The Progress., 1896-09-05
ADOPT FkEE SILVER.
D INC CRATIC .lATIONAL PLAT
FORM IN FULL.

/ D 1MCCRATiC RATIONAL PLAT
FORM IN FULL.
Drclarcr for the Free and Unlimited Cpir
age of Silver nG Ratio of lG to l-OI
Issued by IL. G'~rrnmcnt
-.----.. The follow
ing is tn" platform ADOPTED by til
national Democratic convention:
We, the Democrats of the Unite,
States, IN national convention Assem-
bled, do reanlrm our allegiance to thos,
great and essential principles of jus
tlce and liberty upon which our ins,i
buttons are founded and which thu
Democratic party has advocated fror
JeherSoA's tine to our OWn-freCdOu
Of speech, freedom OF the press, free
dom or conscience, the Pre- arvatiOn O
personal rights, tho equality Of all per
cons before the law and the faithful OBJ
servanCe Of constitutional Limitations
During all thess years the Democrat
ic party has res sted the tendency OF
selfish Interests, the Capitalization OF
governmental p>wer and steadfast,y
maintained the Integrity OF the dual
scheme OF government established by
the founders OF this republic OF repub-
Acs. Under It's guidance the great pr.n-
dple OF local government mas
found Its best expression IN the main.
tenance OF the rights Of the states and
IN dts assertion OF the necessity OF con-
lining the general government to the
exercise OF the powers granted by the
constitution OF the United States.
Recognizing that the money qucs-
ton is paramount to all Others at this
Es1e. we invite attention to the fact that
the federal constitution names silver
and gold together rs the money meta.s
OF the United States, and that the first
coinage law passed by congress under
the constitution made the silver do.-
lar the monetary unit and admitted
gold to free coinage at q 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 a corresponding fall in the
prices OF commodities produced by the
people.
We are unalterab.y opposed to the
recommendation which has locked fast
the prosperity OF industrious people |
in the paralysis OF hard times. Gold |
recommendation Is British po,ic", and |
Its adoption has brought other nations |
into financial servitude to London. 1t |
Is not only un-American, but anti
and 1t can be fastened on the
United States only by the sitting OF
that spirit Of love OF liberty which pro-
claimed our political Independence in
l77G, and won it in the war of the revo-
ution.
We demand the free ard unlimited
coinage Of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio OF 1G to /, without
waiting for the aid or consent OF any
other nation. We demand that the
standard silver dollar shall be a full
egal tender equally with gold, for all
'epts, public and private, and we favor
uch legislation as will prevent fer the
ut1pre the decentralization OF any kind
II legal tender money by private con-
r2ct.
We are opposed to the policy and
'ractce OF surre1derinS to the holders
Il the obligations OF the United States
he option reserved by law to the gov
rnment of reeeminG such obligations
n either silver coin or gold coin.
Wc are opposed TO the issuing OF in
erest-bearing bonds OF the United
tates in time of poace. and condemn
he trafllcking with banking syndi2ates
lntch, in exchange for bonds and at
D enormous profit to themselves, sup
ly the Feeral treasury with gold to
laintain the policy Of gold monometal-
SIN.
Congress alone has tho power to I
DIN and issue money, and President I
ackson declared that this power could
OF be delegated to corporations or in
ividuals. We, therefore, demand that
ne power to issue notes to circulate % y,
loney be taken from the national :
anks, and that all paper money shall q
e issued directly by the treasury de- S
artment and be redeemab,e In coin {
nd receivable for all debts, public and I
rivate.
We hold that the tariff duties shorr!d
e levied for purposes Of revenue, such q
uties to be so adjusted as to operate q
lually throughout the country and not d
iscriminate between class or section t
nd that taxation should be limited bv :
le needs of the government, honestly :,
nd economically administered We de- o