The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-09-25

tanned from Jefferson's time to our own
freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of conscience, the preservation
of personal rights, the equality of all
citizens before the law, and the faithful
observance of constitutional limitations.
Recognizing that the money question
is paramount to all others at this time,
we invite attention to the fact that the
federal constitution names silver and
gold together as the money metals of the
United States, and that 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.
We declare that the act of 1873 de-
monetizing silver without the knowledge
or approval of the American people has
resulted in the appreciation of gold and
corresponding fall in the prices Of
commodities produced by the people;
heavy increase in the burden OF taxation,
and OF all debts, public and private; the
enrichment of the monty-lending classes
at homo and abroad; paralysis OF indus
tries and impoverishment OF the people.
We are unalterably opposed to the sim
gle gold standard, which has locked fast
the prosperity OF an industrious people
in the paralysis of hard times. Gold
monometallism is q. British policy,
founded upon Bri;ieh greed for gain and
power, and its general adoption has
brought other nations into financial ser
vitude to London. 1t is not only un-
! American, but anti American, and it can
be fastened upon the United States only
by the sitting of that indomitable spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence in 1776 and won
| it in the war of the Revolution.
We demand the immediate restoration
| of the free and unlimited coinage of gold
and silver at the present legal ratio Of l6
to l, without waiting for the aid or con-
sent OF any other nation. We demand
that the standard silver dollar shall be
| full legal tender, equally with gold, for
all debts, public and private, and we
favor such legislation as will prevent the
decentralization of any kind of legal
tender money by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and practice
OF ofsurrendering to holders of obligations OF
the United states any option reserved by
law to the government of redeeming such
obligations in either silver coin or gold
coin.
We are opposed to the issuing OF
interest bearing bonds OF the United
| States in time OF peace, and condemn
| trafficing with banking syndicates which,
in exchange for bonds at an enormous
profit to themselves, supply the federal
| treasury with gold to maintain q policy
| of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has power to coin and
| issue money and President Jackson
| declared that this power could not be
| delegated to corporations or individuals.
| We therefore demand that the power
| to issue notes be taken from the banks
and that all paper shall be issued direct
| ly by the treasury department. We
! bold that tariff duties should be levied
/ solely for the purpose of revenue and
| that taxation should be limited by
| the needs of the government, honestly
and economically administered. We
| denounce as disturbing to business
the republican threat to reetore the Me-
| Kinley law, which has twice been con-
demned by the people in national
elections, and which, enacted under the
| false plea OF protection to home industry.
proved a prolific breeder of trusts and
monopoliee, enriching the few at the ex.
pense Of the many, restricted trade and
deprived the producers of the great Amer
| ican staples of access to their natural
markets. Until the money question
is settled, we are opposed TO any agitation
for further changes in our tariff laws ex-
cept such as are necessary to make the
deficit in revenue, caused by the ad
verse decision OF the supreme court
as to the income tax.
There would have been no deficit in
the federal revenue during the last two
wears but for the annulment by the
supreme court of the income tax law,
placed upon the statute books by demo.
cratic congress. The obstruction to an
income tax, which the supreme court dis
covered in the constitution after it had
laid hidden for hundred years, must be
removed, to the end that accumulated
wealth may be made to bear its just share
of the burden OF the government. We,
therefore, favor an amendment to the
federal constitution that will permit the
lew of an income tax. We hold that the
efficient way of protecting American
labor is to prevent the importation of
foreign pauper labor to compete with the
home market, and that the value Of the
| 0OLl6 IlInA hNb W Out &AhAOAt~61 Aoa A4Ofo
and artisans is greatly reduced by Q
vicious monetary system which depresses
the prices of their product below the cost
OF production, and thus deprives them OF
the means of satisfying their needs. We
denounce the profigate waste Of the
money wrung from the people by oppres-
sive taxation and lavish appropriations
of recent republican congresses, which
have kept taxes high, while the laborer
that paws them is unemployed, and pro-
ducts Of the people are depressed in price
until they no longer repay the cost Of
production. We demand return to that
simplicity aud economy which best BELTS
a democratic government, and a reduc.
ton in the number os useless offices, the
salaries Of which drain the substance Of
the people. Confiding in the justice oil
our cause and the necessity OF its success
at the polls, We submit the foregoing
declaration of principles and purposes to
the coneiderate judgment of the American
people. We invite the support of all
citizens who approve them and who de-
sire to have them made effective through
legislation for the relief of the people
and the restoration OF the country's
-