Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-19

been a doubt. 1t is the rightful prov
ince of this convention to revise the
party tenets and to announce anew the
party purpose. The majority OF this
convention in the exercise of such au-
thority has this day made official enun-
citation of Republican law and gospel.
With much of the platform we agree;
believing that in many essential par
ticulars It compasses the needs Of hui
manity, affirms the maintenance OF
right and proposes the just remedy for
wrong. But il declares one elemental
principal not only in direct contraven-
ton of the expression of party faith in
1892. but in radical opposition to
OUR SOLEMN CONVICTION.
We recognize that in all matters of
mere method it is but just and helpful
that the minority shall yield to the will
of the majority, lest we have chaos in
parties and in government. But as no
pronouncement by majorities can
change opposing knowledge or BELIEF
sincerely entertained, so is cannot
oblige minorities to abandon or disavow
their principles. Assuredly as it is re-
uuisite for peace ard progress that mi
noritieS shall yield to majorities in mat
ters of mere method, just so surely is IL
necessary for that same peace and
progress that minorities shall not yield
in matters Of fundamental truth.
The Republican Platform Of 1892 af-
firmed that the American people from
tradition and interest favored bimetall-
ism and demanded the use of both gold
rJ Il, -,
was accepted by us. declaration in be-
half of the principle upon which rest
the interest Of every citizen and the SAT
ETY. OF the United States. In such terms
the platform was then satisfactory TO
the believers of bimetallism within our
party; only because of equivocal con-
struc.ion and evasion has it since been
demonstrated to be insufficient The
platform this day adopted in the nation
a,Republican party says: AS the dec
laration Of 1892 has been by majority
of the party construed to justify sim
gle gold standard for our monetary ba-
sis and as the recent trend of the Off
cial power of the party has been in That
direction, we can but assume that the
money plank of the new platform be-
gold recommendation vii, be determin-
edly used in behalf OF that idea The
Republican party has won its power
and renown by pursuing its purposes
courageousiy and relentlessly; it is,
therefore. only in accordance with the
party's history to assume that If 1t
shall come 10 present authority in the
United States. it viii crystalline into
the law and administration under
THIS TEMPTING PLATFORM
the perpetual single gold standard OF
will mean the absolute ruin of the pro-
ducers of the country and finally OF
the nation itself.
The American people not only favor
bimetallism from tradition and interest
but from that wise instinct which has
always bene manifest in the affairs o,
a people destined for the worlds leader
ship. Under the operation of our
great demand for advancement, we have
become to other nations the greatest
debtor nation in the world We pay the
vast charges which every year accumu-
late against us in the clearing housed OF
the world with the money OF the world
procured by the disposal Of our commit
dities in the markets of the world. We
are a nation OF producers. Our credi-
tors are nations Of consumers. Any
system of international or national fin
ance which elevates the price OF human
product makes our burden lighter and
give promise of that day when it shall
be entirely lifted and our country freed
financially. as it is politically, from the
domination OF monarchy and foreign
autocracy. Any system o. finance
which tend TO lesesn the price of hui
man productions which we sell abroad.
but il so far adds to the burden OF the
debt. and conveys a threat Of the per-
petual servitude of the producers OF OF
debtor nation to the consumers of cred
itor nations. To use 1t is folly without
a parallel that this country or any po-
litical party therein should deliberately