The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-10-16
The Platform.

We, the Democrats Of tho United States, in
convention assembled, to affirm our allegancs
70 those great essentel principles OF justice
and liberty upon which our institutions are
founded and which the Democratic party has
advocated from Jeferson's time to our own
freedom Of speech, freedom Of the press, FREQ.
dom OF conscience the preservation Of per-
sonal rights, the equality of all citizens before
the law. and the faithful Observance OF con-
stitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic party
! has resisted tho tendency of selfish interests
| 10 the Capitalization OF governmental power
| and stendfastly main tanned the integrity of
tho dual schome Of government established by
the founders OF this republic of republics.
| Under It's guidance and teachings the great
principle of local self government has found
ir, best expression In the maintenance Of the
rights Of the statos and its assertion OF the
pooessity OF oonhning the general government
| to the exercise OF the powers granted by the
constitution of the United States.
The constitution of the United States guar
| antees to every citizen the rights Of civil and
religious liberty The Democratic party has
always been tn, exponent OK political liberty
| and OF religious Freedom, and IL renews its OBJ
| legations and rcafilrm5 the devotion to those
| fundamental principles Of the constitution.
| Recognizing that the money question IL par
| amount to all others at this time, we invite
attention to the fact that tho federal constitu-
| tion names silv " and gold together as the
money metals ot the United States, and that
| the first coinng, law ptsse0 by congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
notary unit md admitted gold to froo coin.
ago at q rasio based upon the silver unit.
| We arc opposed to the policy and practice
\ OF surrendering to the holders of the obliga-
tions OF the United States the option reserved
| by law to the government of redeoming such
obligation in either silver coin or gold coin.
| We are opposed to tho issuing Of interest
| bearing bonds of the United States in times of
J peace, and condemn the trafilckng with bank-
| ing syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and IN ,rinous rroht to themselves, gupply the
| federal treasury with gold to m9intain the
| policy OF gold monometalliSm.
| Congress alone has the power to coin or issue
| money, as President Jackson declared that
| this power could not be d legated to corpora
| tions or individuals. We therefore dema and
| that the power to issue notes to circulate as
money be taken from the national banks, and
| that all paper money sim be issued directly
! by the treasury department, be redeomablo In
| coin and receivable for all dobts, public and
| private.
| We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes OF revenue, such dutiessto be ed.
| justed as to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate betwcon class
or section, and that taxation should b. limited
by the needs Of the government honestly and
economically administered. We denounce 70
disturbing I'D business the Republican threat
TO restore tho Mckinley law, which has been
twice condemned by the people in national
elections and which, enacted under false pleas
Of protection to home industry, proved n pro.
life breeder of trusts and monopolies, en-
riched the few at the expense OF tho many, re-
strictel trade q deprived the producers of
the great American staples Of acco5s to their
natural markets.
Until the money question 10 settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
, in our tariff laws, except such are naces
ssry to meet ths deficit In revenue caused by
the adverse decision of tho supreme court on
the income tax. But for this decision by the
supreme court there would be no deficit In the
revenues under the law passed by Demo
cratic congress in strict pursuance OF the uni
after be con.t,tutel, so Fhat tho burdens Of
taxation may be equally aud impartially laid,
to the end that wealth may hear its due pro-
portion OF the expenses of the government
We hold that the most efficient way OF p-o-
teobinR American labor is to prevent the i'm
portation OF foreign pauper labor TO compete
with 10 in the home MARKET and that tho value
OF the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans Is greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which depresses the prices
OF their products below the cost of production
and thus doprivcs them of the means of pur
chasing the products of our home manufacto
ries.
The absorption Of wealth by the few the
consolidation of our leading railroal systoms
and the formation OF trusts and pools require
O strlctcr control by the federal government
Of those arteries OF commerce, We demand
the enlargement OF the powers Of the inter
state CONNER commission, AMI such restric'
tons and guarantees in the control Of rail
roads as will protect the people from robbery
and oppression.
wo denounce the prof cato waste of the
fxA, tLA hxyn aaaiNr
taxation and III, lavish appropriations OF re-
cent Republican congresses, which have Kept
taxes high, while the labor that pays thon IL
uiomployed, and the products Of the peoples
toll are depressed in price till they no longer
repay the cost Of production. We demand n
return to that simplicity and economy VIII OF
bolts q Democratic government and reduo-
tion in the number of useless offices, the sala-
ries OF which drain tho substance OF the people
We denounoe arbitrary Interference by fed
eral authorities In local affairs as q violation
Of the constitution OF the United states and
crime against free institutions, aid we es-
pecially object to government by injunction
rs new and highly dangerous form of OPP
pPsssion by which federal judges, in contenp
OF the laws Of the states and rights OF citizens,
become at once legislators, judges and exeou-
TONERS, and we approve the bill passed at the
last session of the United States senate and
now pending in the house Of repr, ,ntatives
providing for trials by Jury cases Of contempt.
No discrimination should be indulg Sd by the
government Of the United States in favor OF
any of Its debtors We approve of the refusal
of tho Fifty. third congress to pass the Pacific
railroad funding bill, and denounce the effort
Of the present Republican congress to enforce
similar measures.
Recognizing tho just claims Of the deserving
Union soldiers we heartily endorse the rules
of the pr ,-ent comm honer OF pensions, that
no names ,hsll be arbitrarily dropped from
the pension roll, and tho fact of enlistneut
and service should be deemed conclusive cvi-
dence against disease aud disability before en-
iistment.
We favor the admission of the territories OF
New Mexico and Arizona into the Union al
states and we favor the early admission Of
all the territories having the necessary popu'
lation and resources to enttle them to state
hood, and while they renain territories we
held that the officials appointed TO administer
the government of any territory, together
with the District of Columbia, should be bona
fde residents Of the territory or district In
which their duties are performed The Dem.
ocratio party believes In home rule, and that
all public lands Of the United States should be
appro priated to the establishment Of fee
homes for American citizens.
We recommend that tho territory OF Alaska |
be granted q delegate In congress and that the
general land aud timber laws of the United |
States bo extended to said territory.
We extend our sympathy to the people OF |
Cuba in their horolc struggle for liberty and |
Independence.
We nre oppo eel to life tenure In the public |
servlce We fav Ir appointments basud uppn |
merit, fxed DeriDs Of otIlcU aud such an admin |
istratiOn of the o,vil servlcs law will AFFORD |
equal opportunities TO al cittzens of atcer'
tanned Etaess
We declare II TO be the uuwritten law OF this |
republic, established by custom and the usage