The Daily Texarkanian., 1896-09-15
THE PLATFORM
Adopted by the National Democratic
Convention, at Chicago, July, 1896.

OOuV DIV OA1CdSV' u NY AOOO'
We. the Democrats Of the United
States. in national convention assembled,
do rpaffirm our allegiance to those great
essential principles of justice and liberty
upOn which our institutions are founded.
and which the Democratic party has ad-
vOcated from JeiferSOn'S time to our own
freedom of speech. freedom Of press,
freedom Of conscience, the preservation
of personal rights. the equality Of all citi-
Zens before the law and the faithful OBJ
servation of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
Dartv has resisted the tendencies Of selfish
interests to the centriIizatiOn OF govern
mental power. and SteadiaStly maintain
ed the integrity OF the dual scheme Of
of government established by the lound-
prS of this republic of republics. Under
its guidance and teachings the great prin-
ctple of local Selt-gOyernment has found
its best expression in the maintenance OF
the rights of the States and its assertion
of the necessity of conining the general
government to the exercise OF the powers
granted by the constitution OF the United
States
Recognizing that the money question is
paramount to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the Fed
pral constitution names silver and gold
toppther as the money metals Of the Unit
ed States, and that the ir-t coinage law
passed bv Congress under the constitution
made the silver dollar the unit Of value
and admitted gold to free coinage at a
ratio measured by the free silver dollar
unit.
we declare that the act Of 1873 demOne
tiZing silver without the knowledge or
approval of the American people has re-
suited in the appreciation OF gold ana Il
corresponding fall in tine prices OF com
modities produced by the people; heavy
increase i'm the burden OF taxation and OF
all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment of the money lending class at
home and abroad; prOstratiOn of industry
and lmpoverishment of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to mono
metallsm. which has locked fast the
prosperity Of an industrious people in the
PARALYSIS of hard times. Gold monOmct-
allism is a British policy and its adop-
tiOn has brought other nations into imam
ctal servitude to London. II is not only
American, but anti American, and it
can he fastened on the United states only
bv the sitting Of that indomtable spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
pOitical independence in l716, and won it
in the war Of the revolution,
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage Of both god and silver at the
present legal ratio OF l6 70 J., without
waiting for the consent or aid Of any 9th
er nation. Wedemand that the standard
silver dollar shall be q full legal tender,
equally with gold, for all debts, public
and private, and we favor such Ieglsia-
tlon as will prevent for the future the de-
monetizaton Of any kind OF legal tender
money by private contract
We are opposed TO the policy and prac'
tice Of surrcndering TO the holders Of the
obligations Of the United States the opln.
ion reserved by law to the Government of
redpeming such obligations In either Sil-
yer coin or gold coin,
Weare opposed TO the Issuing Of inter
est bearing bonds Of the United states IN
time Of peace and condemn the trallclng
Withbankng syndlCateS WhiChin exchange
for bonds aud 40 an enormous profit 10
themselves, supply the Federal Treasury
with gold TO maintain the policy Of gold
recommendation.
Congress alone has the power TO coin
aud issue mon y, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be dol
pgatcd TO corporations or individual. we
therefore demand that the power 20 issue
notes 20 circulate rs money be taken from
the national banks and that all paper
money shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department. be redoomnbc iG
coin and received for all debts public and
private.
We hold that tariff duties should be- lev
led for purposes Of revenue, such duties
TO be- so adjusted as w operate equally
throughout the country ana not dlScrlmls
nate between class or section, and that
taxation should be- limited by the need. OF
the Government honestly and economic.
ally administered. We donOunce as dis.
urbIng To business the Republican thrcnt
tn restore the Mckinley law, which has
been twice condemned by t.o people In
national cloctl0us aud which, onuetod
under tho fulse plea of protection To- home
industry proved u prolific breeder NJ
trusts and monopollcs. enriched the foW
40 the expense Of the many restricted
trade and deprived the producers Of the
great American staples Of access To their
natural markets.
Until the money question Is settled we
nro opposed 10 any agitation for further
changes IN our tariff laws, except snrh us
are npcc tsury to MAKO up the deficit In
the revenue caused by the adverse decls.
ion OF the supreme Court on tile income
tax but for this decision hy the Sus
preme Court there would be no donclt in
the revenue under the Nw passed hy n
Democratic Congress IN slrlrt pursuance
Of the uniform decisions oI that court Tor
noarly one hundred years, thut court
hnvng sustained constitutional ohipr
lions to lts enactment, which have boon
ovcrrulpd hyithe Oblost Judges who have
ever sat upon The bench We declare
that IL Il the duty OF Congress 10 uso Hl
the con tiiulIonal power which remains
after that decision or which may como
hereafter be constituted, 70 that the bur