The Van Buren press., 1895-08-10
Misseari Demecratlc State Convention
Declares for Free Silver.

Every county In the State was repre-
sented by delegates at the Pertle Springs
last Tuesday. The follow
ing platform of resolutions was adopted
by large majority:
The Democrats Of Missouri, in state
assembled, make the follow
ing declaration on the monetary ques-
ton which has been forced into the
leading place among the issues Of today.
The Federal constitution names silver
and gold together as the money metal Of
the United States. The first coinage
law passed by congress under the consti.
tuition made the silver dollar the unit Of
value and admitted gold to free coinage
at ratio measured by the silver dollar
unit.
From the beginning Of the govern
ment. following policy formulated by
Thomas Jefferson. the Democratic
party has been the party Of bimetal-
lism, favoring the free coinage Of both
silver and gold Ut the National lnints,
and opposed to farming out to banking
corporations the government sover-
eign power Of issuing and controlling
the money Of the people.
The act Of 1878 demonetizing silver
was surreptitiously passed without the
approval or knowledge Of the Amen-
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 aud persistently urged
that the grievous wrong be righted.
Failure TO accomplish this object has
resulted in the steady appreciation Of
gold and the corresponding fall in the
price Of commodities produced by the
people, q heavy increase in the burden
Of all debts, public and private; the
enrichment Of the money. lending class
paralysis OF industry and imp0verish-
ment Of the people, and unexampled
distress In all gold standard countries.
Experience has shown that, while un-
der the single gold standard there may
be an occasi0nal revival Of business &C
tivity, accompanied by enhanced prices
Of o limited number of commodities
such revival u due to temporary causes,
and cannot permanently alleviate the
sufferings due the to falling Of prices
brought about by the appreciation Of
gold and the inadequate supply Of pri-
mary or redemption money.
Duty to the people requires that the
party Of the people continue the battle
Tor bimetallism until its efforts are
crowned with success therefore, be II
Resolved, That we, the Democratic
party Of Missouri, in convention -
sembled, demand the free and unlimited
coinage Of silver and gold into primary
or redemption money, ct the ratio Of II
to 1, without waiting for the action oi
any other nation
Resolved, 6econd-That we are ire.
vocably opposed TO the substitution fol
metallic money Of . panic breeding cor
poration credit currency based ON Z
single metal, the supply Of which Is st
limited that It can be cornered at any
time by . few banking institutions II
Europe and America.
Resolved, Third That we are opposed
to the policy and practice Of surrender
ing to the holders of the obligations oi
the United States the option reserved BY
the Law TO the government Of redeeminl
such obligations IN either silver coin ol
gold coin.
Resolved, Fourth-that we are op.
posed to the issuing Of interest bearing
bonds in time Of peace. and especially
are we opposed to placing the treasury
Of the government under the control Of
any syndicate Of bankers and the issu
ance Of bonds to be sold by them at an
enormous profit for the purpose Of sup.
plying the Federal treasury with golt
to maintain the policy Of gold mono
metallism.