San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-02-23

The voters of Texas have to de.
eide for themselves this year ques.
lions of very great Importance,
which may seriously affect their
welfare for years to come. They
can only do this by the intelligent
discharge of their duties as citi-
zens, each one of whom is pos.
sessed of one unit of the sovereign
political power in this country,
and is charged with the duties and
responsibilities Of the proper exer-
else of that power.
Political parties are unavoidable
in free country like ours, as the
necessary means Of adopting and
enforcing principles which will Sc
cure the rights, promote the well
fare and protect the liberties of the
people.
There are now in this state three
political parties, with different
sets Of principles and different pub
lie policies, seeking the votes and
support of our people.
First-The democratic party,
which represents, among other
things, a strict construction OF the
federal constitution the preserva-
ton Of the rights of the states, and
the inviolability of the liberty Of
the citizens economy in public ex-
penditures; a tariff for revenue on.
ly, with equal rights for all, ex-
elusive privileges to none; it repre-.
sents opposition to monopolies;
legal restriction upon the powers
of corporate wealth, and favors
gold and silver as the money OF the
constitution, and as the standard
and redeeming money Of this coun-
try, with equal privileges in the
mints, and equal legal tender quail
ties, supplemented by paper con-
vertible into these metals.
Second-The republican party
represents, among other things, a
latitudinarian construction OF the
Federal constitution; the centra.
lization Of political power in the
federal government; weakening
the power and authority OF the
states; and endangering the, right
and liberties of the citizene it re-
presents corporate INTERESTS as
against individual rights it re-
presents high protective 0hriff for
the benefit of the tswrat the ex-
pense Of the many; it represents q
single gold standard OF money,
dear money, ct bap labor and prop
,erty, and thu doubling Of the
amour. Of property necessary to
pay liabilities created before silver
was demonetized \ enriching bond
holders and gold Brokers, thereby
impoverishing the industrial
classes; and its legislation is his
tory of legislation for tina classes
and against the masses and 1t re.
lies on the influence of money and
corporations to obtain political
power.
The differences between the
principles and policies Of the dem
Ocratic and republican parties are
30 distinctly marked, and so well
understood, that it is not deemed
necessary to discuss them in this
paper.
The silver democrats OF this
state demand that silver shall be
restored to its position as part Of
the constitutional money of the
United States; coined on the same
terms and made lawful tender
for all debts, the same as gold.
This was the traditional policy Of
the United States until recently.
It has always been the policy Of
the democratic party, as empha-
sized by the debates and votes in
congress from 1876 to this time.
Because President Cleveland and
some other democrats have adopted
the republican policy the populists
claim that theirs Is the only party
which is in favor Of the free coin
age of silver at the ratio of 16 to l f;
and that the democratic party Dor
rowed its views on this subject
from them. The congressional
records show that the democrats,
as represented in congress, have
advocated this policy for 20 years,
and for many years before the
populist party. had an existence
And it now has many times more
advocates of this policy in its ranks
than there are members OF the
populist party. On this account,ii
no other, those who hope for the
restoration of silver to its former
position had better unite with the
free silver democrats.
As between the silver and gold
democrats this much is to be said
The policy OF the great standard
men of necessity contracts the
volume Of circulating money, re.
duces the value of property and
labor, so that as to the many mil
lions of dollars OF bonded indebted
ness OF the. federal and state gov