The herald., 1896-07-10

and ambiguously phrased, while others
are extreme and revolutionary of we'll
! recognized principles of the party. The
minority content themselves with this
general expression of their dissent with
out going into a specific statement of
the Objectionable contents of the report
of the majority. But upon the financial
question, which engages at this time the
chief share of public attention, the views
of the majority differ so fundamentally
from what the minority regard as vital
Democratic doctrine as to demand dis
tinct statement what they do hold as
the only just and true expression of the
Democracys faith upon this paramount
issue as follows, which is offered as
substitute for the financial plank in the
majority report:
We declare our belief the experiment
on the part of the United States alone of
free coinage of silver and change of the
existing standard of value, independent
ly of the action of other great nations,
would not only imperil our chances, but
would retard or entirely prevent the es-
tablishment of international bimetal-
lism, to which the efforts Of the govern
ment should be steadily directed. It
would place the country upon a silver
basis, impair contracts, disturb business,
diminish the purchasing power Of the
wages Of labor and inflict an irreparable
evil upon our nations commerce and in
dustry. Until international cooperation
among leading nations for free coinage
of silver can be secured, we favor rigid
maintenance of the existing gold stand
ard as essential to the preservation Of
our national credit, redemption Of our
public pledges and keeping inviolate our
countrys honor. We insist all our paper
and silver currency shall be kept at
parity with gold.
The Democratic party is the party Of
hard money and opposed to legal tender
payment as part Of our permanent finan-
cial system, and we therefore are favor
able to the gradual retirement and can
collation. of all United States treasury
notes. under such legislative provisions
as will prevent undue contraction. We
hold that the national credit shall be
resolutely maintained at all time and
under all circumstances. The minority
also feel that the report of the majority
is defective in failing to make any recog-
milton of the honesty, economic course
and fidelity of the present Democratic
administration, and they therefore offer
the following declaration as an amend
ment to the majority report:
We commend the honesty, economic
course and fidelity of the present Demo-
cratic national administration.
(Signed) David B. Hill, New York;
William Villas, Wisconsin, George Gray,
Delaware; John Prentis Poe, Maryland;
Irving w. Drake, New Hampshire: c. o.
Homan, Maine; p. J. Farrell, Vermont;
Lynde Harrison, Connecticut; Davis e.
Baker, Rhode Island; Thomas A. c.
Weedock. Michigan; James f. O'Brien,
Minnesota; John e. Russell, Massachu-
setts; Robert E. Wright, Pennsylvania;
William r. Steele, South Dakota; Allan
A. McDermott, New Jersey: C. d. Rog-
ers, Alaska.)
Senator Hill offered this report, also
the following amendments to the plat
form, and then moved their adoption:
Amendment-But it should be care
fully provided by law. at the same time.
that any change in the monetary stand
ard should not apply to existing con-
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