Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-09-10

| 1t is opposed to paternalism and all class leg
| islation.
| The declarations of the Chicago convention
| attack individual freedom. the right of private
/ contract. the independence OF the judiciary
and the authority of the president to enforce
| federal laws They advocate q reckless at
| tempt to increase tie price of silver by legis-
iatlon to the debasement OF monetary
! standard and threatened unlimited issue of
paper money by the government: they aban-
don for republican allies the democratic cause
OF tarih reform to court the favor OF protec-
| tlonlststo their fiscal heresy. In view of these
| and-other grave departures from democratic
principles. we cannot support the candi-
date OF that convention. nor be bound
| by its acts The democratic party has sur
ylved many defeats. but could survive
| victory won in behalf of the doctrine and
policy proclaimed in its name at Chicago The
| conditions, however. which make possible
| such utteranceS for a national convention are
| the direct result of class legislation by the re-
| publican party. It still prociaims as it has for
| years the power and duty of government to
| raise and maintain prices by law, and it pro-
poses no remedy for existing evils except OPP
pressive and unjust taxation. The national
democracy here convened therefore reneWS Its
declaration of faith in democratic principles,
especially as applicable to the conditions OF
the times.
Taxation tariff. excise direct is rightfully
imposed only for public purposes and not for
private gain Its amount Is justly measured
by public expenditures, which should be
limited by ScrupulOuS economy. The sum de-
levies is affected By the state OF trade and of
consumption. The amount required by the
treasury is determined by the appropriations
made by congress. The demand of the repub-
Hcan party for an increase in the tarih tax has
its pretext in the deficiency of revenue which
has its causes in the stagnation OF trade and
reduced consumption. due entirely to the loss
of confidence that has followed the popultst
threat of free coinage and depreciation of our
money and the republican practice Of extrava-
CANT appropriations beyond the needs OF good
government.
We arraign and condemn the populistic con-
ventions of Chicago and St Louis for their
operation with the republican party. increaS-
ing these conditions. which are pleaded in
justification Of a heavy increase in the burdens
of the people and further resort to protec-
tion. We therefore denounce protection and
its ally, free coinage of silver, as schemes for
the personal profit of few at the expense of
the many, and oppose the two parties which
stand for these schemes hostile to the peo-
OF the republic. whose food and shelter, COM
fort and property attacked by higher taxes
and deprecated money In fine, we reaff1rm
the historic democratic doctrine OF tariff for
revenue only.
We demand that henceforth modern and lib
eral policies toward American shipping shall
take the place OF our imitation of the restrict
ed statutes of the 18th century. which were
abandoned by every maritime power but the
United States, and which, to the nation S
humiliation, have driven American capital
and enterprise to the of alien flags
and alien crews, have made the stars
and stripes an almost unknown en-
blem in foreign countries and have virtually
extinguished the race of American seamen.
We oppose the pretenSe that discriminating
duties will promote shipping and that scheme
is an invitation to commercial warfare upon
the United States, un-American in the light of
our great commercial treaties, offering no gain
whatever to American shipping. while greatly
increasing ocean freights agricultural
and manufactured products.
The experience of mankind has shown that
by reason Of their natural qualities, gold is
the necessary money of the large affairs of
commerce and business. while silver is conven-
lently adapted to minor transactions. and the |
most beneficial use of both together can be in |
sured only by the adoption OF the former as a
standard OF monetary measures and the main |
tenance of silver at parity with gold by its |
limited coinage under such safeguards of law.
Thus is the largest possible enjoyment of |
both metals gained with the value universally |
accepted throughout the world, which conSti- |
tuteS the only practical currency assuring the |
most stable standard and especially the best |
and safest money for all who earn livelihood |
by labor or the produce of usbandry. They |
cannot suffer when paid in the best money |
known to man but are The peculiar and most de- |
fenSeless victims of debased and f1uctuat- |
ing currency, which offers continued profits |
to the money changer at their cost Real |
lZing these truths demonstrated by long |
public Inconvenience and loss, the dem |
ocratic party, in the interests of the masses |
and of equal justice to all, practically es- |
taDnSneQ Dy the legislation OF 1884 and 49, /
the gold standard of monetary measurement |
and likewise entirely divorced the government
from banking and currency issues To this
long established democratic policy we adhere
and insist upon the maintenance of the gold
standard and OF the parity Herewith of every
dollar issued by the government. and are
firmly opposed to the free and unlimited coin
age of silver and to the compulsory purchase
OF silver bullion.
But we denOunce also the further mainte-
nance OF the present costly patchwork of ma
t1ona1 paper currency as q constant source of
injury and peril We assert the necessity of
such intelligent currency reforms will con-
fine the government to its legitimate functions,
com pletely separated from the banking BUSH
ress and afford to all sections of our country
uniform, safe and elastic bank currency under
government supervision, mea Sured in volume
by the needs of business.
The patriotism. fidelity and courage with
which President Cleveland has fulfilled his
great public trust, the high character of his ad-
miniStration, its wisdom and energy in the
maintenance of civil order and the enforce
ment of laws. its equal regard for the rights of
every class and every section. its firm and dig
ntfied conduct of fore gn affairs and its sturdy
persistence in unfolding the credit and honor
of the nation are fully recognized by the dem
ocratic party and will secure him place in
history beside the father of the republic.
We also commend the administration for the
great progress made in the reform of the pub
lie service and we indorse its efforts to extend
the merit system still further We demand
that no backward step be taken, but that the
reform be supported and advanced until the