The Daily Texarkanian., 1896-09-18
THE PLATFORM
Adopted by the National Democratic
Convention, at Chicago, July, 1896.

Convention, at Chicago, July, 1896.
We, the Democrats of the United
States. in national convention assembled,
do reaffirm our allegiance to those great
essential principles of justice and liberty
DpOn which our institutions are founded.
and which the Democratic party has ad-
yocated from JefferSOn'S time to our own
freedom of speech, freedom OF press,
freedom of conscience, the preservation
of personal rights, the Pqua ity OF all citi-
Zens before the law. and the faithful OBJ
SeryatiOn of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendencies of selfish
interests to the centrilzatiOn of govern
mental power. and Steadfastly maintain
ed the integrity of the dual scheme of
of government established by the found
ers of this republic of republics. Under
it's guidance and teachings the great prin-
ciple of local government has found
its best expression in the maintenance OF
the rights of the States and its assertion
of the necessity of cOntining the general
government to the exercise OF the powers
granted by the constitution of the United
States.
Rocognizng'that the money question is
paramount to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the Fed
eral constitution names silver and gold
together as the money metals OF the Unit
ed States, and that the iir.t coinage law
passed by Congress under the constitution
made the silver dollar the unit OF value
and admitted gold to free coinage at a
ratio measured by the free silver dollar
unit.
We declare that the act of 1878 demone
tiZing silver without the knowledge or
approval of the American people has re-
suited in the appreciation of gold and a
corresponding fall in the prices of COM
mOditieS produced by the people; heavy
increase in the burden of taxation and of
all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment of the mOney-lcndmg class at
home and abroad; prOstration Of industry
and lmpoverishmcnt Of the people.
We are unalterabIy opposed to mono
metallism, which has locked fast the
prosperity of an industrious people in the
PARALYSIS Of hard times, cold monOmet-
alism is a British policy, and its adop-
tion has brought other nations into imam
cia serVitude to London. 1t Is not only
nm American, but anti American, and IT
can hc fastened on the United States only
by the sitting of that indomitable spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
political Independence in TITS, and won it
In the war Of the revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage Of both god and silver at the
present legal ratio OF l6 10 |, without
waiting for the consent or aid of any 9TH
er 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 legisla-
tion as will prevent for the future the de-
monetization Of any kind Of legal tender
money by private contract
We are opposed to the policy and Irac-
tice of surrCndering TO the holders OF the
obligations Of the United States the opin-
ion reserved by law to the Government OF
rcdceming such obligations IN either sill
yer coin or gold coin
Wearc opposed to the issuing Of inter
est. bearing bonds Of the United States in
time Of peace and condemn the tralicing
withdrawing SyndiCateS WhiChin exchange
for bonds aud at an enormous profit to
themselves, supply the Federal Treasury
with gold to maintain the policy OF gold
recommendation.
Congress alone has the power TO coin
and issue mon y, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be del
cgatcd TO corporations or individuals. we
therefore demand that the mower TO issue
notes TO circulate rs money be taken from
the national banks and that all y por
money shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department., be fedeemnbIe III
coin and received for all debts, public ana
private, ,,
led for purposes Of revenue, such duties
to be so nd dlustod us to operate equally
throughout the country ana not diScrimIa
nate between class or section, and that
taxation should be limited by the needs Of
! the Government honestly and economic
ally administered. We dcnouncO as dis
tulbInp to business the Republican threat
to restore the Mckinley law, which has
been twice condemned by tho people IN
national oloetI0us aud which, enacted
under the false pleO Of protection 10 home
industry proved u prolific breeder of
trusts aud mon0pOlps, enriched the few
at the expense Of the many restricted
trade and deprived the producers Of the
great American staples Of u cess to their
natural markets,
Until the money question Is settled we
are opposed 20 any agitation for further
changes In our tariff laws, except such as
are necessary TO make up the dollclt In
the revenue caused by the adverse docSs
lon 0I the supreme Court ON the Income
tnX hut for this decision by the Su-
prcmo Court there would be no deficit In
The revenue under the law pissed by u
Democratic Congress IN strict pursuuncn
Of the uniform decisions Of that court for
nearly one hundred years, that court
having sustained constitutional oblec
tIOus TO lts enactment, which have boon
oyemuled bylthe Oblost Judges who have
ever sat upon the bench, We declare
chat II Is the duty of Congress TO use NJ
the constitutional power which remains
after that decision or which may como
from lta reversal by the court ~ 10 may
hereafter be constituted, 20 that the burr