The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-25

ing declaration of their principles and ap-
peal to the Democrats of other states
to join with them in incorporating these
principles in the party platform to be
adopted at Chicago:
"E'irst-We favor gold and silver as
the standard money of the country; we
are opposed as permanent financial
policy to gold monometallism on one
hand or to silver monometallism on the
other. The pledge contained in the re-
peal of the Sherman law, which repeal
was passed by a Democratic congress
and approved by Il Democratic president,
should be faithfully carried out, wherein
it was declared that the efforts of the
government should be steadily directed
to the establishment of such a safe sys-
tenn of bimetallism as will maintain at
all times the equal power of every dol
lar issued by the United States in the
markets and in payment of debts.
1--WE believe that such bimetallism, to
which the nation is solemnly pledged can
only be secured and permanently main
tanned through the concurrent action of
the leading nations of the world
Neither this country nor any other coun-
try is able to maintain it, and it would
be folly to attempt it. Being convinced
we are opposed to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver in the absence of the
cooperation of other great nations.
I'VE declare our belief that any at
tempt on the part of the United States
alone to enter upon the experiment of
free silver coinage would not only prove
disastrous to our finances, but would re-
tard or entirely prevent the establish
ment of international bimetallism Until
international bimetallism can be secured
to which end all our efforts as a govern
nF hn Oh I.
faith-we favor the rigid maintenance of
the present gold standard as essential
to the preservation of our national credit,
the redemption of our public pledges and
the keeping inviolate of our country's
honor. We insist that all our paper and
silver currency shall be kept absolutely
at a parity with gold.
'SecOnd-The Democratic party has
ever been and still is the hard money
party and it will preserve that record.
1t Is opposed to legal tender paper money
as a part of our permanent financial sys-
TEN and it refuses to sanction any pa
per currency inconvertible into coin.
The United States notes and the treas
ury notes, being, in fact, debts of the
government, should be paid off, retired
and cancelled. This should and must be
done in such a manner as to cause no
contraction of the circulating money of
the country So long as they exist, how
ever, and are permitted to circulate as
money they should be redeemable at all
times upon demand in the standard
money of the country. The Democratic
party is pledged to the resolute mainte-
nance of the public credit at all times and
under all circumstances. 1t is, there
fore, opposed to the repeal of any exist
ing statute which enables the secretary
of the treasury, by the issue of bonds
or otherwise, to provide an adequate
fund for the redemption in gold of our
paper Obligations whenever necessary.
'Third-We reiterate our adherence
to the principle of a tariff for revenue
only. We are opposed to government
partnership with protected monopolies,
and we demand that import duties, like
other taxes should be impartially laid
and their imposition limited to the neces-
sites OF the government economically ad-
ministered. Federal taxation should not
be imposed to benefit individual interests
at the expense of the general welfare.
We repudiate the doctrine that it is the
province of the government. by the exer-
else or abuse of power of taxation, tor
build up one mans business at the eX-
pense of another, or to impose burdens on
one class of citizens for the benefit of the
other classes and we insist that no public
taxation except for public purposes is the
true theory on which our system of gov
ernment is based and upon which it should
be honestly and impartially administered
Upon this principle of revenue reform the
Democratic party takes no steps forward.
We endorse the administration of Presi-
dent Cleveland and particularly commend
him for his determined effort to maintain
the financial credit of the United States.
1t is hereby further resolved that the del
egates to the national Democratic con-
vention, selected by this convention, are
instructed to enter that convention as
unit and to vote and as unit, in accord
ance with the will of the majority thereof.
Ex-Governor Flower offered the fol-
lowing, which was adopted with applause:
"Whereas, Party division at Chicago
on the silver question will endanger Dem
ocratic success at the polls; and
Whereas, Republican ascendancy in
the nation would undoubtedly be followed
by another attempt to esta blish minority
rule in the Dem 0cratic southern states by
means of force bill; therefore. be it
Resolved, That the Democrats OF
New York appeal to the Democrats OF
the south in the name of their political lib
erty and their properties to avert the pos
sibility of force bill by uniting with the
democrats OF the east ana west III Iran-
ing a platform in which all Democrats
can stand. and the united support of
which will lead to a glorious Democratic
victory"
A resolution expressing sympathy with
the insurgents in Cuba was introduced by
Congressman SulZer and adopted.
The following delegates and alternates
at large to attend the national Democratic
convention were elected:
Delegates. ID. B. Hill. Edward Murphy,
Roswell 2. Flower and Frederick r. Cou-
dert.
Alternates, Robert Earle S. Nj. Weed,
J. A. Canter and w. NJ. Purcell.
Some routine business having been