The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-10

ed fact and Of hiEtorlc knowledge, the
assertions laid down in the financial
plank in the platform adopted by the
Chicago convention. 1t Is the product
of an ephemeral excitement, of tenn
porary distress and Of an appeal to
prejudices which must pass with the
exercise of calm and sober judgment.
We do not take our stand upon the
superiority Of our own opinions, but,
as we have already said, upon a plat
form of fact, to which is opposed this
political platform of fancy. Those
statements contained in 1t which are
hostile to and contradictory of common
experience no man is pledged to SUBJ
scribe to under penalty of sacrificing
his place in the Democratic party.
1t is not true that "the federal con-
stitution named silver ard gold to-
gether as the money metals Of the
United States" 1t makes no mention
whatever OF silver save in prohibit
ton placed upon the states from MAX
ing anything but gold and silver a
legal tender in the payment of debts.
1t is lot true that the act of 1873 was
passed without the knowledge or ap-
prevail of the American people" We
know nothing about gold monometal-
lism," and whether it is British poll
icy or not, because it does not exist in
this United States, nor is there any
party or scarcely any individual who
IA ty
A country which has very much more
silver In. circulation. either directly or
by its paper representative, than gold,
all Of 1t a full legal tender, and which
proposes to retain every dollar Of that
silver coin, cannot, by the widest
stretch of imagination, be said to have
experienced gold recommendation. The
demand for the immediate restoration
of free and unlimited coinage Of silver
at the present ratio of 16 to 1 is, we
believe. equivalent to a movement for
the Reputation Of debts, for a far
reaching national calamity, for
period Of wild financial disturbance
and loss, and for the subsistence Of that
into a condition that would leave the
United States on a commercial equal
ity with China and Mexico and the
other silver standard countries Of the
world, where civilization is low and
the wages of labor are reduced to the
vanishing point.
So much for the principle Of free
coinage. That the adoption of this one
heresy should disturb all other views
as to the propriety of financial legis-
lation was to be expected. Hence we
find declaration for legislation to
limit the right of private contract. This
is perfectly consistent, coming from
those who believe that legislation can
fix values, but it runs headlong against
all human experience. It must be for
ever as impotent as a law to prevent
the flowing Of tides or a bull against
the comet. The demand, Furthermore,
that all paper money should be issued
by the treasury, which involves Of ne
cessity that it's volume should be regu-
lated by purely political considera-
lions, acting upon congress, instead of
by commercial needs, through the
great law Of demand and supply. is
subversive Of all right financiering, and
directly contrary to the first movement
toward financial reform.
This is the fundamental error of the
platform and the one against which ey
cry Democrat has right, gathered
from his party's history, to- protest.
The thrusting Of the tariff plank to
second place and the declaration
against ally further change in the d.
rection of revenue reform is only a
secondary disappointment as com
pared with the overshadowing error on
the money question. In later portions
Of the platform we come again upon
glimmering of Democratic faith and
doctrine. That the people should re.
turn to simplicity and economy; that
they must take this course Unless the
republic Is to perish in a whirlwind of
extravaganza and universal jobbery, is
clear to every patriots eye. That the
right of the courts to issue injunctions
Unfortunately, suspending legislation
without due warrant of authority
should be limited by law. is the belief
Of every lover Of liberty. These are
planks that command Democratic ap-
prevail and support. The declaration
on civil service Is ambiguous, or worse.
and that relating to the third term
seems to be entirely unnecessary except
as vent for the vengeful disposition Of
the leaders of this convention, toward
a Democratic administration and it's Of
fetal head
Such Is the platform upon which a
majority Of the delegates at Chicago
have elected to go before the people
of this country. 1t Is not a platform
on which we believe that any party can
win in an appeal to the American peo-
pie. The issue, however has been
made and now let 1t be fought out to
the bitter end. Every Democrat Of the
millions In this country who are stead
fast in their devotion to the great prin-
ciples that have made the party what
it is, and preserved to it the loyalty
Of noble and unselfish souls, will re-
serve and exercise freely the right to
accept or reject as he may see fit this
novel doctrine attempted to be injected
into the body of the Democratic creed.
For ourselves, and for the body of the
faithful believers in bimetallism, we
say that it will take more than the die
tum Of a convention, chosen and man