The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-07-18
WHERE THEY STAND.
Majority Report on Platform, ar prc.
sentel to the Conxention

we, the Democrats Of the United States
IN national convention assembled, do re-
affirm our allegiance to those great essen
tial Principles of justice and liberty upon
which our institutions are founded, and
which the Democratic party has advocated
from Jefferson's time to our own-freedom
Of speech, freedom of the press, freedom
or conscience, the preservation of personal
rights, the equality Of all citizens before
the laws, and the faithful observance Of
constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendency Of selfish
interest to tn" centralizat.) III If government
tai power and steadfastly maintained the
integrity of the dual scheme Of govern
ment 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 express
sion In the maintenance of the rights Of
state and in its assertion Of necessity Of
combining the general government to the
exercise of powers granted by the conSti-
tuition Of the United States.
Recognizing that the money system Is par
amount to NIL others at this time, we In
wife attention to the fact that the federal
constitution names silver and gold together
as the money metals of the United States,
and that the first coinage law passed by
congress under the constitution made the
silver dollar the monetary unit and admitted
gold to free coinage at a ratio based upon
the silver dollar unit.
We declare that the act of 1873 dcmone-
tizing silver without the knowledge or ap-
proval Of the American people has resulted
in the appreciation Of gold and a CORE
spending fall in the prices Of commodities
produced by the people: q heavy increase In
the burden of taxation and Of all debts.
public and private; the enrichment of the
money-lending class at home and abroad;
prostration of industry and impoverishment
Of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to monomet-
allism, which has locked fast the prosperity
Of an Industrial people in the paralysis Of
hard times. Gold monometallism is a Brit
ish policy and its adoption has brought
other nations into financial servitude to
London. 1t is not only unamerican, but
anti-American, and it can be fastened on
the United States only by the sitting OF
that spirit and love Of liberty which pro-
claimed our political independence In l7IG,
and won it in the War of the Revolution.
We demand the free and COIN
age of both gold and silver at the present
legal ratio Of 16 to 1, without waiting for
the aid or consent Of any other nation.
We demand that the standard silver dollar
shall be a full legal 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 obli-
cations of the United States the option
secured by law to the government of re-
dceming such obligations in either silver
coin or gold coin. We are opposed to the
Issuing of Understanding bonds of the
United States In time of peace, and con-
denim the tratficking with banking. syndi-
= ,,6;,L Sn ubnnU 90 for hnn1S and
at an enormous profit to themselves, sup
ply the federal treasury with gold to main-
tain their gold monometallism. Congress
alone has the power to coin the issue
money, and President Jackson declared that
this power could not be delegated to cor
porations or individuals. We therefore de-
mand that the power to issue notes to cir
culate as money be taken from the national
banks, and that all paper money shall be
issued directly by the treasury department,
redecmable in coin and receivable for all
debts, public and private.
We hold that tariff duties should be
levied for purposes of revenue, such duties
to be so adjusted as to operate equally
throughout the country. and not discrim-
mate between class or section, and that
taxation should be limited by the needs of
the government, honestly and economic
ally administered We Genounce as dis
turbins to business the republican threat
10 restore tuC .ASAAAillCy ""s "hANA "AS
been twice condemned by the people in ma
tional elections, and which, enacted under
the false plea Of protection to home indus
try. proved a prolific breeder Of trusts and
monopolies. enriched the. few at the ex-
pense of the many, restricted trade and de-
prived the producers OF the great American
STABLES of access to their natural markets.
Until the money question is settled, we are
opposed to any agitation for further
changes in our tariff laws, except such as
are necessary to meet the deficit III revenue
caused by the adverse decision of the SUI
nreme court OH the income tax. But, for
this decision of the supreme court there
would be no deficit in the revenue under the
law passed by u Democratic congress. in
strict pursuance of the uniform decisions
Of that court for nearly 100 years, that
court having, under that decision, sustained
constitutional objections to Its enactment.
which have been overruled by the ablest
indoes who have ever sat on that bench.
We declare that it is the duty of congress
to use all the constitutional power which
remains after that decision. or which may
come from the reversal by the court as
1t may hereafter be constituted, SO that
the burdens Of taxation may be equally anu
impartially laid to the end That wealth may
bear its due proportional expenses Of the
government.
We hold that the most efficient way OF
protecting American labor is to prevent the
importation of foreign ,pauper labor TO
compete with it in the home market. ana
that. the value of the market to Amer
lean farmers and artisans Is greatly re-
duced by a vicious monetary system Mh,ch
drnrcsses the prices of their products be-
now the cost Of production and thus de-
priyes them of the means OF purchasing
the products of our home manufacturers
..rhc absorption of wealth by the few,
the consolidation of our leading railroad
systems and the formation OF trusts anu
pools REQUIRE a n%stricter. control by the led-
eral government of these arteries OF com.
MERGE. We demand the enlargement OF
the mowers of the interstate commerce COM
mission and such restrictions and guaran-
fees In the control of railroads as wall
nrotcct the people from robbery and OPP
nression. We denounce the profiigate
waste of the money wrung from the peo-
nile by oppressive taxation and the lavish
appropriations of recent Republican con-
crosses which nave kept taxes high while
fthe labor that pays them is unemployed
and the products of the peoples toll are
depressed in price till they no longer pay
fine cost of production. We demand q re-
turn to that simplicity and economy which
benefits a Democratic government ana a
reduction in the number OF useless omces,
the salaries of which drain the substance
Of the people. -
We denomce arbitrary interference ny
federal authorities in local affairs as q
violation of the constitution Of the United
states and a crime against institutions.
md ; we especially object : to gov
eminent by injunctions, as q new
and highly dangerous form Of
oppression, by which federal judges, IN
Contempt Of the laws 'of the states and
rights OF citizens, become at once legis-
lnfors. Judges and executioners; and we ap-
49,. ~. llIl roScof mr. rho Inst session