The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-07-16
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

'.'i ih iatiotlal convention aSSen
oled, do reaflirm our allegiance tothos
great essential principles of justice an,
y iloefty upon which our institution
are founded, and which the democrati
: party has maintained from jefferson
tinie to our own-freedom of speech
{ freedom OF the pres, freedom of con
science, the preservation of persona
rights, the equality of all citizens be-
lore the law, and the faithful obsery,
ahce Of constitutional limitations.
Recognizing that the money question
is paramount to all Others at this time,
We invite attention TO tie fact that the
FEDERAL constitution names silver and
gold together as the money metals Of
tthe United States, and that the first
coinage law passed BY congress under
Inc constitution made the silver dollar
the unit of value and admitted gold 10
Tree coinage, at ratio measured by the
silver dollar unit.
| We declare that the act of 1873 de.
mohellzing silver without the knDwl.
edge or approval Of the American pee.
PIE has resulted in The appreciation #
ghld and 4 corresponding faIl in The
piiees Of commodities produced hr illr
peoples heavy increase in the burden
ef 'aSa'l"i aud OF al! d.tata, public aud
private The enrichment of The lnnpey-
leading classes at hnlnc ard abrnm.!.
paralysis Of industries and lmpoYer'-l
menl OF tie people.
We are unalterably opposed to Tho
single gold standard, which has locked
iast The prosperity of an indpstriop.
people IN the paralysis of hard time,
1old moponeta!ism is British policy
founded upon British greed for gain
ana power, and its general adoption
mas srought other nations into tinan.
cal seryltude to London. 1t is not
uh-Amerlcan, but anti.American and
II can lie fastened upon the United
states only by the sitting of that in. /
aoinltable spirit aud love of liberty |
winch proclaimed our political indie. |
p+ndepce in l776 and won it in the |
warof the Revolution.
We demand the immediate restora.
ton of the free aud unlimited coinage
OF gold aud silver at the present legal
ratio of 10 to i, without waiting for the
a!d OF consent Of any other nation.
we demand that the standard silver
dollar shall be full legal tender
equally with gold, for all debts, public
and privste, and we favor such legisla-
ton as will prevent the demonetiza.
lioh of any kind OF legal tender money
by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and
practice Of surrenderlng to the holders
at the Obligations Of the United States
The option reserved by law to the gov.
'rnment of redeeming such obligations
II either silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of in. r,
eFest'eearing bonds of the Uuited
states ln time of peace, aud condemn
ne lfallleklng with banking syndicates
Fhieh, in exchange for bonds at an
'normous profit to themselves, supply
re federal treasury with gold to main. |
ain the policy of gold monometaIsm. |
congress alone has the power to coin
ld Issue money, and President Jack {
on declared that this power could not [
'e delegated TO corporations or indiyid. t
ais. We, therefore, demand that the /
oWer TO issue notes be taken from the
anks, and that all. paper shall be
'sued directly by the treasury depart.
1ent. We hold that tariff duties t
hould be levied solely for the purpose T
revenue, and that taxation should S
e limited by the needs of the govern i
lent honestly and economically ad- s
We denounce as disturb l
lg to business the republican threat to II
9slore the Mckinley law. which has t
cen twice condemned by the people t
national elections, and which, en- c
cted under the false plea of protection v
home industry, proved asprolifc a
reeder of trusts and monopolies, en- L
ching the few at the expense Of the t.
lanyi restricted trade and deprived il
lie producers of the great American a
aples of access to their natural mar II
cts. Until the money question is b
titled, we are opposed to amy agita- Ii
on for further changes in our tariff ri
ws, except such as are necessary to d
AXE the deficit in revenue, caused By tc
le adverse decision Of The supreme 81
'urt as to the income tax, k
There would have been no deficit in
Ie federal revenue during The last two
'ars but for the annuIlment by che
preme court Of the income tax law, "
aeed upon the statute books by "
congress. The obstruction ~ =,
.,.. t..