Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-09
THE PLATFORM.
Unsound Money. Tariff for Revenue Features
Hits at Cleveland.

| Chicago, July S.-The following is the
platform as reported by the sub-com-
mittee to the full committee on resolu-
| tons at its meeting this morning:
| We. the Democrats of the United
| States, in national convention assem-
bled do reafiirrn our allegiances TO
those great essential principles of JUS
tice and liberty upon which our insti-
tutions are founded and which the
Democratic party has advocated from
Jefferson's time to our own, freedom Of
speech. freedom of press. freedom of
conscience, the preservation of personal
rights, the equality of all citizens be-
fore the law and the faithful obser-
vance of constitutional limitations
Recognizing that the money question
is paramount to all others. we invite
attention to the fact that the federal
constitution names silver and gold to-
Sether as the money metals Of the
United States and that the first COIN
age law passed by Congress under the
constitution made the silver dollar the
unit of value and admitted gold to
free coinage at ratio measured by the
silver dollar 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
gold and corresponding fall in the
price of commodities produced by the
people: a heavy increase in the burden
of taxation and Of all debts. public and
private: the enrichment of the money
lending class at home and abroad:
paralysis of industry and impoverish-
ment of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to the
single standard which has locked fast
the prosperity of an Industrious people
in the paralysis of hard times Gold
mono-metallism is British policy,
founded upon British greed for gain
and power.and its general adoption has
brought other nations into financial
servitude to London.
1t is not only unAmerican. but anti
American and it can be fastened upon
the United States only by the sitting
of that indomitabe spirit and love of
liberty which proclaimed our political
Independence in 1116 and won out in
the war Of the Revolution We de-
mand the immediate restoration of the
free and unlimited coinage of gold and
silver at the present legal ratio of Is to
l, without waiting for the aid or con-
sent Of any other nation. We demand
that the standard silver dollar shall be
full legal tender, the equal of gold
for all debts.
We are opposed to the policy and
practice of surrendering to the holders
of the obligations of the United States
the option reserved by law to the gov
ernment of redeeming such obligations
in either silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of in
terest-bearing bonds of the United |
States in time of peace, and condemn
the trafficking with banking syndicates
which in exchange for bonds and at
enormous profit to themselves. supply |
the federal treasury with gold to main
tain the policy of gold monometallism |
Congress alone has the power to |
coin and issue money and President |
Jackson declared that this power |
should not be delegated to corporations |
or individuals. We therefore demand !
Continued on page %