The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-07-17
THE PLATFORM.
Declaration Of Principles Of the
Democratic Party
Presented by the Committee on Resoiu-
lions for Adoption by the National
Convention at Its Session
In Chicago.

CHICAGO, July s.-Following is the
full text of the declaration of prinoi-
Piles and platform presented by the
committee on resolutions in the DEM
ocratic national convention at its ses-
sion in Chicago:
lhe Platform.
We, the democrats OF the United States, In
national convention assembled, do reafnrm our
allegiance to those great essential principies
of justice and liberty upon which our institu-
tions are founded and which the democratic
party has advocated from Jefterson's time to
our own-freedom of speech freedom OF the
press, freedom Of conscience, the preservation
OF personal rights, the equality OF all citiZens
before the law. and the faithful observance OF
constitutional limitations
During all these years the democratic party
has resisted the tendency of selfish interests to
the Capitalization Of governmental power, and
steadfastly maintained the integrity OF the
dual scheme of government established by the
founders of this rep lblic of republics. Under
its guidance and teachings the great principle
of local self government has found Its best ex-
preston IN the maintenance OF the rights OF
the states and IN it's assertion OF the necessity
OF combining the general government to the ex-
ercise Of the powers granted by the constltu-
ton of the United States.
The Money Question.
Recognizing that the money question Is
paramount to all others at this time, we invite
attention to the fact that the federal constitu-
ton 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 dollar the
monetary unit of value and admitted gold to
free coinage at ratio based upon the silver
dollar unit.
koS1 dnyr naf tztn n
silver without the knowledge or approval OF the
American people. has resulted In the apprecia-
tion OF gold and corresponding fall in the
prices of commodities produced by the people;
q heavy increase in the burden OF taxation and
of all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment OF the money-lending class at home and
abroad: the prostration Of industry and inn
poverishment OF the people.
We are unalterably opposed to mono
metalism, which has locked fast the pros
perity of an Industrial people in the paralysis
of hard times. Gold monometalltsm is Brit
ish policy, and it's adoption has brought other
nations into financial servitude to London 1t
is not only un-Amerioan, but anti-Amerioan,
and it can be fastened on the United States
only by the sitting of that spirit and love OF
liberty which proclaimed our political indie
pendence in l776, and won it in the war Of
the revolution.
Free and Unlimited Coinage.
We demand the free and unlimited coinage
of both gold and silver at the present legal
ratio of l6 to /, without waiting for the aid or
consent 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 as will prevent for the. future
the demonstration of any kind OF legal-ten-
der money by private contract
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 government of redeeming such obli-
cations in either silver coin or gold coin.
Bond Issues and Circulating Medium.
We are opposed to the issuing of interest
bearing bonds of the United States In time of
peace, and condemn the trafflcking with bank
ing syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and at an enormous profit to themselves, sup
ply the federal treasury with gold to maintain
the policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has the power to coin and Is
sue money, and President jackson declared
that this power could not be delegated to cor
porations or individuals. We therefore de-
mand that the power to issue notes to circu-
late as money be taken from the national
banks, and that all paper money shall be is
sued directly by the treasury department
be redeemaole in coin and receivable for all
debts public and private. We hold that tariff
duties should be levied for purposes OF reve-
nue., such duties to be so adjusted as to oper-
ate equally throughout the country, and
not discriminate between class or sec
ton, and that taxation should be
limited by the needs of the govern
ment honestly and economically administered.
Tariff for Revenue.
We denounce as disturbing to business the re-
ra,1hl tn a la w
which has been twice condemned by the peo-
pie in national elections and which, enacted
under the false plea of protection to home in
dustry, proved prolific breeder OF trusts and
mopopolies, enriched the few at the expense
of the many, restricted trade and deprived tie
producers OF the great American staples OF ac-
cess to their natural markets Until the money
question is settled we are opposed to any agi-
tation for further changes in our tariff laws
except such as are necessary to meet the de-
felt In revenue caused by the adverse decision
of the supreme court on the income tax. But
for this decision by the supreme court there
would be no deficit in the revenue under the law
passed by a democratic congress in strict pur-
suance of the uniform decisions Of that court
for nearly one hundred years, that court hav-
ing in that decision sustained constitutional
objections to Its enactment which had pre-
viously been overruled by the ablest judges
who have ever sat on that bench. We declare
that 1t is the duty of congress to use all the
constitutional power which remains after that
decision, or which NAV come from its reversal
by the court as 1t may hereafter be con-
stituted so that the burdens OF taxation may
be equally and impartially laid. to the end that
wealth may bear its due proportion of the ex-
penses Of the government
Protection of American Labor.
We hold that the most efficient way of pro-
tactInp American labor Is to prevent the Inn
portaton Of foreign pauper labor to compete
with it in the home market. and that the value
of the home market to our American farmers
and artisans Is greatly reduced by vicious
monetary system which depresses the prices
of their products below the cost OF production,
and thus deprives them Of the means Of pur-
chasing the products OF our home manufactor-
les.
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