The Progress., 1896-09-10
ADOPT FREE SILVER.
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL PLAT.
FORM IN FULL.
Declared for the Free and Unlimited Coin
age of Silver at a Ratio of 1G to l-Op-
posed to Interest Bearing Bonds BE !;
Issued by the Government.
follow

we, the Democrats OF the United
States, in national convention assem-
bled, do reaftlrm our allegiance to those
great and essential principles Of JUS
tlce and liberty upon which our insti-
buttons are founded and which the
Democratic party has advocated from
| Jefferson's tine to our own-freedom
OF speech, freedom of the press, free
dom OF conscience, the preservation OF
personal rights, the equality of all per-
sons before the law and the faithful OBJ
servance Of constitutional limitations.
During all thess years the Democrat
ic party has resisted the tendency OF
selfish interests, the Capitalization OF
governmental power and steadfast.y
maintained the Integrity Of the dual
scheme OF government established by
the founders OF this republic Of repub-
Ncs. Under It's guidance the great pr!n-
ciple Of local self government has
found it's best expression In the main
tenance of the rights Of the states and
in dts assertion OF the necessity OF con-
filming the general government to the
exercise OF the powers granted by the
constitution of the United States.
Recognizing that the money ques-
ton is paramount to all Others at this
hz1e, we invite attention to the fact that
the federal constitution names silver
and gold together as the money metals
Of the United States, and that the first
coinage law passed by congress under
the constitution made the silver do.-
lar the monetary unit and admitted
gold to free coinage at q ratio based
upon the silver unit.
We declare that the act Of 1873, de-
monetizing silver without the kncwl-
edge or approval Of the American peo-
pie, has resulted in the appreciation Of
god and a corresponding fall in the
prices of commodities produced by the
people.
We are unalterabiy opposed to the
mOnometallisun which has locked fast
the prosperity OF industrious people
In the paralysis Of hard times. Gold
mono-metalism Is British policy, and
Its adoption has brought other nations
INTO financial sevitude to London. 1t
Is not only un-American, but anti
American, and 1t can be fastened on the
United States only by the sitting Of
that spirit of love Of liberty which pro-
claimed our political independence in
1776, and won it in the war OF the revo-
hutton.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage OF both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio Of Is to 1, without
waiting for the aid or consent of any
other nation. We demand that the
standard silver dollar shall be a full
legal tender equally with gold, for al
depts, public and private, and We favor
such legislation as will prevent for the
future the demonstration Of any kind
OF legal tender money by private con-
tract.
We are opposed 10 the policy and
practice of surrendering to the holders
of the Obligations OF the United States
the option reserved by law to the gov
eminent of reeemirg such obligations
in either silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing Of in
terest-bearing bonds Of the United
States in time OF peace, and condemn
the tratflcking with banking syndicates
which, in exchange for bonds and at
an enormous profit to themselves, sup
ply the Feeral treasury with gold to
maintain the policy OF gold monometal
lism.
Congress alone has the power to
coin and issue money, and President
Jackson declared that this power could
not be delegated to corporations or in
diuiduals. We, therefore, demand that
the power to issue notes to circulate as
money be taken from the national
banks, and that all paper money shall
Re issued directly by the treasury de-
partment and be redeemable in coin
and receivable for all debts, public and
private.
We hold that the tariff duties should
be levied for purposes Of revenue, such
duties to be so adjusted as TO operate
equally throughout the country and not
discriminate between class or section,
and that taxation should be limited by
the needs OF the government, honestly
and economically administered. We de-
nounce as disturbing to business tho
Republican threat to restore the Nc
Kinley law, which has been twice con-
demned by une people In national elec.
tons and which, enacted under the
false plea Of protection to home INDUS
try, proved a prolific breeder Of " Ag::s
end monopoies, enriched the few at
the expense Of the many, restricted
trade and deprived the producer OF the
great American staples OF access to
their natural markets.