Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-09-04
DEMOCRATIC PIATFORM


DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
4 We. the democrats of the United States in
national convention assembled. do reafnrm
! our allegiance 10 those gre essen tiai rrin-
cipics OF justice ard liberty upon which our
institutions are founded. nnd which the demo-
| cratic pprty has dvocatcd from Jefferson.s
4 time to our own-freedom of speech. freedom
OF the press. freedom OF conscience the
/ preservation OF personal rights Tho corahty
| OF all citizens before the law and ..e faithfai
observance OF constitutional Limitations
| During all these years the democratic party
mas resisted the tendency o. selfish interests
TO the Capitalization of governmental powor
ana steadfastly maintained the iitegrit; OF
the uu l scheme OF government established bv
inc founders OF this republic of rcpublics
7 Undcr It's guidance and teachings the great
principal OF local self-yoycrnment has fovnd
It's best expression in the maintenance OF the
rights OF the states aud In its assertion of the
necessity OF combining the general government
10 the exercises OF tho powers granted by tho
constitution Of the Unitcd States
Tho constitution OF the United States
! guarantees to every citizen the right of civil
and religious liberty. The democratic party
mas Always been the exponent of political lib
erty and religious freedom. and II rcnews its
ooilSations snd reanlrms it's devotion to these
! fundamental principles OF the constitution
Recognizing that the money question is par
amount TO aii others at this time. We invite
attention to the fact that the federal const.-
IA
! money metals of the United States and thn,
: the frst coinnye law passed by congrosg under
the constitution made the silver dollar tho
monetary unit OF value and admitted gold to
dollar unit
/ We doclhrc that the net OF 1878 demonotizin0
silver without the knowledge or approval of
the American people has resulted In tho an
precintion OF gold and corresponding fall In
the prices OF commodities produced by tho
I people heavy increase in the burden OF tax-
alton and OF oil debts public and privato tho
enrichment OF the monev-lendiny class ut
nome and abroad: postration of Industry. and
| impoverishmont OF the PEOPLE.
We are unultcrably opposed to the sinr,,
| goid standard which has locked fast tho pros-
perity Of an industrial people in the paralysis
OF hard times. Gold monomet .llism IA n
| British policy md its adoption has broueht
! other nations into financial seryitude To T.on-
don ltis not only un-American but nnti-
/ AmosicRn md IL can be fa.tcnsd on the yInI,cd
States only ey tho sliding OF that indomitablo
spirit and love of liberty which procInimcd
our political independence In 1910 aud won n
/ In the war of tho revolution
We demand tho free and unlimited coinage
OF both silver and gold nj no present legal ratio
OF 10 TO l. without waiting for tho aid or consent
Oh any other nation We demand that tho
standard silver dollar shall be q full legal ecn-
der, equally with gold for all debts public and
private, and VIC favor such lerisl. tlon s will
prevent the denonetiz ton of my kind OF ie-
gal tender monoy b. private contract.
We are opposed to tho policy and prncticc
OF surrcndcring to the holders of the oblp.-
lions OF the United States the option reserved
i by law TO the government OF rcdceming such
obligations in either silver coin or gold coin
we are opposed to the issuing OF Interest,"
bearing bonds of the United States in time of
peace. and condemn the tranickinx with banl,-
Ing syndicotes which. In exchange for bonds
ara NJ an enormous profit to themselves sun
ply the federal treasury with gold TO ma ntain
the policy OF gold recommendation
Congress alone has the power to coin and
issue money. and President jackson declared
that this power could not be delegated TO cor
porations or individuals.
we therefore denounce the issuance OF
notes intended TO circulate as money b. mn
uonal banks az In dcrogaton OF the coustitu-
ton nnd we demand that all papcr which A.
made legal tender for publ, and priynto
debts or which is receivable for dues to tho
United Stttcs, shall be issued by the govern
ment of the United States and shnll he re
dccmablc In coin
We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes OF revenue. should also be nd
justcd us to operate equally throuybou,
the country, and not discriminate between
class or section, and that tax.tion
should cc limited by tho needs OF tho govern
ment honestly ana economically administered
we denounce rs disturbing to business tho
republican threat to restore the McKinlev
law which has been twice condemned by tho
people In the national elections and
which. enacted under the false plea of
protection to homo industry. proved d prolific
breeder OF trusts and monopolies, enriched
the few ut the expense OF the many restricted
trade and deprived the producers of the great
American staples OF ncccSs to their natural
markets Until the money question IS
settled we are opposed to any agita-
tiop for further changes in our tarin
laws. except such rs ure necessary to meet
the deficit In revenue caused by the adverse
tho
tax There would be no deficit in the revenue
out Tor the annulmcat by the supreme court
OF q law passed By \ democratic congress in
strict pursuance of the uniform decisions OF
that court Tor nearly one hundred years that
court having in that decision sus-
t1incd constitutional objections to It's en-
actmcnt which has been previously over
ruled by the ablcst judges who had ever sat
on mat bench We declare that II Is the duty
OF congress 10 use all the constitutional power
which remains after that decision or which
may come from it's reversal by the court as IL
may hereafter 6e constituted. SO tnat the bur
ucts OF taxation may DC equally and Impair
iaiiy iiid TO the end that wealth muy bear It's |
due proportion OF the expenses OF government
We hold that the most efficient way OF pro-
tcctihg American labor Is TO prevent the I'M
Portation OF foreign paupcr labor to compete
win II In the home market, and with the value
OF the home market To our American farmers
ana artisans is greatly reduced by u vicious
OF their products below the cost OF production
ana mus dcprlvcs them of the means of pur-
chasing the products of our homo manufnc-
tories and MS labor creates tho wealth Of the
country, We demand the passagc OF such laws
as may be necessary to protect Il In oil it's
rights. i
We are I'm favor of the arbitration OF. diner-
ences between employers engaged In Interstate
commerce and their employees. and recon-
mend such Legislation as is necessary to carry
out this principle
The absorption OF wealth by the few. the :
consolidation OF our leading railroad systems
and tho formation OF trusts and POOLS REQUIRE
n strictcr control by the federal government
OF those arteries of commerce. We domand
the enlargement of the interstate commerce
commission. and such restrictions and guar
ahtees In the control OF railways MS will pro-
tect the people from robbery and oppression.
We denouncc the proligate waste OF tho
money Srnns ssom the people by oppressive
taxation and the lavish appropriations of re-
cent republican congresses. which have kept
taxes high. while the labor thut pays thcm is
unemployed and She protilict NJ the x,sonis.u