Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-10-28
A MODEL PLATFORM
ADOPTED by the Democrats In Natio nal
Convention,

1
Convention.
The following is the full and com.
plete platform as adopted by the
National Democratic convention:
We, the Democrats of the United
states In national convention asSemb.
led, 40 reathrm our allegiance to those
great essential principles of Justice
ana liberty upon which our institu.
tlOns are founded, and which the
democratic party has advocated from
JenerS0n'S s time to our own-freedOm
OF speech, freedom of the press, free
dom OF conscience, the preservation of
personal rights, the equality of all
citizens before the law, and the faith
ful observance of constitutional limi-
tatiOnS.
During all these years the Demo-
cratic party has resisted the tendency
or selfish interests to the centraliz-
alton of governmental power, and
steadfastly maintained the integrity
OF the dual scheme of government
established by the founders of this
republic of republics. Under its
guidance and teachings the great
principle of local self-government has
found its best expression in the main
tana annn Of tho -.~-LA- --4'--
of confning the general government
to the exercise of powers granted by
the constitution of the United States.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
The constitution Of the United
States guarantees to every citizen the
rights of civil and religious liberty.
The democratic party has always been
the exponent of political liberty and
religious freedom and it renews its
obligations and reatirms its devotion
to these fundamental principles or
the constitution.
FINANCE.
Recognizing that the money ques-
tion is paramount to all Others at THIS
time. we invite attention to the ffact
that the constitution names silver
and gold together as the money metals
of the United States, and that the
first coinage law passed by congress
under the constitution made the sill
yer dollar the money unit, ana ad-
mitted gold to free coinage at ratio
based upon the silver dollar unit.
We declare that the act OF 1873 de-
mOnetizing silver without the knoWi-
edge or approval of the American peO-
ple has resulted in the appreciation
of gold, and a corresponding fall IN
the price of commodities produced Dy
the peeple; a heavy increase In tne
burden of taxation and OF all deots,
nublic and private; the enrichment OF
the money lending class at home ana
abroad. the prostration OF indnstry,
and impOyerlshment of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to mon
ometallism, which has locked fast the
nrosnerity of an industrial people in
naralysis of hard times, Gold mono
metaIlism is a British policy, and It's
adontion has brought other nations
;ntd financial seryitude to London.
II is not only un-American, but antl-
American, and it can be fastened on
the United States only by the st,nlag 1g
of that spirit and love OF ilperey
which proclaimed our polltlcai lnue'
pendence in 1776 and won In the wal
of the revolution.
r FREE COINAGE. AZ
we demand the free and unilmlteu
coinage of both silver and gold at Jht
nrese6t legal ratio Of is to /, WITHOUT
waiting for the aid or consent of any
other nation. We demand that tht
Standard silver dollar shall be iui
legal tender, equally with gold, Tor al
debts public and private, and VIZ
favor such legislation as Will preVenl
for the future the demonetizatlon o
any kind of legal tender money Dl
I private contract.
BONDS.
We are opposed to the policy ans
nractice of surrendering TO the hoid
ers of the obligations, OF the Onlte'
States, the option reserved by IA" Z
the government of redeeming such on
iIgatiOns in either silver coin or goi'
We are opposed 10 the Issuing OF 10 n
terest-bearing bonds OF the Unlte
States In time OF peace, and condem
the traificking With banking ssynoI
Gates which, in exchange for bond
and 81. an enormous profit TO then
selves. supply the federal treasur
Win gold Ia maintain the policy
gold monOmetallism
ISSUE OF MONEY.
Congress alone has tue power I
enin and issue money, aud Prefiael