The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-31

proffers, we fail to find anything what
ever in the platforms which he has
quoted that either conflicts with the
position of the National Democrats to-
day or reinforces the position of the
Bryan Democrat-Populists. We use
this term 'Democrat-Populis by
the way, not in the way of calling
names, but because the two organiza-
tons are united In the nation and
of fusion. The platform of 1885 refers
| to the old National Bank of the United
States. Perhaps the writer of the let
| ter referred to is not aware that that
institution had no similarity whatever
to the national banks of today. But
it is rather amusing to have him quote
as confirmatory of the Chicago plat
| form this year this ancient document
1t says:
We declare unqualified hostility to bank
| notes and paper money as circulating me-
dunn, because gold and silver is the only
safe and constitutional currency.
| The platform of 1896 says:
We demand that all paper which is made
or which is receivable for dues In the United
States, shall be issued by the government Of
the United States and shall be redeemable In
coin.
The Populist platform of 1886, on
which, also. Mir. BryaR stands lss, says.
We demand that the volume Of the cir
culating medium be speedily increased to
amounts sufficient to meet the demands Of the
business and population OF this country, etc.
The platform of 1856 again refers to
the old national bank project; that is
to say, central banking institution
in close relation with the United States
treasury like that against which An
drew Jackson waged his great fight.
The national banks, as they exist to-
day, were not known or thought of at
that time.
The platform of 1868, upon which
especial emphasis is placed, demands
only that when the obligations of the
government do not expressly provide
that they shall be paid in coin, they
may be paid in lawful money of the
United States. We do not see that
this has any connection whatever with
present circumstances. when all bonds
of the United States are made pay
able in coin.
The platform of 1892 is in full and
exact conformity with the position of
the sound money Democrats today 1t
couples with a demand that there be
no discrimination between gold and
silver the condition that the dollar
/ Of
/ be made and kept of equal exchanged
| BILE value. When it insists that legis-
| lation or international agreement must
| accompany free coinage such as shall
insure the maintenance Of parity of
| the metals and the equal power of ev-
| cry dollar at all times, in the markets
and in the payment of debts" it shows
the utter departure of the platform of
| 1896 from that of four years before
| The demand now is for 1.-THE free
and unlimited coinage Of both silver
and gold at the present legal ratio of
| 16 to /, without waiting for the aid or
consent Of any other nation" That
means a silver dollar worth half
as much as gold dollar in the
markets of the world and in the pay
ment Of debts. The difference between
| such a proposition and one which ex-
pressly says that this depreciation
| must be prevented, and expressly men
lions international agreement, is one
! that should not need pointing out to
| our correspondent.
The incorporate accusations made
| In this letter, like all others of that
class, are best answered by silent con-
tempt. 1t is enough to have shown.
by the information furnished by the
writer of it himself, that the position
| of the sound money Democrats today.
who have organized the National
| Democratic party, is in absolute ac-
cord with the past platforms of the
national Democracy; and that the I'M
| limited and unconditional free COIN
age declaration contained in the plat
form of 1896 is new thing, as I'M
Democratic as it is inimical to public
prosperity and subversive of public
| and private honor.
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