Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-07-31
DEMOCRATIC PLATFoRM.s

OGnlOO1sA-1 ~ Z l. II OtkM.a
We. the democrats Of the United States In
national convention asscmbicd. do renfirm
cur al'eeinnce TO those gre. essential prin-
eiples OF justice and liberty upon which our
institutions are founded. aud which the demo-
cratic party has fdvocaicd from dcfferson's-
time TO our own-freedom OF steech. freedom
oil the press freedom of conscience. the
preservation Of personal rights. the equality
OF all citizens before the Law aud the faithfrl
observance Of constitutional Illustrations
During all these years the democratic party
has resisted the Tendency o. selfish interests
TO the Capitalization OF governmental power
anu stendfustly IN iintnincd the Integrity OF
The du j scheme of government established by
the founders of this republic OF republics
Under its guidance and tcnchlrys the great
principal OF local self-yovcrnmcn: has found
Its best expire ssion ia the maintenance OF the
rights OF the states and In Its assertion of the
necessity OF combining the general government
to the exercises OF the powers granted by the
constitution of the United States
The constitution OF the United States
guarantees to every citizen the right OF civil
and religious liberty. Tie democratic plry
has always been the exponent OF political i!b-
erty and religious freedom. and it rcnews Its
oon;ations nd rcsnirms its devotion to these
iundnnentul principles Of tho constitution
Recognizing that the money QUESTION H. par
amount to all others at this time. We invite
attention 10 the f.ct that the federal constt-
tuition names silvcr and gold togcth as tho
HIoHcy ihctnlN OF the Onated states. and thnt
the ilrst coinage laT parsed by congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
monetary unit of vainc and ad,nitted gold 20
free coinage ut a ratio measured by the oliver
dollar unit
We declare thnt the net OF 1875 dcmonctisinr
silver without the knowledse or approval OF
the American people has resulted in the an
probation OF gold ana u corresponding fall in
the prices OF commodities produced b. tao
people, n heavy increase In the burd, n OF Tux
nj all h.ht lfr
enrichment OF the money lending class ut
homo and abroad; postration OF Industry. aud
impoverishment of the Icoplc
We are unulterably opposed to the single
gold standard which has locked fast the pros.
perity OF an industrial people In the paralysis
OF hard times. Cold recommendation IL n
British policy and iti adoption has brought
other nations into financial servitutic to Lon
don IL Us not oniy un-American but anti
American and IL can be fastened on tho tTnitod
StDtos only IT,; the sitting OF that indomitablo
spirit and love OF liberty which proclaimed
our political Independence 10 1910 aud won IT
In tho war OF tho revolution
We demand the free and unlimited coinage.
OF both silver and gold at tho preaent legal ratio
oil 1910 l. without waiting for the aid or consent
OF any other nation We demand that the
standard silver dollar shall be fill legal tcu-
der. equally with gold for all debts. public and
private, and we favor such lccisl. ton will
prevent the decentralization OF any Kind OF lc-
We arc opposed to the policy and practice
oil guaranteeing TO tho holdcrs Of the obliga-
tons OF the United States the option reserved
by law to the government of rcdccning such
obligations in either silver coin or gold coin
We arc opposed to the issu ing of interest
bearing bonds of the United States In time OF
peace. and condemn the tra.llcliin: with bank
IN; syndicatcs which. IN exchange for bonds
and ut nm enormous prolific themselves. sup
ply tho federal treasury with gold to ma nt,in
the policy of gold recommendation
Congress alone has che power to coin and
issue money. aud President Jackson declared
that this power could not lie dcleg ltcd TO cor
porations or individuals.
We therefore denounce the issuance %
notes intended to circulate as money BY n.-
.ionai banks rs In derosation of the corstitu-
ton ana we demand that all paper which Is
made legal tender for publIs and private
debts or which Is receivable for dues to tho
United St1tos, shall be issued by .!.c govern
Dcnt of the United States ana shall be re-
deemnbo IN coin
We holdlhat tariff duties should hc levied
for purposes OF revenue. should also be adj
tustcd so ns TO cp,rate equally throughout
the country and not discriminate between
class or section. and thu tax.tion
should bc limited By the needs of the yovcru-
mcnt honestly ana economically administered
We dcnounce as disturbing TO bu mess tho
republican, threat TO restore the Mckinley
Inv which hns boon twice condemned by tho
people In the national elections and
which. enacted un;ior the false plea of
protection 20 home industry, proved II prolific
breeder OF trusts and moaopolies enriched
the few Mt the expense OF the many. restricted
trade and deprived the producers of the great
American staples o: access to their natural
markets Until the money question LIS
settled we arc opposed to any ngita-
ton for further chIngcs III our tafiu
lava o%ccpt such us ate necessary 10 meet
the deficit In revenue causcd by the adverse
decision OF the suDrCrc lna iIrp.nn
tax There would be no deficit In the revenue
but for the annuSncnt by the supreme court
OF u law passed oy 4 dcmocratic consrcss in
strict pursuance OF the uniform decisions OF
that court Tor nearly one hundred ycnrs. that
court having In that decision d. sus-
Lined constitutional objections TO It's en-
actincnt which has been previously over
ruled by the ablcst judges who had ever SAT
on that bcnch We declare that 1t is the duty
oil congress 20 use all the constitutional power
which remains after that decision. or which
may come from its reversal by the court na IL
may hereafter oc constituted. 80 that the bur
dcns OF taxation NAV be equally and implr-
Tally laid To the end that wealth may hcIr its
due proportion OF the expenses OF government
We hold that the most efficient way o. mo
tcctlng American labor is to prevent the i'm
portHtion OF iorci IN p,uucr labor TO compete
with 1t IN the home mark t, nad with the value
OF the home market 10 our American firners
ana 2rtis;lns is greatly reduced by vicioua
Hl'hcthIF SNHtest Nnict tcpfcSSsS The prices
OF their products below the cost OF production
and thus dcprivcS them OF the mems OF lar
chasing the products Of our homo mnnufac-
tories. ana us labor creates the wealth Of the
country. we demand the passage Of such laws
az may be necessary TO protect it In ali its
rights.
We are in favor of the arbitration Of diner
enccs between employers engaged IN Interstate
commerce and their employees. and recon-
mend such legislation as is necessary 10 carry
out this principle
The absorption OF wealth by tho few the
consolidation OF our leading railroad systems
and the formr ton OF trusts and POOLS require
II 5trictct control by The federal government
of those arteries OF commerce. We demand
the en- agreement OF the Interstate commerce
commission. ana such restrictions ind guar
antces In the control of RAILWAYS as will pro-
tcct the people from robbery and oppression.
We dcnouhrc the p-oGIgite waste Of tho
money wrnnS ssom the Dnoplc b. oppressive
taxation and tho lavish appropriations OF re-
rent republican congresses, which have kent
taxes high while the labor that pays them is
unemployed md the product OF the peoples
toll nrc depressed tn tacy no longer repay The
cost OF production. We d;mand n return to
that simplicity and economy which bents
democratic government and u reduction In
the number Of useless officers. the salnrics Of
which drain the substance OF the people