The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-09
TEXT OF PLATFORM.
Completed Document as Agreed
Upon by the Committee.

Agreed
Upon by the Committee.
The full platform as it will be reported to the
convention IS as follows:
We the Democrats of the limited States in
national convention assembled do reaffirm our
allegiance to these great essential principles
OF justice and liberty upon which our institu-
lions are founded, and which the Democratic
party has advocated from Jeffersons time to
our own-freedom of speech freedom of the
press freedom OF conscience, the preservation
or personal rights, the equality of all citizens
before the law, and the faithful observance of
constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic party
mas resisted the tendency of selfish interests
to the Capitalization of governmental power1
and steadfastly maintained the integrity of the
dual scheme of government. established by the
FOUNDERS of this republic of republics Under
us guidance and teachings the great principle
OF local self government has found it's best ex
preston in the maintenance of the rights of
every state and in its assertion of the neces-
sity of combining the general government to the
exercise OF powers granted by the constitution
OF the United States.
@G- GOLD AND SILVER.
recognizing that the money system is nara
mount to all others at this time. we invite
a.ten.lon 10 the fact that the federal consti-
luton names silver and gold, together as
the money metals Of the United States and
mat the first coinage law passed by congress
tr the constitution made the silver dollar
the monetary unit and admitted gold to free
coinage at the ratio based upon the silver dol
lar unit. ~
We declare that the act Of 1879 demonetiz-
ing silver without the knowledge Of the Amer
lcan people has resulted in the appreciation of
gold and corresponding fall in the prices of
commodities produced by the people; a h.avy
increase IN the burden of taxation and - all
debts, public and private the enrichment Of
the money-lending class at home and abroad !.
paralysis OF industry end impoverishment Of
the people. "
We are unalterably opposed to the monomet-
al1sm which has locked fast the prosperity of
an industrial people in the paralysis of hard
times. Gold monometallsm is a british motley
and its adoption has brought other nations
into financial servitude to London. 1t is NOT
only un-American, but anti-American, and #
can De fastened on the United States only by
tne stlnlng OF that spirit of love and liberty
Wn1cn proclaimed our political Independence in
LOO, ana won 1t in the War of the Revolution
FREE COINAGE.
we demand 1t the free and unlimited COIN
age OF both gold and silver at the nresan+
legal ratio Of 16 to 1, without waiting for the
aid or consent Of any other nation. We de-
mand that the standard silver dollar shall
Dv q iull regal tender equally with gold for
all debts, public and private and we favor
such legislation as will prevent for the
future, the demonstration of any kind Of
legal tender money by private contract
we are opposed to the policy and practice
OF surrendering to the holders of the obIi
cations of the United States the option. Sc
cured by law to the government of redeem
Ing such obligations in either silver coin
We are opposed to the issuing of interest
bearing bonds of the United States in time
of peace, and condemn the traflcking with
banking syndicates which, in exchange for
bonds and at an enormous profit to them
selves, supply the federal treasury with gold
to maintain their gold monometallism. Con-
gress alone has the power to coin the issue
money, and President jackson declared that
this power could not be delegated to CORPORA
lions or individuals. We, therefore demand
that the power to issue notes to circulate
as money be taken from the national banks
and that all paper money shall be issued
directly by the treasury department; be re-
deemable in coin, receivable for all debts
public and private.
TARIFF FOR REVENUE.
We hold that tariff duties should be lev
led for purposes of revenue. Such duties to
be SO adjusted as to operate equally through
out the country and not discriminate between
class or section, and that taxation should be
limited by the needs of the government
honestly and economically administered We
denounce as disturbing to business the Re-
publican threat to restore the Mckinley law
which has been twice condemned by the peo
pie in national elections, and which enacted
under the false plea of protection to home
industry, proved q prolific breeder of trusts
and monopolies, enriched the few at the
expense of the many, restricted trade and
deprived the producers of the great Ameri-
can staples of access to their natural mar
kets. Until the money question is settled
we are opposed to any agitation for further