Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-09-11
National Democrats.
HERE IN THE PLATFORM.

Indianapolis, Sept. 3.-The plat
form adopted by the CONVENTION OF
he national democratic party is as
follows;
This convention has assembled
to uphold the principles upon
which depend the honor aud vel
fair of the American people, III
order that democrats throughout
the Union may unite their patriotic
labor to avert the disaster from the
country and ruin from their party
The democratic party Is pledged
to equal and exact justice to all
men OF every creed and condition;
20 the largest freedom of the indiv.
idual consistent with good govern
meut; to the preservation of the
lederaI gOernment IN Its constltu'
tioual vlgOr ana to the support OF
the states IN all their just rights;
TO economy in the public eGpenGi-
tnres; to the maintenance of the
public faith and sound money, aud
it Is opposed to paternalism aud
all class legislation.
"ThedecIaratlons of the Chicago
convention attack individual free.
dom, the light of private contract,
the independence Of the judiciary
and the authority of the President
to enforce federal laws. They ad-
vocate a reckless attempt TO in
crease the price of SILVER oy legls'
lation to the debasenent of our
monetary standard and threaten
unlimited issues of paper money
by the government. They abandon
for republican allies the democratic
cause OF tariff reform to court the
favor Of prolectlonists to their
fiscal heresy.
'Iu view OF these and Other
grave departures from democratic
principles We cannot support the
candidate of that convention, nor
bs bound by its acts. The demo
cratic party has survived many de-
feats, but could not survive VIC
tory won in behalf of the doctrine
and policy proclaimed III Its name
at Chicago.
The CONDITIONS, however. which
make possible such utteTances
from a national convention are the
direct result of class legislation
by the republican party. 1t sui
proclaims as it has tor years, the
power and duty OF government 10
raise and maintain prices by law.
and 1t proposes no remedy Tor ex'
istiDg evils except oppressive aud
unjust taxation.
.The national democracy here
reconvensd, therefore, renews its
declaration OF faith in democratic
principles, especially as applicable
TO the conditions of the times.
"Taxation, tariff, excise or direct,
is rightfully imposed only tor pub
lie purposes and not for private
gain. Its amount is justly meas
ured by public expenditures. which
should be limited by scrupnlous
economy.
"The sun derived by the treas
ury from tariff aud excise leVies ID
at pcted by the state of trade and
volume of consumption. The
amount required by the treasury
is determined by the spproprla-
tions made by Congress.
the demand of the republican
party for an increase in tariff tax
has it's pretext in the deficiency oil
revenue, which has It's causes In
The stagnation Of trade and re
duced consumption, due entirely
TO the loss of confidence that has
followed the popullsf threat OF free
coinage and depreciation of ouI
money and the republican practice
of extIavagant appropriations
beyond the needs OF good govern
ment. We arraign and condemn
The populistlc conventions o.
Chicago aud S.. Louis for their CO
operation.
"The republican party is in
creasiDg these conditions, which
are pleaded In justification Of
hAayy increase OF burdens of th'
people and further resort 10 pro
lection. We, therefore, denounct
protection and It's ally, free coin
age OF silver, as schemes for th'
personal profit ola few at the ex
pense of the many. and oppose th'
two parties which stand for thes
schemes as hostile to the people o
the republic, whose food ant
shelter, comfort aud property ar
attacked by higher taxes and de
preciated money. In fine, We re
affirm the historic democratic doc