The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-09
American INDEPENDENTS
4 Na.icna! Platform Proposed by a
New York Banker. \
WILLIAM +. ST. JOHNS PLAN
Series OF suggestions Prepared With n
View to Im3royin the Financial Con-
ditiou Of the Country. for Con-
sidcratiOn OF Voters.

New York, May S.-The Arena Tor
Jane will publish a national platform
for American independents of 1856
which has been prepared ty william T.
st. John, president of the Mercantile
National Bank of New York. The sug-
gestionS are as follows:
Leaving the domestic affairs of the
several states to those party organiza-
tions already occupied herewith. and
believing that the senate Of the United
States is quick t. respond To the clearly
expressed will of the people, we conLne
our present attempt t. the election or
the PIE s.dont Iice-pi cs q nj ahd 'e-
SeHtatiVes in congress on the following
demands:
First. ta) That the mints of the
United Sta tcs sfali he raopened to
equally unrestricted Coina-e f,f 50 d
and silver into into the unlim' ted lega
tender money Of the United States: the
gold to issue in the present standa}
gold coins. and the silver to |: sue in tn
present standard Il v5r (ol ars, C) De-
positors of the gold or silver at the
mint to receive in Egu of coin, Ii they
prefer. at the coming value thereof.
COIN n-CertificGtes which shall be redeem
ed on demand in gold CT silver coin at
the option and according to the con-
venience of the United States. (c) And
as a safeguard against panic and
money stringercy the secretary of the
treasury shall he empowered to issue
such coir certificates additionally
against deposits Of intere It bearing
bonds of the United States. the interest
accruirg on the bonds to inure to the
United States pending their re-ex
charge for the coin-certiticates. which
cliS.-ctrtifCates when Ieturr ed sh Il be
fIyN sni tnh ~ lad hat tah ~ III
tiOnal issues of coin-certitlCatcs shell
not reduce the percentage of coin cni
bullion reserved fo- coid-ccitlilcates
and silver1certifcates below sixty per
cent of the aggl eCate u!r of cola cer-
titica tes and silver certificates out
stardinG. The row outs tandlng silva r.
certificates. gcidce tifcatos and treas
ury notes of 1899 to lie retired as they
come into tho treasury
This ta) is free coinage at Gto /, the con-
venient coin-certihcate tb) to take the
place of gCld-csrtiilcates, silver-cert!i-
Gates and treasury notes of 1880. The safe.
guard t") would provide for a temporary
increase Of 5000, 0O0 OF paper money
against the silver on hand in the treas
ury April !.
Second. The threatened competition
with our Southern cotton mills of those
of China ard Japan, the intrelsirg i'm
competition with our Sea Island cotton,
and the ill-effects Of the abrogation of
the tariff on wool along with the re-
duction in the tariff on wnoispl manu-
factuTes. combine 10 evidence the fact
that the time has not arrived to aban-
don en- adequate protective tariff sys-
ten In vain pursuit Of the phantom
of free trade.
EFFECT OF WILSON ELL.
The eirec. of the wool schedule Of
the Wilson bill has been to enrich the
European manufacturer at the expense
of our domestic manufacturer, and en-
large the European market for foreign
WOODS while lessening our home market
for our domestic woods, occasioning m
advance of . cents a pound for Trrt
Philip (Australlsn, wool in London.
Wt.le unwashed Ohio wool has declined
IL cents q pound in Boston and New
York; and producing such a depression
Of our home manufacturers as has
caused a reduction III wages of opera
tiVeS ana threatens to throw this
branch of domestic labor out Of all en-
piCynlent.
We are therefore opposed to opening
our home market of seventy millions of
CONSUMERS tD-thr foreigner on any pre-
tencc of procuring thereby a foreign
market for the productions of the Cnit-
ed States. But we shall exact of our
manufacturers that they accord to la
bur more liberal and more continu-
Ousiy certain share of the protection
accorded them; and that the tariff de-
| viSed shall afford also a protection to
the farmer and the planter and provide
sufficient revenues for the necessary
expenditures of government.
This second demand meets the REQUIRE
ment of the great mass of American la
Dor, to Wlorn Mckinley threatens TO he-
f, come the embodiment of the protcctve-
! tariff. While ny reports from all sections,
| including the new sou,h, are oyerwhclm-
| inEly in f@vor of protection comparative
| ~ few manufacturers favor the restora-
| ton of the Mckinley tur:E.
Third. We demand the APPLICATION
! Of the rrirciple d. me- as the Initiative
and Referendum. to all Eat!oaal leg s.
| lation which Involves any radical
| change in public policy.
A test OF this principle, thus restricted
! to any radical change Ia public policy.
| seeems warranted by the practice OF
| Switzerland. The test may commend a
broadening Of the restriction. If found
! practicable. SHOULD the great trunk lines
OF railway become Il possession of tn
! government" would seem to be such "A
! radical change in public policy as nigh,
! wisely be referred to the people.
ON CLEVEI.ANDISM.
Fourth. We condemn Clevelandism
utterly: that debaUching Of legislators
with patronage to achieve legislation
| opposed to the will of the people is a
vicious prostitution of executive intiu
ence, which We shall denounce as bit
terly If 1t be the practice of an eXeou-
tive elected as n Republican as when
the practice of one elected as a Demo
crat.
II all who have become distrustful oi
old parties and tired of boss rule will unit,
! In these demands ana nominate, on thi.
platform, some man of such achievement. I.
as commend him to the conservative ele
ment of the country, and who Is not 4
seeker after the preferment he can b,
elected In the approaching campaign :C
the presidency of the U2ited States
If the Democratic platform demands III,
reopeninE of the mints to silver as now
seems likely, all the powers of the Demo
cratic (o administration will be used e
compass the defeat of the Democratic can
didate. The prosperity to accrue to tn,
people under the adoption of that polio,
would put in shameful contrast the cur
rent results of the administrat tion's policy
If the Republican platform demands. un
equivocally. the reopening of the mint
10 silver the Democratic platform vii
necessarily demand the same. and the con
test will be narrowed thereby to pro
Gective-tariff against free-trade.
william =. st. John.
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