The record-union., 1896-09-04
THE PLATFORn.
Principles Adopted by the Sound
rloney Democrats.

At 1:50 p. m. the announcement was
made that the Committee on Resolu-
tions was ready to report, and Senator
Villas, Chairman of that committee, took
the stand and read in his clear, resonant
voice, with much emphasis, the follow
ing:
This convention has assembled to
uphold the principles upon which de-
pend the honor and welfare of the
American people, in order that Demo-
Gratis throughout the Union may unite
their patriotic efforts to avert disfavor
from the country and ruin from their
party
The Democratic party is pledged to
equal and exact justice to all men Of
every creed and condition; to the larg-
est freedom of the individual citizen
consistent with good government; to the
preservation of the Government in its
constitutional vigor, and to the support
Of the States in all their just rights, to
economy in the public expenditures; to
the maintenance of the public faith and
sound money, and it is opposed to
paternalism and all class legislation.
The declarations of the Chicago plat
form attack individual freedom, the
right of private contract. the independ-
ence of the judiciary and the authority
Of the President to enforce the laws.
They advocate a reckless attempt to in
crease the price of silver by legislation,
to the debasement of our money stand
ara and threaten unlimited issues Of
paper money by the Government They
abandon for Republican allies the DEM
ocratic cause of tariff reform, to court
the favor of protectioniSts to their
financial heresy.
I'm view Of these and other grave de-
partures from Democratic principles,
we cannot support the candidates of
that convention nor be bound by it's
acts. The Democratic party has sur
vived many defeats, but could not sur
vive victory won in behalf of the
doctrine and policy proclaimed in its
name at Chicago.
The conditions, however which make
possible such utterances from a ma
tional convention are the direct result
of legislation by the Republican party.
1t will proclaim, as it has for years. the
power and duty of the Government to
raise and maintain prices by law, and
it proposes no remedy for existing evils
except oppressive and unjust taxation.
The national Democracy here recon
vened, therefore, renewS its declaration
Of faith in Democratic principles, and
especially as applicable to the condi-
tions of the times.
Taxation tariff, excise or direct, is
rightfully imposed only for public pur-
poses, and not for private gain. It's
amount is justly measured by public
expenditures, which should be limited
by scrupuIous economy. The sum de-
AZ \
| excise levies is affirmed by the state of
trade and volume of consumption The
amount required by the treasury is de-
tcrmined by the appropriations made by
Congress-
The demand of the Republican party
for an increase in tariff taxation had it's
pretext in the deficiency of revenue,
which finds it's causes in the stagnation
OF trade and reduced consumption due
to the loss of confidence that has fol-
lowed the Populist threat of free coin
age, the depreciation of our money and
the Republican practice of extravagant
appropriations beyond the needs Of our
Government.
I'VE arraign and condemn the Pop
ulistic Conventions of Chicago and st.
Louis for their cooperation with the
Republican party in creating these con-
ditions, which are pleaded in justiffca-
ton of heavy increase of burdens of
the people by further resort to pro-
lection.
I'VE therefore denounce protection
and its ally, the free coinage Of silver, as
schemes for the personal profit of a few,
at the expense of the many, and assert
| that the parties which stand for these
schemes are hostile to the people Of the