The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-18
80 1EEN,s PRoTEsT.
They Make Public Their Reasons for
Leaving the Party.

They Make Public Their Reasons for
Leaving the Party.
st. Louis. June 1s.-The free silver
delegates to the national convention
have issued the following protest:
In announcing the purpose asserted
in this paper. it is due to cur consttu-
ents and to ourselves that there shall
be a public showing Of indicating
facts.
The sole authorized expression of ma
tionaI Republican faith from June 9,
1892. until the present date has been the
platform adopted in the national con
vention at Minneapolis. Neither the
utterances of state conventions nor the
attitude Of individuals could change
the tenor of that platform, or abate the
sanctity of its biding force Every
delegate of this convention was elected
as its adherent and it's advocate. True,
one of its most important paragraphs
mas been subjected to such a dfverg-
ence Of construction as to make its
language unsatisfactory during the in
tervening time, and dangerous if con-
tinued in the future, but of the inten-
ton contained within that language
there has never been a doubt.
1t is the rightful province of this con
vention to revise the party tenets and
TO announce anew the party purpose.
The majority of this convention in the
exercise of such authority has this day
made official annunciatiOn of Republi-
can law and gospel. With much Of the
platform we agree, believing that in
many essential particulars it compass
es the needs Of humanity, a1drns the
just remedy FOR wrong. But 1t de-
clares one elemental principle not only
in direct cOntraVention of the express
ion OF party faith in 1892, but in radical
opposition TO our solemn conviction.
We recognize that in all matters of
mere method it is but Just and helpful
that the minority shall yield to the win
OF the majority, lest we have chaos in
parties and in government But as no
prOncuncement by majOrities can
change opposing knowledge or belief
sincerely entertained so it cannot
oblige minOFitles to abandon or disa-
vow their principles. ASsuredIy as it is
requisite for peace and progress that
minOritieS shall yield to ma Orities ia
matters OF mere method. just so surely
IS it necessary for that same peace and
progress that nlinorilies shall not yield
in matters OF fundamental truth.
The Republican platform Of 1892 af-
frmed that the American people, from
tradition and interest, favored binetal-
ism and demanded the use of both gold
ard silver as standard money This
was accepted by as as a declaration
lin behalf Of the principle upon which
rests the interest of every cleiz z
ard the safety eff the United States
Ia such terms the platform was then
satisfactory TO the believers Up bimetal-
lisn.
The platform this day adopted ia the
national Republican convention q 1t
Louis says. las the declaration of 1892
has been by a majority of the party
construed to justify single gold stand
ard for our monetary basis, and as the
recent trend of the official power Of the
party has been in that direction. we
can but assume that the money plank
of the new platform, being much more
favorable to perpetuate gold monomet-
allism, win be determinedly used in be-
half of that idea.
The Republican party has won it's
power and renOWn by pursuing is pur-
poses coura ge0us1y and relentlessIy.
1t is therefore, only in accordance with
the party's history to assume that if it
shall come to present authority in the
United States it will crystallze into law
and administration under this tempt
ing platform the perpetual gold stand
ard in our finances. This, II long con-
tinued, viii mean the absolute ruin Of
the producers Of the country, and final
" of the nation itself.
The American people not only favor
binetallism from tradition and interest.
but from the wise instinct which has
always been manifest in the affairs of
the people destined for the worlds lead
ership Under the operation of our
great demand for advancement we
have become to other nations the
greatest debtor nation of the world. We
pay the vast charges which every year
accumulate against US in the clearing
houses of the world with the money of
the world procured by the disposal of
our commodities in the markets Of the
world. We are nation of producers.
Our creditors are nations of commerce
Any system Of international or national
finance which e1eVates the price Of hui
man productions makes our burden
lighter and gives promise of that day
when it shall be entirely lifted and cur
country freed financially, as lit is p0iit-
ically. from the domination Of mon
archcy and foreign autocracy Amy
system of finance which tends to de-
preciate the price Of human produc-
tons which we must sell abroad but
in so far adds to the burden of our debt,
and conveys q threat of the perpetual
servitude Of the producers of our debtor
nation.
To Us it is folly without parallel
that this country or any political party
therein should deliberately accept a
money system which enriches others +
at our own expense. History. phiiOso- 4
ply, morals, all Join with the common
est instinct of self preservation in de-
handing that the United States SHAH
have a just and substantially unvary-
ing standard composed of al available
gold and silver, and with it our coun-
try VIII progress to financial enfran-
chisememt But with a single gold
standard the country viii go on 10
worse destruction; to continued fall
ing prices until our people would be-
come the heWers OF WOOD and the
drawers of water for the consumers in
the creditor nations of the earth
To such an unholy end we win not
lend ourselves. Dear as has been the
Republican name to its adherents, that
name is not so dear as the faith
itself. And we do not sacrifice enc
iot or little of the mighty principles
by which Republicanism has uplifted
the world when we say that at tie
parting of the ways we cling to the
faith let the name go where it win We
hold that this convention has seced-
ed from the truth; that the triumph
OF such secession would be the eventu-
al destruction Of our freedom and our
civilization. To that end the people viii
not knowingly follow any political par
the ranks of the great mass Of citizens
rul.n raaIiza that the hour has come for