The true northerner., 1896-07-15

Free Coinage Of silver IL Demanded st
the Ratio Of l6 t0 4.

Following IL the platform as adopted by
the national Democratic convention.
| We the Democrats Of the United States In
national convention assembled. DO re amrm our
| allegence TO those great essential prime pals OF
| justic-- and liberty upon whi our institu-
| tions are founded and which the Democratic
| party has advocated from Jenerson's time 20
| our own-freedom OF .. eech, freedom OF the
pes, freedom of conscience, the preservation
| of personal rights the equality Of all citizens
| before the law, and the faithful observance OF
| consti utional limitations
Daring all these years the Democratic party
has resisted tire tendency OF selfish interests TO
the Capitalization OF governmental power
| and steaafastly ma ntain d the integrity OF Z %
,,,., :. .,s...o O. sc.. -nnent tahhshed by the
founders of this republic of republics Under
its guid nee and teachin. the gre principle
| O: local self-government has found its best ex-
| preston in he ma ntenance OF the rights OF
ctates and its assertion of the necessity OF con-
| fninp general government to the exercise OF
tie powers granted by the Institution OF the
| United States
The oonsttut on of the United States guar
antees 10 every c.t the rights OF civil and
religious liberty. The Democratic party has
always been the ex onent OF political liberty
| and religious freedom, aud Ii renews Its obliga-
tions and reaffirms its devotion TO these funda-
mental principles Of the constitution
Recognizing that the money system il para
mount TO all others at this time, We invite at
tention 70 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 con-
| stitution made the silver dollar the unit OF
valse and admitted gold TO tree coinage at
ration measured by the silver dollar unit Z
We declare that the act Of Isl demonstrating
silver without the knowledge or approval OF
the American people has resulted in the appre-
| citation of gold and corresponding fan III the
| prices of commodities produced by the people;
| "a heavy I'm the burden of taxation and
of all debts public and private, the enrichment
of the money lending class at home and abroad,
prostration industry and impoverishm mt OF
the people.
We are unalterably opposed to the single
| gold standard which has locked fast the pros
perity of an industrial people in the paralysis
of hard times. Gold mon -rnetallism is a British
policy and its adoption has brought other
natioas into financial servitude to London.
II is not only un. American but anti-Ameri
can and il can be fastened on the United Sa es
only by tie sitting Of that indomitabie spirit
and love If liberty which proclaimed our po it
| ical iudependenc, in l116 AID won IT In the war
| of the Revolution.
| We demand the free and unlimited coinage
of both gold and silver at the present legal
ratio Of ID TO without waiting for the aid
con eat of any other nation. We demand that
the standard silver dollar shall be full legal
tender, equally with gold for all debts public
and private, and we favor such legislation
will prevent the demoneti etizatioI of any kind OF
| legal lenier money by private contract.
We are opp, sed TO the policy and practice Of
surrendering 10 the holders OF the obligations
of he United States the option reserved by law
| TO the government of redeeming such obliga-
tons in either silver coin or god coin.
We are opposed TO the issuing of interest
| bearing bonds o. the United States in time of
peace and condemn the tratficking with bank
ing syniicates which, in exchange Tor bonds
and at AN noImous profit 10 themselves, sup
| Dly the federal I with gold maintain
the policy OF golu mono-meta, ,lism.
Congress alone has power TO coin and issue
none, and President Jackson declared that
this power could not be delegated to corpora
| tions TO individuals. We therefore denounce
the issuance of notes as money for national
banks as in derogalion OF the constitution and
we demand that all paper which Is made le-
| gal tender for public aud private debts or
which is receivable for dues to the United
States, shall be issued by the government OF
the United States shall be redeemable in
| coin.
We hold that tariff duties should be levied for
| purposes of revenue, and that taxation should
be limited by the NEEDS of the governm. mt
| honestly and economically administered. We
denounce as distur bing TO business the Repub-
| Gcan threat TO restore the Mckinley law which
has been twice condemned by the people in
national election, and which. enacted under the
false plea of protection to home industry,
| proved prolific breeder Of trusts and monopo-
| Les, enriched the few at the expense of the
many restricted trade and deprived the pro-
ducers OF the great American siapl,s of access
to their natural markets.
Until the moncy question is settled we are
opposed TO any agitation for fu ther changes in
our tariff laws, except such as are necessary to
meet the deficit in revenue caused by the ad-
verse decision of the supreme court on the in
come tax.
There would have been no deficit in federal
revenue durinI the last two ar but for the
annulment by the supr, me court of the income
| tax iw placed on tn statut boo IS b. a Dem
| ocratic congress The obstruction of in
come tax, which the SUI rene court discovered
in the consttu. ion after il had lain hidden for
| lG years must Oe removed, TO the end that
cumulated wealth m y be made TO bear its just
sharc of the burdens of the government. We,
| therefore, favor amendment to the consti-
tuition that will permit the levy of an income
| tax.
We hold that the most efficient way Of pro-
| tecting American labor is to prevent the impor-
| tation of foreign pauper labor 10 compete with
| il in the home market, and that the value of the
| home market 10 our American farmers and
| artisans is greatly reduced by a vicious none
tary system which depres .es the prices of their
| products below the cost of production and
thus deprives them Of the means of satisfying
their needs
We denounce the profgate waste of the
| money wrung from the people by oppressive
| taxation and the LAVISH appropriations of re-
| cent Republican congresses, which have kept
| taxes gh, while the labor that pays them Is
unemployed and the products of the peoples
toll are depressed in price till they longer
! pay the cost OF production We demand a re-
turn to that simplicity and economy which
| best belts Democratic government and
duction in the number of useless offices, the
salaries of which drain the substance of the
people.
We denounce arbitrary interference by fed
eral authorities in local affairs a violation of
| the constitution of the United States and a
crime against free institutions and we espec-
tally object to government by injunction as q
| new and highly dangerous form of oppression
| by which federal judges, in contempt of the
laws of the states rnd rights of the citizens be-
come at once Legislators judges and execution
ers and we approve the bill passed at the last
session of the United States senate nd now
| pend ng in the house, relative To contempts in
| federal courts and providing for tiials by jury
| in certain cases of contempt.
No discrimination should be INDUCED in by
| the government of the United States in favor
| of any of its debtors. We approve of the
fusal of fifty-third congress to pass the Pacific
| railroad funding bill md denounce the effort Of
| the present Republican congress to enact a
| similar measure.
Recognz ng the just claims Of deserving
Union soldiers, we heartily endorse the rule OF
1