, That the Democratic party
in national convention assembled,
should demand the free and unlimited
coinage OF silver and gold into primary
or redemption money, at the ratio OF
It to /, without waiting for the action