The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-07-18
THE PLATFORM.
Declaration Of Principles of the
Democratic Party
Presented by the Committee on Resolu.
tions for Adoption by the National
Convention at Its Session
in Chicago.

CHICAGO, July s.-~Following is the
full text Of the declaration of princi-
pies and platform presented by the
committee on resolutions in the dem
ocratic national convention at its ses-
sion in Chicago:
The Platform.
We, the democrats Of the United States. in
national convention assembled, do reanfru our
allegiance to those great essential principles
OF justice and liberty upon which our institu-
lions are founded. and which the democratic
party has advocated from Jeferson's time to
our Own-freedom OF speech, freedom Of the
press, freedom OF conscience, the preservation
OF personal rights. the equality OF all citizens
before the law, and the faithful observance OF
constitutional limitations.
During all these years the democratic party
has resisted the tendency Of selfish interests to
the Capitalization OF governmental power, and
steadfastly maintained the integrity OF the
dual scheme Of government established by the
founders Of this rep lblic OF republics. Under
Its guidance and teachings the great principle
OF local self government has found its best ex-
preston In the maintenance OF the rights OF
the states and In its assertion OF the necessity
OF combining the general government TO the ex-
ercise Of the powers granted by the constitu-
tion offhe United States.
Civil and Religious Liberty.
The constitution of the United States guaran-
tees to every citizen the rights OF civil and re-
ligious liberty. The democratic party has al
ways been the exponent Of political liberty and
religious freedom and it renews its obligations
ana re-afirms its devotion to these funda-
mertal principles of the constitution.
The Money Question.
Recognizing that the money question is
paramount to all others at this time, We invite
Rttertion to the fact that the federal conStitu-
ton names silver and gold together as the
money petals OF the United States. and that
the first coinage law passed by congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
monetary unit Of value and admitted gold TO
free coinage at a ratio based upon the silver
dollar unit.
We declare that the act of1573. demonetizing
silver without the knowledge or approval Of the
American people. has resulted in the apprecia-
tion OF gold and a corresponding fall 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 enrich
ment OF the money-lending class at home and
abroad; the proStration OF industry and i'm
poverishment OF the people.
We are unalterably opposed to mono
metalism, viii h has locked fast the pros-
perity of an industrial people in the paralysis
of hard times. Gold recommendation is a Brit
ish policy, and its adoption has brought other
nations into financial servitude TO London. II
is not only un-American but anti-American,
and it can be fastened on the United States
only by the sitting OF that spirit and love OF
liberty which proclaimed our political indie
pendence in l776, and won it in the war Of
the revolution.
Free and Unlimited Coinage.
We demand the free and unlimited coinage
OF S53S silver and gold at the present legal
ratio Of 10 10 /, without waiting for the aid or
consent Of any other nation.
We demand that the standard silver dollar
shall be a full legal tender, equally with gold,
for all dJSs, public and private, and We favor
such legislation as will prevent for the future
the demonstration of any kind Of legaI-ten-
der money by private contract,
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 obli-
cations in either silver coin or gold coin.
Bond Issues and Circulating Medium.
We are opposed to the issuing Of interest
bearing bonds OF the United States in time of
peace, and condemn the traflcklng with bank
ing syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and at an enormou profit to themselves, sup
ply the federal treasury with gold to maintain
the policy Of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has the power to coin and is
sue money, and President jackson declared
that this power could not be delegated to cor
porations or individuals. We therefore de-
nounce the issuance of notes intended to circu-
late as money by national banks as in deroga-
tion of the constitution, aud We demand that
all paper which is made a legal tender for pub
lie and private debts, or which is receivable
tor dues to the United States, shall be issued
by the government of the United States, and
shall be redeemable in coin.
Tariff for Revenue.
We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes OF revenue. such duties to be so
adjusted as to operate equally throughout the
country and not discriminate between class
or section, and that taxation should be limited
by the needs OF the government honestly and
economically administered.
We denouuce as disturbing to business the re-
publican threat to restore the Mckinley law,
which has been twice condemned by the peO-
pie in national elections and which, enacted
under the false plea of protection to home in
dustry. proved Il prolific breeder OF trusts and
monopolieS, enriched the few at the expense
Of the many. restricted trade and deprived TIE
producers of the great American staples OF ac-
cess to their natural markets. Until the money
question is settled we are opposed TO any agi-
tatiou for further changes in our tariff laws,
except such as are necessary to meet the de-
felt in revenue caused by the adverse decision
of the supreme court on the income tag. But
for this decision by the supreme court there
would be no deficit in the revenue under the law
passed by n democratic congress in strict pur-
suance of the uniform decisions of that court
for nearly one hundred years, that court hav-
ing in that decision sustained constitutional
objections to Its enactment which had pre-
viously been overruled by the ablest judges
who have ever sat on that bench. We declare
that it is the duty Of congress to use all the
constitutional power which remains after that
decision, or which NAV come from its reversal
by the court as it may hereafter be con-
stituted, so that the burdens OF taxation may
be equally and impartially laid, to the end that
wealth may bear its due proportion of the e1-
penses OF the government.
Protection of American Labor.
We hold that the most efficient way Of pro-
tecting American labor is to prevent the i'm
portation OF foreign pauper labor to compete
with it in the home market. and that the value
of the home market to our American farmers
and artisans is greatly reduced by u vicious
monetary system which depresses the prices
of their products below the cost of production,
and thus depriveS them OF the means Of pur-
chasing the products of our home manufactor-
les, and as labor creates the wealth of the
country, We demand the passage Of such laws
as may be necessary to protect it in all its
right>
W. ara IN favor Of the arbitration Of differ
ence9 between employers engaged in inter-
stete commerce and their employees, and reco-
mard such legislation as is necessary to carry
ont this principle.
TIE absorption Of wealth by the few, the