The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1896-09-12
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

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tial principles of Justice and liberty upon
our institutions are founded ana
which the Democratic party has advocat-
&d from Jeffersou's time to our own, Tree
dom of speech, freedom OF the fressi, Tree.
dom of conscience, the preservation of
personal rights the equality OF all citizens
before the law, and the faithful obserV-
ance Of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Delmocratlc
party has resisted the tendency Of selfish
interests to the Capitalization OF govern
mental power and steadfastly maintained
the integrity OF the dual scheme OF gov
.nrnment established by the founders of
this repiblic of republics. Under its
guidance the great principle OF G self
government has found its best expression
IN Che maintenance of the rights Oh tne
States and in it's assertion OF the necessl-
fv of continuing the general government TO
the exercise of the powers granted by the
CONSTITUTION Of the United States.
Recognizing that the money system IS
to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the FED
eraI Constitution names SILVER ana goid
together as the money metals OF the UNIT
ed States, and that the first coinage law
passed by Congress under the Cohstlbu-
Ii IN made the silver dollar the monetary
INIT and admitted god the free coinage at
a ratio based upon the silver dollar unit.
We declare that the act OF 1873, de-
monetizing silver without the knowledge
or approval of the American people, has
resulted in the appreciation OF gold and
a corresponding fall i'll the prices OF COM
lnodities produced by the people, Z neana
increase in the burden of taxation ana
of all debts, public II private; the en-
richmento of the money lending class at
home and abroad; prostration OF industry
and impoverishment Of the people,
We are unalterably opposed TO the
monometaliism, which has locked last the
prosperity of an industrial people Ill the
paraIysis of hard times. Gold monomet-
.allism is a British policy, and It's adoption
has brought other nations into
.seryitude to London. 1t is moi only UNI
American, but anti-Amerlcan, III 10 can
be fastened on the United States only, py
the stifing Of that spirit and love or I'D"
cry which proclaimed our political indie
pendence in 1T76. and won 1T III the war
of the Revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited
~coinare of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio of 10 to l., without
waiting for the aid or consent OF any 9TH
or nation. We demand that lle Staiiaaau
silver dollar shall be q full legal tender
eaually with gold, for all debts, pubic,
and nriyate. and we favor such legisla-
tion as will prevent for the future the Dc
.monetization of any kind Of legal tender
money by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy n prac.
+ice of surrendering to the holders OF the
.ohIioations of the United States the OPP
fion reserved by Law to the government
Of redeeming such obligations IN either
silver coin or gold com.
We are opposed to the issuing of inter
.~est-bearing bonds of the United states IN
time OF peace and condemn the traffcklng
with banking syndleates when, LII = :
change for bonds and as an, nor
profit to themselves, supply the Fedefal
treasury with gold to maintain the policy
of gold monometalllSm,
Congress alone has tho power to coin
and issue money, and President ackson
declared that this power could nol DC gel
gained to corporations OF individuals. we
Therefore demand that the power to issue
notes to circulate as money be from
national banks and that all paper mon
CIV shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department., redeemabiel IN cor
and receivable for all debts, pubic and
private. .r an1a
be levied for purposes of revenue, snch
duties to be SO adjusted as to operate
,%eaually throughout the country. and not
discriminate between class n secIlon.
and that taxation shouid be limited 6y
the needs Of the government, honestly
and economically administered. We de
nounce as disturbing to business the he
publican threat to restore the Mckinley
law. which has twice been condemned by
the people in national elections, and
which. enacted under false plea Of pro
lection tohome industry, proved a promo
breeder of trusts and m~onopolles, enrich
ed the few at the expense OF the many,
restricted trade and deprived the produ-
GERS of the great American staples OF ac-
cess to their natural markets.
Until the money question IS settled we
are opposed to any agitation for further
changes in our tariff laws, except such as
are necessary to make up the deficit IN
revenue, caused by the adverse decision
by the supeme court on the income 6aE'
But for this there would be no deficit III
revenue. Under the law passed by 4
Democratic Congress. in strict pursuance
Of the uniform decisions of that court
having that decision sustained, constltu-
tional objection to it's enactment, which
has been dverruled by the ablest judges
VINO eve sat on that bench. We declare
that it is the duty of Congress to all the
constitutional power which remains after
that decision or which may come from Its
reversal by the court as it may hereafter
be constituted, so hat the burdens OF
taxation may be equally and impartlally
Land to the end that wealth may e It's
due proportionate expenses OF the govern.
ment.
We hold that the most efficient way tx
protect American labor is to prevent The
importation of foreign pauper labor tt
compete with it in the home market, anG
that the value of the home market to oul
farmers and artisans is greatly reduced
by avieious monetary system. which de
presses the price of their products below
the cost of production. and thus deprive
them of tlle means of purchasing the pro
ducts of our home manufacturers,
The absorption of wealth by the few
the consolidation Of our leading railway
systems and the formation of trusts an
pools, require a ~strieter control by TIL
Federal Government of those arteries 0
commerce.. We demand the enlargement
of the powers of the Interstate Commerce
Commission aud such restrictions ant
; guarantees in the control of railroads a