Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-07-17
Money Plank.

money I'lahks
Recog uizlng that the money question is para
mount 10 all others at this time. we invite atten.
ton the fact that the constitution names sill
yer and gold together as the money metals OF the
United States, and that the first coinage law
passed 10y Congress under the constitution made
the silver dollar the money unit and admitted
gold 10 free coinage at ratio based upon the sill
yer dollar unit.
silver without the knowledge or approval Of the
American people, has resulted in the apprecia-
ton of gold aud corresponding falling in the
prices of commodities produced by the people; a
heavy increase in the burden OF taxation and of
all debts, public and private; the enrichment of
the money-lending class at home and abroad; the
prostration of industry and the impoverishment
of the people.
We are uualterably opposed TO monometallism,
which has locked fast the prosperity OF an indus;
trial people in the paralysis of hard times. Gold
monometallism is British policy, and its adop-
tIon has brought other nations into financial serv-
itude to London. II is not only un- American, but
anti American, and ii can be fastened on the
United States only by the sitting OF that spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our polti-
cal independence in l716 and won il in the war of
the Revolution. We demand the free and unlim-
tied coinage Of both gold and silver at the present
legal ratio of 10 TO /, without waiting for the aid
or consent of any other nation. We demand
that the standard silver dollar shall be full le-
gal tender, equally with gold, for all debts, pub
lie and private, and we favor such legislation as
will prevent for the future the decentralization of
any kind of legal tender money by private con-
tract.
Bonds and Notes.
We are opposed to the policy and practice of
surrendering TO the holders of the obligations of
the United States the option reserved by law to
the government OF redeeming such obligations in
either silver or gold coin.
We are opposed TO the issuing of interest. bear
ing bonds of the United States 10 times of peace
and condemn the trafficking with banking syndi-
Gates, which, in exchange for bonds and at enor-
nous profits TO themselves, supply the federal
treasury with gold 10 maintain the policy of gold
monometalsm.
Congress alone has the power to coin and issue
money, and Presid. mt Jackson declared that this
power could not be delegated to corporations or
individuals. We therefore denounce the issuance
of notes, intended to circulate as money, by ma
tional banks as in deTogation of the constitution,
and We demand that all paper which is made a le-
gal tender for public and private debts or which
is receivable for duties TO the United States shall
be issued by the government of the United
States and shall be redeemable In coin.
Tariff and Revenue.
We hold that tariff duties should be levied for
purposes of revenue, such duties 10 be adjusted
as TO operate equally throughout the country and
not discriminate between class or section, and
that taxation shall be limited.
We denounce as disturbing TO business the Re
publican threat 10 restore the Mckinley law
which has been twice condemned by the people
in national elections, and which, enacted under
the false plea of protection to home industry
proved prolific breeder of trusts and monopol!es
enriched the few at the expense of the many, re-
stricted trade and deprived the producers for the
great American staples of access TO their natural
markets.
Until the money question is settled we are op-
posed 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 ad-
verse decision of the supreme court on the in
come tax. But for this decision by the supreme
court there would be no deficit in the revenue I'M
der the law passed by Democratic Congress in
strict pursuance of the uniform decisions OF that
court for nearly 100 years, that court having in
that decision sustained constitutional objection
TO its enactment which had previously been over
ruled by the ablest judges who ever sat on that
bench.
We declare that it is the duty of Congress to
use all the constitutional power which remains
reversal by the court as it may hereafter be con-
stituted, so that burdens of taxation may be
equally and impartialy laid, to the end that we
may all bear its proportion of the expenses of the
government
immigration.
We hold that the most efficient way of protect