Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-08-20
cold DEMOCRATS.
The Executive Committee Issues q
Gall for q Convention.
The CHICAGO PLATFORM ATTACKED.
The Perpetuity Of the Democratic Party
Ssld to he 1t stake-Statc Organlss-
tion Of Those Opposed to the
Chicago Platform Urged.

CHICAGO, Aug. l5.-The executive
committee Of the national democratic
party was in session here yesterday
and issued call for national conven.
ton at Indianapolis September. After
eulogizing the democratic party and
saying it has held fast to the funda-
mental principles of free government
formulated by its founders and subse-
quently enforced by It's great leaders
from jefferson to Cleveland, it goes on
to review the Chicago convention and
says:
In violation Of the trust committed to them,
majority Of the delegates assembled In the
convention, ignoring the rights Of the minor
ity. unseated regularly elected delegates to
make pacefor others In sympathy with them
selves They proclaimed sectional c0mblna-
tIon Of the south and west against the north
and east. They impeached the honesty and
patriotism OF President Cleveland, who, under
exceptional embarrassment, produced by past
errors Of legislation. has heroclally main
tained the honor and integrity Of the republic.
Against the prote st Of one-thIrd Of the dele
gates they promulgateda platform at variance
with the essential principles Of the democratic
party,
The platform proposes to degrade the coin
Of the United States by means Of the free, UNI
limited and Independent colnoge Of silver by
our government and by the exercise OF the
power Of the nation to compel the acceptance
Of deprecated coins at their nominal value,
thereby working an injustice 10 creditors. de-
frsuding the laborer Of o large part OF his
earnings and savings, robblng the pensoned
soldiers Ct o part OF their PENSIONS contract
Ing tho currency by the expulsion Of gold coin
from circulation, injurlng, II not destroying,
domestic and foreign commerce..
While protesting to advocate policy OF b.
metaism II censures the present democratic
administration for maintaining the parity OF
gold and silver 1t proposes to reduce this
country to condition Of silver monometalllsm,
with ts vacIlating and unreliable standard Of
values, and tends TO bring the farmer, the
wage.earner and the salarled man TO the
wretched condition Of tho classes In countries
In which the silver standard prevails, and
whore the rewards Of agriculture and labor are
lower than anywhere In the world. ,
With what seems TO be o deliberate attempt ,
10 mislead the people, II asserts that by the
coinage not Of 1873 the United States absn-
doned the use Of silver a. money, and that gold ,
hsa appreciated and commodities have fallen |
In price solely BY reason Of this legislation. 1t
Ignores tho fact that the prices Of commodities
have fallen because Of the enlarged use OF ]
lsbor.saving machinery, increased production
and resulting competition. II supprosses tho 4
feet that potent reason for the decline 10 the
price Of silver has been the discovery OF new
and cheaply worked mines, resulting In an
enormous Increase In the production. Instead \
Of recognising these facts appeals To the pref
udice Of the people.
II demands the free coinage Of silver at the
arbitrary and fictitious ratio Of sixteen TO one.
Although the ratio established In the worlds
market ~ about thirty-two to one, and al-
though neither experience nor reason warrants
the belief that the commercial ratio between
the metals can be reduced, by the action Of 6
this government, To any ratio even approxi-
mating that proposed
II threatens In certain contingencies to In r
crease to an unlimited extent the volume Of a
legal tenders issued by the federal govern !,
mont, the ultimate effect Of which would be- to
Iorce the withdrawal OF all coin from circula- Y
ltVu uHu w cuupul Vubit uuu pIlfutu Du5lucnS :"
10 DO transacted In deprecated paper currency, d
constantly fiuctuating In value and to Invite n
he ruin and confusion that have always fol-
owed the adoption OF such policy.
Its declarations invite, and have almost pro- &
luced financial panic. md many OF Its pro- vi
)0nents announce that 10 accomplish their IA
purpose they are prepared to involve their l.,
ountry In disaster comparable to nothing In " y,
ts history save the calamity OF civil war. VI
II ussails the Independence Of the judiciary IN
'ya covert threat to reorganize the courts m
whenever their decisions contravene the de- l..
rees Of the party caucus. -
II seeks 10 allure ONCE seekers and spolls- MI
nen to It's support by attacking the existing &C
ivil service laws, which good men OF oil par OF
les have labored so long TO establish, and to -,
xtend to oil departments OF the public service. y,
The Chicago convention having thus depart VI
from the recognized democratic faith and ri
Promulgated doctrines new md strange to the
emocracy, oil democrats are absolved from
nun ihls, as une doctrines aiinounced are de- o.
tructlye Of national honor and private obliga.
lon md tend to create sectional md class dis
motions md engender dscorl and strife l.,
mong the eople. all good citizens OF the re- Az
ubllc are bound to repudiale them and exert pc
very lawful means to insure the defeat Of the at
andIdates that represent these false doctrines We
Democrats are told that they must accept u,
no platform enunclated and the ticket nomi- va
nted OF Chicago because submission TO the or
I'll Of tho majority Is q fundamental principle up
democracy. 1t Is true that when q majority nj
the people have expressed their will at q ~,
gal election, the will OF such majority must ~
0 respected and obeyed This is essential TO 10
10 pence and existence Of the nation, But 1t to-
monstrous perverson Of this doctrine to BE
pply II TO political party which exists only w
\ virtue Of common, voluntary assent to its -,
rincpes '''
When democratic convention departs from au
10 principles Of the party, no democrat re- (pt
aims under any moral obligation to support Re
! action, nor is there any tradition Of the ~,
lrty that requires him so to do On the con- ~
ary, II Is evidence Of moral weakness for any 1ol
60 man to vote to enforce policies which In err,
s opinion, are inimlcal TO the welfare OF the mi
,0ple or to the integrity Of the nation. No
The duty Of the hour is to stand steadfast In ~
o defense Of our ancient faith In this crisis d.
ere Is at stake more than the possibility Of
mporary victory. The honor and perpetuity Fl
the democratic party are at stake, A po-
cal organization that Is untrue 10 itself, Its he
inclples, It's history aud traditions, Is dis
n oad nj disbannrod Tho aviotanoa ~ nus