The Forrest City times., 1896-07-31
SOLID FOR SILVER.
ristsorm OF the National Bi-MetaIic Par
w adopted at the National silver Con-
Vention at st. Louis July "a, 1895
The Platform,


" Adopted at the National silver Con.
'ention at 81 Louis July "a, 1898.
The Platform.
The National Silver party in convention a.
sembled makes this the declaration OF n.
principles: -
flrs-The paramount issue at this time I'm
the United states is indisputabiy the money
question 1t is between the gold standard
Eolu ponds and bank currency on the one side
anu the blmetallic standard. no bonds and
government currency on the other
On this issue we declare ourselves to be I'm
iasor OF distinctively American system. We
are nnalterably opposed TO the single sold
stahdsrd and demand immediate return 70 the
constitutional standard OF gold and silver. py
restoration by this government. independently
OF any foreign power. Of the unrestricted coin-
age OF both gold and silver into standard
money, at the ratio Of 10 to |, and upon terms
OF exact equality, as they existed prior TO 1871
she silver coin to be full legal tender equally
with gold for all debts and dues public and
private ana we favor such legislation az Will
prevent for the future the demonee ration of
ANY kind Of legal tender money by private con.
tract
we mold that the power to control and
regulate paper currency is inseparable from
the power TO coin money; and hence that Ali
currency intended TO circulate as money should
De issued and its volume controlled by the gen.
eral government only, and should be legal
tender
We are unalterably opposed to the issue BY
the United States OF interest bea I ing bonds In
time of peace, and we denounce as a blunder
worse than crime the present treasury
policy, concurred In by republican house OF
plunging the country in debt by hundreds of
millions in the vain attempt to maintain the
Rola standard by borrowing gold, and we de-
mand the payment OF all coin obligations OF the
United states, as provided by existing laws, in
either gold or silver coin, at the option Of
the government, and not at the option OF the
creditor
The Crime of rs.
The demonetization Of gold in 1873 enor-
mously increased the demand for gold en-
HANGING its purchasing power and lowering all
prices measured by that standard And since
that unjust and indefensible act the prices Of
American products have fallen, upon an aver
age, nearly 20 per cent, carrying down with
! proportionately the money value OF all other
forms OF property.
Such fall OF prices has destroyed the profits
OF legitimate industry, injuring the producer
for the benefit of the n-producer. increasing
the burden OF the debtor, swelling the gains of
the creditor, paralyZing the productive ener-
giles OF the American people. RELOCATING TO
idleness vast numbers Of willing workera
sending the shadows OF despair into the hons
OF the honest toiler, filling the land with
tramps anu paupers and building up colossal
fortunes at he money centers.
In the effort to maintain the gold standard
the country has within the last two years in
time of peace and plenty, been loaded down
with see, 900 O OF additional interest bearing
debt under such circumstances as to allow a
syndicate OF native and foreign bankers to
realize net profit Of millions single deal.
1t stands confessed that the gold standard can
only be upheld by so depicting our paper cur
rency as to force the prices Of our products be-
1 nd halo 81 Aofn L.
level to enable us to sell In foreign markets.
thus aggravating the very evils of which our
people so bitterly complain, degrading Amer
loan labor and striking at the foundations OF
our civilization itself.
The advocates Of the gold standard persis-
tently claim that the cause Of our distress 10
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES we have produced so
much that it has made us poor-which implies
that the true remedy is to close the factory
abandon the farm and throw the multitude OF
people out of employment. A doctrine that
leaves US unnerved and dlsheartened and abso-
lutely without hope for the future We con-
firm 1t to be unquestioned that there can be no
such economic paradox as overproducton and
IT the same time tens Of thousands of our fell
low citizens remaining half clad and half fed
and who are piteously clamoring for the COM
mon necessities OF life
Money of the Constitution.
Over and above all other questions OF policy.
| we are IN favor OF restoring to the people OF
! United States the time -honored money OF the
! Constitution, not one, but BOTH the money OF
! Washington and Hamilton, and jefferson, and
| Monroe, and Jackson. and Lincoln, to the end
that the American people may receive honest
/ pay for an honest product; that the American
| debtor may pay his just obligations in any one
! standard and not in O standard that has APP
/ preciated 100 per cent. above all the great
| staples OF our country; and to the end further
! that silver standard countries may be deprived
! OF the unjust advantage they now enjoy in the
! difference in exchange between gold and silver,
an advantage which tariff legislation alone can
not overcome.
We, therefore. confidently appeal to tho
! people OF the United States to leave In abey-
ance for the moment all other questions, how
| ever important and even momentous, they
! may appear, to sunder, II need be, all former
party ties and Affiliations, and unite In one su-
| preme effort TO free themselves and their chill
! dren from the domination of the money power,
| power more destructive than any which has
I ever been fastened upon the civilized men Of
| any racs or any age. And upon the consum-
| nation of our desires and efforts we invoke
the gracious favor OF Divine providence
Inasmuch as the patriotic majority Of tho
Chicago convention embodied In the financial
plank OF Its platform the principle enunciated
In the platform OF the American bimetallio
! party promulgated at Washington. d. c.. jan
uary q. 1896. and herein reinstated, which ID
not only paramount but the only real issue in
the pending campaign. therefore recognizing
| that their nominees embody these patriotic
| principles, we recommend that this convention
| nominate Vim. j. Bryan, OF Nebraska, for
/ 4AA.t np1 Arth 49, faf g.