The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-04

excise levies is affected by the state of
trade and consumption. The amount
required by the treasury is determined
by the appropriations made by con-
greSS. The demand of the Republican
party for an increase in tariff tax has
its pretext in the deficiency of revenue,
which has its causes in the StagnatiOn
of trade and reduced consumption due
entirely to the loss of confidence that
has followed the POpulist threat of free
coinage and depreciation of our money
and the Republican party practice Of
eXtravagant appropriations beyond the
needs of the government We arraign
and condemn the POpulist convention
of Chicago and ST Louis for their CO.
operation with the Republican party
increasing these conditions, which are
pleaded in justification of a heavy in
crease of the burdens Of the people
and a further resort to protection. We,
therefore, denounce protection and its
ally, free coinage of silver, as schemes
for the personal profit of a few at the
expense of the many and oppose the
two parties which stand for these
schemes as hostile to the prosperity of
the republic, whose food and shelter
and comfort and property are attacked
by high taxes and deprecated money
In fine, we reaffirm the historic Dem
ocratic doctrine of tariff for revenue
only.
We demand that henceforth modern
and liberal policies toward American
shipping shall take the place of our
imitation of the restricted statutes of
the eighteenth century, which We're
abandoned by every maritime power
but the United States and which, to the
nations humiliation, have driven Amer
lean capital and enterprise to the use
of alien flags and alien crews; have
made the stars and stripes an almost
unknown emblem in foreign countries
and have virtually extinguished the
race of American seamen. We oppose
the pretense that discriminating duties
viii promote shipping, and that scheme
as an invitation to PERSONAL warfare up
on the United States. un-American in
the light of our great commercial treat
les, offering no gain whatever to Amer
lean shipping, while greatly increasing
| ocean freights on our agricultural and
manufactured products.
The experience of mankind has
shown that by reason of their natural
qualities gold is the necessary money
of the large affairs OF commerce and
| business, while silver is conveniently
adapted to minor transactions and the
most beneficial use of both together can
be insured only by the adoption OF
/ the former as a standard of monetary
/ measure and the maintenance of silver
/ at a parity with gold by its limited
/ coinage under safeguards of law. Thus
/ is the largest possible employment of
| both metals gained, with the value uni
/ versally accepted throughout the world
! which constitutes the only practical
/ currency assuring the most stable
! standard and especially the best and
| safest money for all who earn a livelt-
/ hood by their labor or the produce of
/ husbandrv They cannot suffer when
/ pay is made in the best money known
! to man, but are the peculiar and most
/ defe1seless victims of a debased and
/ huctuating currency which offers con-
| tinued profits to the money changer at
/ their cost.
Realizing these truths, demonstrate
! ed by long public inconvenience and
| loss the Democratic party in the inter-
] est of the masses and in equal justice
/ to all practically established by the
| legislation of 1894 and 1853 the gold
| standard of monetary measurement
/ and likewise entirely divorced the gov
/ eminent from banking and currency
| issues To this long and established
/ Democratic policy We adhere and in
! sist upon the maintenance of the gold
/ standard and of the parity Herewith
/ Of every dollar issued by the govern
ment and are firmly opposed to the free
/ and unlimited coinage of silver and to
the compulsory purchase of silver bull
] lion.
But we denounce also the fur
! Their maintenance of the present costly