The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-15
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
THE pIATM)RN.

approval Of the American people has re-
suited In the appreciation Of gold and
corresponding fall In the prices Of COM
npodities produced BY the people, heavy
increase In the burden Of taxation, ana
Of all debts public and private; enrich
ment Of the money lending class ct home
and abroad; paralysis Of industry and
impoverishment Of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to the sin
gle gold standard, which has locked fast
the prosperity of an industrious people
In the paralysis Of hard times. Gold
recommendation 10 British polity found
ed upon British greed for gain and
rower. and its general adoption has
brought other nations into flnacial servi-
tude to London. It is not only un-Amer-
lean. but anti-American and It can be
fastened upon the United States only by
the sitting of that indomitable spirit
and love OF liberty which proclaimed our
political independence in 1776 and won
it in the war of the revolution.
We demand the immediate restoration
OF the free and unlimited coinage of gold
and silver at the present legal ratio Of
15 to 1, without waiting for the aid or
consent Of any other nation
Congress alone has the power to coin and
issue money and this power cannot be dele
gated to corporations or indivf uals We.
therefore, denounce the issuance Of nation
al bank notes as in derogation Of the con-
stltutiOn and demand that all paper made
legal tender for debts and for the payment
Of duties to the United States shall be Is
sued by the government Of the United
States.
We are opposed to the policy and prac-
tice Of surrendering to the holders OF
the obligations of United States the op-
ton reserved by law to the government
Of redeeming such obligation in either
silver coin or gold con.
We are opposed to the issuing of inter-
est bearing bonds Of the United States in
time Of peace. and condemn the traffic
ing with banking syndicates which, in
exchange for bonds and at enormous
profit to themselves, supply the federal
treasury with gold to maintain the pol
icy of gold recommendation. Congress
alone has power to coin and issue money,
and President jackson declared that this
power could not be delegated to corpor-
atoms or individuals.
We therefore demand that the power
to issue notes be taken from the national
banks and that all paper money shall be
issued directly by the treasury depart
ment; be redeemable In coin, receivable
for all debts, public and private.
We hold that tariff duties should be
levied solely for the purpose of reve-
nue., such duties to be so adjusted as to
operate equally throughout the country,
and not discriminate between class or Sec
ton, and that taxation should be limited
by the needs of the government, honest
ly and fairly administered. We de-
nounce as disturbing to business the
threat to restore the Mckinley law,
which has been twice condemned by the
people in national elections, and which,
enacted under the false plea of protec-
ton to home industry, proved prolific
breeder of trust, monopolies, enriched
the few at the expense of many, re-
stricted trade and deprived the produc-
ers of the great American staples of ac-
cess to their natural markets. Until the
money question is settled, we are op-
posed to any agitation for further
changes in our tariff laws, except such
as are necessary to make up the deficit
in revenue, caused by the adverse de-
cision of the supreme court on the in
come tax.
There would have been no deficit In
federal revenue but for the annulment by
the supreme court Of law passed by a
Democratic congress, in strict pursuance of
the uniform decisions Of that court for
nearly 100 years, that court having sus-
tanned constitutional objections to this en-
actinent which has been overruled by the
ablest Judges who had ever sat on that
bench. We declare that it Is the duty Of
congress to use all the constitutional power
which remains after that decision, or which
may come from it's reversal by the court
az it may hereafter be constituted, 80 that
the burdens of taxation may be equally and
TO- A;M1I lat To nd hot
may bear it's proportion Of the expenses Of
the government.
We hold that the most efficient way of
protecting American labor is to prevent
the importation of foreign pauper labor
| to compete with 1t In the home market,
and that the value Of the home markets
to our American farmers and artisans is
greatly reduced by vicious monetary
| system which depresses the price of their
products below the cost of production and
| thus deprives them of the means Of salts
flying their needs.
We denounce the profligate waste OF
| the money wrung from the people by op-
! pressive taxation and the lavish appropri-
atoms Of recent Republican congresses
which have kept taxes high, while the
labor that pays them is unemployed, and
| the products of the peoples toll are de-
pressed in pricestill they on longer re-
pay the cost of production. We demand
a return to that simplicity and economy
| which best BELTS a Democratic govern
ment, and reduction in the number
of useless offices, the salaries Of which
drain the substance of the people,
We denounce arbitrary interference by
federal authorities in local affairs as a
violation of the constitution of the United
States and crime against free institu-
| tions, and we especially object to gov
eminent by injunction, as new and
highly dangerous form of oppression by
which federal judges, in contempt Of
laws of states, and the rights Of citizens
become at once legislator, judge and exc.
cutioner and we approve the bill passed
at the last session OF the United States
senate and now pending In the house
! relative to contempt In federal courts
and providing for trials by jury In Ger
tain cases Of contempt.
No discrimination should be INDUCED
by the government of the United State!
In favor of any Of its debtors. We ap
| prove of the refusal Of the ffty-thirt
i congress to pass the Pacific railroad
/ funding bill, and denounce the effort o
the present Republican congress to enac
q similar measure.
! Recognizing the just claims Of deserv
Ing Union soldiers we heartily endorse
the rule of Commissioner Murphy thal
/ no names shall be arbitrarily droppet
from the pension roll and the fact of en-
listment and service should be deemed
conclusive evidence against disease ant
disability before enlistment.
/ We favor the admission Of the terri