The herald., 1896-07-08
THE DECLARATION
0F Principles
OF Democrats OF the
United States
THE DOCUMENT 70 Be SUBMITTED
Is Not Likely to Suffer Amend.
FREE COINAGE OF SILVER
Declared to Be Paramount to Every
Other Question
All Tariff Duties Shoad Be Levied for Reve-
nue. Only
American Labor Can Best Be Protected by
the Prohibition of the In, oortation Of
Pauper Labor and by Ma
tonai Economy
Is Not Likely to Suffer Amend
rlent
FREE COINAGE OF SILVER
Declared to Be Paramount to Every
Other Question
All Tariff Duties Shoald Be Levied for Reve-
nue. Only
American Labor Can Best Be Protected by
the Prohibition of the In, oortation Of
Pauper Labor and by Ma
tionai Economy
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
Following is the platform as agreed
to by the subcommittee to be submit
ted to the general committee tomorrow
morning. 1t is thought that few if any
notifications will be made before the
resolutions are presented to the con-
vention. although planks favoring the
Monroe doctrine and recognizing Cuban
belligerency are proposed. The min
ority will, of course, present a report.
taking ground against the free coinage
of silver:
THE PLATFORM
We, the Democrats of the United
States in national convention assem-
bled do reaffirm our allegiance to those
great essential principles of justice and
liberty upon which our institutions are
founded and which the Democratic party
has maintained 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.
THE MONEY QUESTION
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 coin
age law passed by congress under the
constitution made the silver dollar the
unit of value and admitted gold to free
ooif1a at a ratiO r1na S1Irp6 nv the sill
yer dollar unit.
We declare that the act of 1879 de-
monetizing silver without the knowledge
or approval of the American people has
resulted in the appreciation of gold and
a corresponding fall in the prices Of
commodities produced by the people;
a heavy increase in the burden of taxa
ton and of all debts, public and private;
the enrichment of the money lending
class at home and abroad; paralysis of
industry and impoverishment of the
people.
We are unalterably opposed to the sin
gle gold standard, which has locked fast
the prosperity of an industrious people!
in the paralysis of hard times. Gold
monometallism is a British policy found
ed upon British greed for gain ami
power, and it's general adoption has
brought other nations into financial serv-
itude to London. 1t is not only un- Amer
lean 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 of 1776, and won
it in the war of the revolution.
We demand the immediate restora-
ton of the free and unlimited coinage of
gold and silver at the present legal ratio
of 16 to l. without waiting for the aid
or consent of any other nation. We de-
mand that the standard silver dollar
shall be full legal tender, equally with
gold, for all debts, public and private.
and favor such legislation as will pre-
vent the demonetiZation of any kind Of
legal tender money by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and prac-
tice of surrendering to the holders of the
obligations of the United States the OPP
tion reserved by law to the government
of redeeming such obligations in either
silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of in
terest bearing bonds of the United States
III lllueS Vi peace, anu COuuelll lut
trahicking with banking syndicates
wlsch. in exchange for bonds at an
enormous profit to themselves, supply
the federal treasury with gold to main
tain the policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has the power to coin
and issue money, and President Jack
son declared that this power could not
be delegated to corporations or individ-
uals. We therefore demand that the
power to issue notes be taken from the
banks, and that all paper money shall
be issued directly by the treasury depart
ment.
THE TARIFF
We hold that the tariff duties should be
levied solely for the purpose of revenue
and that taxation should be limited by
the needs of the government, econonni-
cally administered. We denounce as
disturbing to business the Republican
threat. to restore the Mckinley law,
which has been twice condemned by the
people in national elections, and which,
enacted under the false plea of protec-
ton to home industry, proved prolific
breeder of trusts and monopolies, en-
riching the few at the expense of the
many, restricted trade and deprived the
producers of the great American sta
pies of access to their natural markets.
Until the money question is settled we
are opposed to any agitation fer fur.t