The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-07-16
PLATFORM ADOPTED.
Full Text of tho Declaration of Principles
 as Finally Passed.

press. freedom of conscience, the preservation of personal rights, the equality of all citizens before the law. and the faithful observance of constitutional limitations.
 The constitution of the United States guar | antees to every citizen the right of civil and | religious liberty. The democratic party has | always been the exponent of political liberty and religious freedom, and it renews it's obli- gations ana reanirrs its devotion to these fun- damental principles of the constitution.
 During all these years the democratic party has resisted the tendency of selfish interests to the centralization of governmental power, | and has steadfastly maintained the integ- rlty Of the dual scheme of government estab- lished by the founders of this republic of re- publcs. Under it's guidance and teachings the great principle of local self-government has found its best expression in the maintenance of the rights of the states and its assertion that it is necessary to confine the general gov ernment to the exercise of the powers granted by the constitution of the United States.
 Recognizing that the money question is par amount to all others at this time, we invite attention to the fact that the federal constitu- tion names silver and gold together as the money metals of the United States. and that the first co image law passed by congress under the constitution made the silver dollar the unit of value, and admitted gold to free coin- age at ratio measured by the silver dollar unit
 "o uCSiarc Vilub tue uCt Ot ISfJ, uemOneLlZ- ing silver without the knowledge or approval of the American people, has resulted in the appreciation of gold and a corresponding fall in the prices of commodities produced by the people; a heavy increase in the burden Of taxation, and of all debts, public and private: the enrichment of the money lending class at home and abroad paralysis of industry and impoverishment of the people.
 We are unalterablv opposed to the single gold standard, which has locked fast the proS- perlty Of an industrious people in the paraly- sis of hard times. Gold monometalism is a British policy, founded upon British greed for gain and power, and it's general adoption has brought other nations into financial servitude to London It Is not only un-American, but aEu-Amertcan, and 1t can be fastened upon the United States only by the stifiing of that indomitable spirit and love of liberty which proclaimed our political independence in l776 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 sixteen to one. without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation. We demand that the stand- ard silver dollar shall be . full legal tender, equally with gold, for all debts. public and private, aad we favor such legislation as will prevent the demonstration of any kind of legal tender money by private contract.
 We are opposed to the policy and practice of
 
 the United States the option reserved by law to the government ot redeeming such obliga- tions in either silver coin or gold coin.
 We are opposed to the issuing of interest bearing bonds of the United States in times of peace, and condemn the trafficing with banking syndicates which. in exchange for bonds and at an enormous profit to themselves. supply the federal treasury with gold to maintain the policy of gold monometallism.
 Congress alone has the power to coin and issue money and President Jackson declared that this power could not be delegated to cor porations or individuals. We therefore de- mand that the power to issue notes be taken from the banks. and that all paper money shall be issued directly by the treasury depart- ment
 We hold that tariff duties should be levied solely for the purposes of revenue, and that taxation should be limited by the needs of the government, honestly and economically ad- ministered. We denounce us disturbing to business the republican threat to restore the Mckinley law, which has been twice con- demned by the people in national elections, and which, enacted under the false plea Of pro- tection to home industry, proved prolific breeder of trusts and monopolies. enriched ths few at 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 are opposed to any agitation for further changes in our tariY laws except such as are necessary to make up the deficit in revenue caused by the adverse decision of the supreme court on the income tax.
 But for this decision by the supreme court there would be no deficit in the revenue under the law passed by democratic congress in strict pursuance Of the uniform decisions of that court for nearly 100 years, that court hav- ing in that decision sustained constitutional objections to its enactment which had previ- iously been overruled by the ablest judges who have ever sat on that bench. We declare that it is the duty of congress to use all the consti- tutional power which remains after that de- cision or which may come from its reversal by the court as it may hereafter be constituted, so that the burdens of taxation may equally and impartially lead to the end that wealth may bear it's due propor tion of the expenses Of the government.
 We hold that the efficient way of protecting American labor is to prevent the importation of foreign pauper labor to compete with it Tn the home market, and that the value Of the home market to our American farmers and artisans is greatly reduced by vicious mone tary system. which depresSes the prices Of their products below the cost of production, and thus deprves them of the means of satis- flying their needs.
 The absorption of wealth by the few, the
  and the formation of trusts and pools, require stricter control by the federal government of those arteries of commerce. We demand the enlargement of the powers of the inter- state commerce commission and such restric- tions and guarantees in the control of rail- roads as will protect the people from robbery and oppression.
 We denounce the profigate waste of the money wrung from the people by oppressive taxation and the lavish appropriations Of re- cent republican congresses, which have kept | taxes high, while the laborer that pays them is unemployed and products of the people to it are depressed in price till they no longer repay the cost of production. We demand return l to that simplicity and economy which best bcfts a democratic government and reduction in the number of useless offices, the salaries Of which drain the substance of the people.
 We denounce arbitrary interference by fed- eral authorities in local affairs as violation of the constitution of the United States and crime against free 'rstitutions. and we espe- cially object to gov..ment by injunction as Q ne " and highly dans erous form of oppression | by which federal judges, in contempt of the laws of the state and the rights of citizens, be- come at once legislators, judges and execution CTS, and we approve the bill passed at the last session of the United States senate and now pending in the house, relative to contempts In A..G- -r..t |