The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-09-19
ADOPT t'KEE SILVER.
q ENC CRATiE NATIONAL PLAT.
FORM IN FULL.
DeclRrcn for the Free and Unlimited Coin
age OF Silver aG y Ratio Of 10 tc Opp
posed to Interest Bearing Bonds BE II ::
Issued by the Government.
The follow

>-.---~., -, The folio,
ing is the platform adopted by II
national Democratic convention:
We. the Democrats OF the Unite
States, in national convention Assem-
bled, DO reatlirm our allegiance to thos
great and essential principles OF jus
uce and liberty upon which our inst
buttons are founded and which th
Democratic party has advocated from
Jefterson's tine to our own-freedon
or speech, freedom of the press, free
dom OF conscience, the preservation O
personal rights, the equality Of all per
sons before the law ard the faithful OBJ,
selVance OF constitutional Limitations
During al thess years the Democrat.
&c party has RESI- sted the tendency oil
Selfish interests, the Capitalization OF
governmental pNwer and eteadfast.y
maintained the Integrity OF the dual
scheme OF government established by
the founders OF this republic OF repub-
Acs. Under It's guidance the great prin-
odple OF local self-goverrment has
rouno its best expression in the main.
tenance OF the rights OF the states and
IN Its assertion OF the necessity OF con-
inning the general government to the
exercise of the powers granted by the
constitution OF the United States.
Recognizing that the money ques-
ZION 's paramount to all others at this
Hs.1e, we invite attention to the fact that
the federal 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 silver do'-
lar the monetary unit and admitted
gold to free coinage at q ratio based
upon the silver unit,
we declare that the act Of 1873, de-
monetzirs silver without the knowl-
|
edge or approval Of the American peo-
pie, has resulted in the appreciation of
GOD and a corresponding fall in the
prices OF commodities produced by the
people.
We are unalterabiy opposed to TIE
which has locked fast
he prosperity OF industrious people
n the paralysis Of hard times. Gold
aono-netablism is British policy, and
IS adoption has brought other nations
oto financial servitude to London. It {
not only un-Ameriean, but anti {
american, and It can be fastened on tho {
United States only by tho sitting OF
hat spirit Of love OF liberty which pro- :
lasmed our political independence in I
49, and won 1t in the war OF the revo- +
ltion. g
We demand the free and unlimited n
1inage OF both gold and silver at the =
resent legal ratio Of 16 to l, without y
akting for the aid or consent OF any O
ther nation. We demand that the fl
andard silver dollar shall be a full 4
gal tender equally with gold, for al p
'pts, public and private, and we favor ~
lch legislation as will prevent for the % 90
ture the decentralization Of any kind n,
legal tender money by private con.
act Oh
We are opposed to the policy and G
actice OF surrendering to the holders a.
the obligations Of the United States "
e option reserved by law to the gov y,
nment Of reeeming such obligations III
either silver coin or gold coin.
we are opposed to the issuing of in pl
rest-bearing bonds OF the United "a
ates in time Of poace, and condemn a.
trafllcking with banking syndicates to
ltch. in exchange for bonds and at
enormous profit to themselves, SUD- Ia
the Feeral treasury with gold to Gu
Iintain the policy OF gold monometal- sa
m. 81
Congress alone has tho rover to Nh
a and issue money, and President tn
,kson declared that this power could
be delegated to corporations or IN ca
tduals. We. therefore, demand that ST.
power to issue notes to circulate as ~
ney be taken from the national ire
lks, and that all paper money shall an
issued directly by the treasury de- sui
'tment and be redeemable in coin inc
I receivable FOR all debts. public and . ,
vate. W.
We hold that the tariff duties should I
levied for purposes Of revenue, such eau
les to be 50 adjusted as to operate at
ally throughout the country and not dec
eliminate between class or section, 10
that taxation should be limited by Au
needs OF tho government, honestly no
economically administered. We de- effe
nee as disturbing to business til. lief
mblican threat to restore the Nc the
ley law. which has been twice con-
med BY the people In national ecec.
s and which, enacted under The , 1,I'
plea OF protection to home INDUS nov
proved a prolific breeder Of teas.s IN; nc,
monopolias, enriched the few At hut
expense q the many, restricted tho,