Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-10-20
A MODEL PLATFORM.

The following is the full and CON-
plete platform as adopted by the
National Democratic conventions:
We, the Democrats of the United
States In national convention assemb-
led, do reatfirm Our allegiance to those
great essential principles of justice
and liberty upon which our institu.
tions are founded, and which the
Democratic party has advocated from
Jefferson'S time to our own-freedOm
of speech, freedom of the press, free
dom of conscience, the preservation of
personal rights, the equality of all
citizens before the law, and the faith
full observance of constitutional limi-
tations.
During all these years the Demo-
cratic party has resisted the tendency
of selfish interests to the centraliZ-
alton of governmental power, and
SteadfaStly maintained the integrity
of the dual scheme of government
established by the founders of this
republic of republics. Under its
guidance and teachings the great
principle of local self-government has
found its best expression in the main
tenance Of the rights of the states
and in its assertion Of the necessity
Of conhning the general government
to the exercise of powers granted by
the constitution of the United States.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
The constitution Of the United
States guarantees to every citizen the
rights of civil and religious liberty.
The democratic party has always been
the exponent of political liberty and
religious freedom and it renews its
obligations and reafirms its devotion
to these fundamental principles of
the constitution.
@ FINANCE.
Recognizing that the money ques-
tion is paramount to all Others at this
time, we invite attention to the fact
that the constitution names silver
and gold together as the money metals
of the United States, and that the
| first coinage law passed by cOngreS:
under the constitution made the sill
yer dollar the money unit, and ad
mitted gold to free coinage at a ratio
based upon the silver dollar unit.
We declare that the act OF 1873 de
monetizing silver without the knOwl
edge or approval Of the American peo
ple has resulted in the appreciation
of gold, and corresponding fall II
| the price of commodities produced by
the people; Il heavy increase, ~ th(
burden OF taxation and OF al deots
public and private, the enrichment o.
the money lending class at home anC
abroad, the prostration OF lndnstry
and impoverlshment OF the people
We are unalterably opposed to mon
ometallism, which has locked fast the
prosperity of an industrial people II
paralysis of hard times, Gold mono
metailism is British policy, and it,
adoption has brought other nations
| into financial servitude to London
| 1t is not only un-American, but anti
American, and it can be fastened OF
the United States only by the stlfiint
of that spirit and love of liberty
which proclaimed our political inde
pendence ia 1776 and won in the wal
of the revolution. @
FREE COINAGE.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of both silver and gold at the
present legal ratio Of l6 to l, without
waiting for the aid or consent or any
| other nation. We demand that the
| standard silver dollar shall be a full
legal tender, equally with gold, for al
debts, public and private, and VIC
| favor such legislation as will preYenl
for the future the decentralization OF
any kind of legal tender money by
private contract.
BONDS.
We are opposed to the policy anc
nractice of surrendering 10 Jhe hOlu
ers of the obligations, OF the OhIIeo
States, the option reserved by law y
the government Of redeemlng such 90
LEGATIONS in either silver coin or goio
coin. ,.o,,,n ~ In
terest-bearing bonds OF the OnlIee
States in time Of peace, ana cohue1tI
the trafficking with banking ssyndl
Gates which, in exchange FOR bonds
and AT an enormous profit. TO them
selves, supply the federal treasury
with gold To maintain the policy o.
gold mOnOmetallism.
ISSUE OF MONEY.
Congress- alone has the power u
coin and issue money, and Prerlden'
Jackson declared that this powel
conId not be delegated TO ocorporation'
or indiyiduals. We therefore de
Dnunce the Issuance Of notes INTENDED
~ circulate as money by nationa
Sonks as lin derOgatiOn OF the constl
tuition, and we demand that al papel
which is made a legal tender TO-
nnblic and private debts or when i
recciyable for duties 10 the Unltet
, states shall be be issued by the gov
eroment OF the United States and
| snail be redeemable in coin.
TARIFF.
We hold that tariff duties should D.
'eyIed FOR purpose Of revenue, sue u q
4 ,ics ia be 81 adjusted as 10 operat
. forally throughout the country an
M discriminate between class OF sec