The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-09-10
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
SET FORTH BY NATIONAL.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
A STRA|GHT-OlJT COLD STANDARD.
Nothing Said About an Intrna-
tional decentralization Glove
lands Course EndorScd-papyr
Money Denounced


is the platform adopted by the nationa
democrats:
This convention has assembled ~ M
bold the principles upon which dppcnC
the honor and welfare of the American
people, in order. that democrats through
ont the nation may unite their patriotic
efforts to avert disaster from their coun,
try and ruin from their party.
The democratic party is pledged tc
equal and exact justice TO all men, of any
creed and condition. to the largest free.
dom to the individual consistent with
good government, TO the preservation of
the government in its constitutional right
and to the support of the states in all
their just rights. to economy in public OK
penditurcS. to the maintenance of the pub
lie faith, and it is opposed to all class
legislation.
The declarations of the Chicago couyrn-
ton attack individual freedom, the right
of private contract. the Independence of
the judiciary and the authority of the
president to enforce federal laws. They
advocate reckless attempt to increase
the price Of silver by legislation. to the
debasemCnt of our monetary standard.
and threaten unlimited issues of paper
money by the government. They aban-
don for republican ideas the democratic
| cause of tariff reform, to court the favor
| of prOtCctlOnists to their financial hcrpSy
| In view of these and other grave de
| partures from the democratic principles.
| we can lot support the candidates OF that
| 'onN ch'ioh llor ne pOuilu by It's acts.
ne democratic party has survived
many defeats, but It can not survive Il
VICTORY won Ill Dehall OF the doctrine and
the policy proclaimed IN its name at Chi
casp' l ne conditions, however, which
make possible such uttcranceS from a
national convention are a result of class
legislation by the republican party. 1t
sun proclalms, as 1t has for years, the
power ana duty OF government to raise
ana MAINTAIN prices by law and it pro-
poses no remedy Tor existing evils cX
cepIi oppressive ana UNJUST taxation.
me hatlolal democracy mere convened,
therefore renew IT'S declaration of faith in
denocratc principles. especially as appl-
cane TO the condltl0ns OF the times.
iaNatloll-tarllf excise or directs
rlShtIully imposed only for public pur-
poses ana NOT for private gain. Its
amount Is justly measured by public eX-
pendltureS, which should be limited by
sscrupulouS economy. The sum received
ny the treasury from tariffs and excise
levIes IS affected by the state of trade
ana Vollne or consumption: The amount
required by the treasury is determined
ny the appropriations made by congress.
Inc demand OF the republican party for
an increase IN larllf taxation has its pre-
text Ill the deficiency of revenue, which
mas IT'S causes III the Stagnatlon of trade
ana REDUCED consumption, due entirely to
me loss OF confidence that has followed
the popuilSt threat or Tree coinage and
ueprcclatlon OF orr money and the repub-
lirhn practice of cNtravagant appropria-
u"llS beyond the needs OF good govern
mtnt.
we arralgn ana condemn the populistic
conventions at ST. LOUIS and Chicago for
their cooperation with the, republican
party, IN creating these conditions which
gre PLEADED III Justlhcatlon OF heavy in
crease OF the burdens OF the people by
ieurtner resort 10 protection. we there
Iorc uehoullc" protection, ana especially
free coinage OF silver, as schemes for the
personal proht or few at the expense of
rhe masses ana oppose the two parties
Whlth stand Tor these schemes rs hostile
TO the, people OF the republic, whose food
NV
attacked by higher prices and cheaper
money
we demand that hcnccf0rth modern
ana liberal policies towards American
shlpplnS snail take the place of our imi-
tanon OF the restricting statutes of the
Nineteenth century, which were long ago
apahdoned ny every maritime power but
the United States, ana which. to the ma
tons Illumination, have driven American
capital and enterprise to the use of alien
1ags' ana AMEN crews have made the
stars ana stripes an almost unknown EN-
blem III foreign ports and have virtually
eNtlnSuiShed the race OF American sea-
men. we oppose the pretense that dis
terminating duties VIII promote shipping,
that 1t is an INVITATION to commercial war
fare upon the United States. un-American
III the lght OF our great commercial trea-
ties. offering no gain whatever to Amer
lean shipping. while greatly increasing
ocean trelghtS ON our agricultural and
manufacturing products.
The experience of mankind has shown
that by reason of their natural qualities
gold is the necessary money Of the large
affairs of commerce and business, while
silver is conveniently adapted to minor
and the most beneficial use
OF both together can be insured only by
the adoption of the former as standard
of monetary measure and the mainten-
ance of silver ut Il parity with gold by its
limitp1 coipnUp np1nr Suitu bln Tp-