The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-08-27
ADOPT FkEE SILVER.
Q EMCCRATiC NATIONAL PLAT
FORM IN FULL.
Declares for the Free and Iniimlte ed Coin
age OF Silver at n Ratio OF l6 to- l-Op-
posed T." Interest Bearing Bonds BE II ::
Issnet by The Government


posed +" Interest Bearing Bonds BE II
Issne.l by the Government
.., The follow
ing is the platform adopted by the
national Democratic convention:
We. the Democrats OF the United
States, in national convention assem-
bted, do reahlrm our allegiance to those
great and essential principles OF JUS
uce and liberty upon which cur insi-
buttons ore founded aud which the
Democratic party has advocated from
JefCrS0n's tine to our 0wn-freed0m
OF speech, freedom Of the press, free
dom Of conscience, the preservation OF
personal rights. tho equality OF all per-
cons before the law and the faithful OBJ
servance OF constitutional limitations,
During al thess years the Democrat
ic party has resisted the tendency OF
selfish interests, the Capitalization OF
governmental plwer and steadfaSt.y
maintained the Integrity Of the dual
scheme OF government established by
the founders OF this republic OF repub-
Hcs Under It's guidance the great prin-
ciple OF local government has
found its BEST expression In the main
tenance OF the rights OF the states and
in its assertion OF the necessity OF con-
hning the general government to the
exercise Of the powers granted by the
constitution OF the United States.
Recognizing that the money ques-
ton is paramount to all Others ct this
ttsle, we invite 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 d0.-
lar the monetary unit and admitted
gold to free coinage ct 4 ratio based
upon the silver unit.
We declare that the act OF 1873, de-
monetizing silver without the knowl-
edge or approval Of the American peo-
pie, has resulted in the appreciation OF
god and corresponding fall an the
prices Of commodities produced By the
people.
We are unaIterab.y opposed to the
monometallis which has locked fast
the prosperity OF industrious peop.e
in the paralysis OF hard times. Gold
mono-metaNism Is British policy, and
Its adoption has brought other nations
into financial servitude TO London. 1t
Ia not only un-Amer!oan, but anti
American, and 1t can be fastened on the
limited States only by the stiA6ng OF
that spirit of love OF liberty which pro
claimed our political independence IN
l776. and won it in the war OF the revo-
htion.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage OF both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio OF 16 to !, 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
depts, public and private, aud we favor
such legislation as will prevent for the
future the decentralization OF any kind
of legal tender money by private con-
tract.
i We are opposed TO The policy and
practice OF surrenderilg to the holders
OF the Obligations OF the United States
the option reserved by law to the gov
ernment of rCeemlng such obligations
in either silver coin or gold coin.
We gre opposed to the issuing of in
tcrest-bearing bonds OF tho United
States in time of poace, and condemn
the ,raiIicking with barking syndicates
which, in exchange for bonds and at
an enormous profit to themselves, sup
ply the Feeral treasury with gold to
maintain the policy OF gold monometal-
ism.
Congress alone has tho power to
coin and issue money, and President
Jackson declared that this power could
not be delegated to corporations Or In
diwsduals. We, therefore, demand that
the power TO issue notes to circulate as
money be taken from the national
banks, and that all paper money shall
be issued directly by the treasury de-
partment and be redeemable in coin
and receivable for all debts. public and
private,
We hold that the tariff duties should
be levied for purposes 81 revenue, such
duties to be so adjusted as to operate
equally throughout the country and not
discriminate between class Or section,
and that taxation should be limited by
the needs of the government. honestly
and economically administered. We de-
no,,pne as disturbing to business tho
Repe,blcan threat to restore the NC
Klnley law, which has been twice con-
demned by me people in national eiec-