The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-18
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
FOUR MONEY PLANKs.

FOUR MONEY PLANkS.
TRIPARTITE ALLIANCE OF DEMOCRATS, SILVER RE
PUBLIcANs AND POPUL1sTs
To the Editor of the San Francisco Call-DEAB
SIR: For special reason to be disclosed at
another time desire to place before the pub
Tic the three money planks adopted by the
supporters OF Mr.. Bryan, as we'll as that OF the
Republicans would suggest that all the
readers OF The CALL who take a reasonable In
terest in the political situation should make it
point to cut out and save fot future refer
enee these fundamental statements issued by
the tripRrtite alliance of Democrats, silver Re-
pnblicans and Populists as the basis OF their
union In the support of Bryan as their Presi-
Dental candidate and also the Republican
money plank.
The National Democratic Convention at Chi
cago made the following declaration:
DEMOCRATIC MONEY PLANK.
Recognising that the money question. is para
ton TO the fact that the Federal constitution
named silver and gold together as the money
metals or the United States, and that the first
coinage law passed by Congress under the consti-
tuition made the silver dollar the monetary unit
ana ADMITTED gold to free coinage st ratio based
upon the silver dollar unit. We declare that the
act or 1878. demonetizing silver without the
knowledge or approval Of the American people,
mas resulted in the appreciation of gold and cor
responding fall in the price OF commodities pro-
duced by the people. heavy increase iu the bur-
den OF taxation and of all debts public and private,
the enrichment of the money-lending class at
nome and abroad, the prostration OF industry and
lmpoverishipg OF the people,
w are unalterably opposed to monometallism,
which has locked fast the prosperity of an indus
trial people In the paralysis of hard times. Gold
monome tallism is British policy, and its adop-
ton has brought other nations into financial SER
vitude to London. 1t is not only un-American,
but anti American, and IL can be fastened on the
United states only by the sitting Of that spirit
and love OF liberty which proclaimed political
independence in 1776, and won 1t in the War Of
The Revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited coinage of
both gold and silver at the present legal ratio of 1t
to without waiting for the aid or consent OF any
other nation. We demand that the standard silver
collar shall be full legal tender equally with gold
for all debts, public and private and favor such
egisla.lon as VIII prevent Tor the future the de-
by private contract.
Congress alone has the power to coin and issue
money ard President Jackson declared that this
power could not be delegated TO corporations or
individuals. We, therefore, denounce the issu-
ance of notes as money for the National banks as
In derogation of The constitution and we demand
that all the paper money which is made legal
tender for public and private debts, or which is re-
sued by the Government of the United States and
SHAH be redeemable In coin.
SILVER REPUBLICAN, MONEY PLANK.
Adopted at the National Silyerite Conven-
ton in st. Louis:
First-The paramount issue at this time in the
United States Is indisputably the money question.
1t is between the gold standard, gold bonds and
bank currency on the one side and the bimetall ic
standard, no bonds and Government currency on
the other.
On this issue we declare ourselves to be In fav or
of a distinctively American system. We are UNI
alterably opposed to q single gold standard. and
demand immediate return to the constitutional
Government, Independent of any foreign power
of the unrestricted coinage OF both gold and silver
into standard money at the ratio Of 16 to /, and
upon terms OF exact equality, as they existed
prior to 1873, the silver coin TO be full legal
tender equally with gold for all debts and dues,
public and private and we favor such legislation
as will prevent for the future the RECOMMENDATION
Of any kind Of legal tender money by private con-
tract.
paper currency Is inseparable from the power to
coin money: and hence, that all currency In
its volume controlled by the General Governmen Mt
only, and should be legal tender.
We are unaterably opposed to the issue by the
United States of tnterestbearing bonds in time of
peace, and we denounce as blunder worse than q
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 gold standard by borrowing gold,
and we demand the payment of all coin oblisa-
tions of the United Statss as provided by existing
laws in either gold silver coin, at the option OF
the Government, and not at the option of the cred
itor.
Second--That over and above all other questions
Of policy in favor OF restoring TO the people
OF the United States the time-honored money OF
the constitution-goid and silver: not one. but
both, the money OF Washington. and Hamilton,
and Jefferson, and Monroe and jackson, and Linz
coin, 10 the END that the American people may re-
ceive honest pay for an honest products; that the
American debtor may pay his Just obligations In
any one standard and not in standard that has
appreciated 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 ex-
change between gold and silver, an advantage
which tariff legislation alone cannot overcome.
PoPUIIsT MONEY PLANK.
Adopted in National Convention at ST. Louis
First-We demand q National money, safe and
sound issued by the General Government only,
without the intervention of banks OF issue, to be
full legal tender for all debts private and public
just equitable and efficient means of distribution
direct TO the people and throughout the lawful dis
bursements OF the Government.
Secoud-We demand the free and unrestricted
coinage OF silver and gold ut the present legal ratio
OF 1e to 1, and without waiting for the consent OF
foreign nations.
Third-We demand the volume OF circulating