Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-08-13
The Platform.

The Platform.
| The democrats of Missouri, in state conven-
ton assembled, heartily indorse the platform
1 adopted by the National democratic conyen-
| tion, which assembled in Chicago on July Z,
| and the nomination of William J. Bryan and
/ Arthur Sewau for president and vice-presi-
| dent Of the United States We believe that
| platform to be an honest and explicit declara-
| ton of fundamental democratic principles,
/ and that the election Of the candidates stand
| ing upon 1t will restore the country's pros
| perity and bring relief to a suffering people.
| We demand the immediate restoration Of the
| free and unlimited coinage If gold and silver
| at the present legal ratio Of 16 to /, without
| waiting for the aid or consent Of any other ma
| ton. We demand that the standard silver dol
| lar shall be a full legal tender, equally with
| gold, for all debts. public private. and we
favor such legislation as Will prevent the de-
| monetization of any kind of legaI-tender money
! nv private contract.
| In the hld Of national politics, the democrat
| ic party has placed itself SO emphatically on
| the side Of the people in their struggle against
| excessive taxation. prof gate expenditures
| and vicious monetary system that on this
| ground alone it would be entitled to the sup
port Of every citizen who Is in sympathy with
the people in their effort to bring about better
| conditions; but in Missouri the party has
special claim!upon their support by reason OF its
| record in the administration of the state gov
| eminent and finances. The democratic party
| Of Missouri offers the best guarantee for the
| future the wise and economical administration
eSf the affairs Of the state since it came into
/ power in 1873.
| Orderly government under liberal consti-
| tuition has siRnaliZed the administration Of our
| state affairs under democratic authority,
| which has been free from extravaganza, Osten-
| tation and misrule. When it came into power
| in 1873 the democratic party found bonded
debt OF SCI T6S. CO., the securities for which had
! been squandered. This debt has been paid OF
until Only s5O97 600 in bonds remains unpaid
| While making this reduction in the states in
| debtedness. the democratic party has been
| liberal in furnishing excellent educational
| eleemosynary and penal institutions equal to
| those Of any state in the Union. 1t has con-
| tinually reduced taxation. until the levy is now
| but one-hah of what il was under republican
| administration. Under the last two demo-
| cratic administrations the tax levy has been
| reduced Is cents on the 500, or 81 per cent-s
saving OF 81 500 900 per annum to the taxpayers.
| The entire tax levy for state purposes Is .
| cents on the 800 valuation; IL cents Of this is
| for bond and interest fund TO pay the interest
| and principal upon the debt fastened upon the
| people prior to 1873; cents Of the same goes
| back to the people for the support OF the
| common schools. leaving but 10 cents
| levy to pay all governmental expenses.
| including appropriations for public buildings
| school, eleemosvnary and penal-support Of
| the university, normal schools, asylums, re-
| form schools. penitentiary, for criminal costs
| and salaries Of Cficers, thus giving to the peo-
\ pie more for the small sum of money taken
i
can Union. The continuance of democratic
| state government means the final and full pay
| ment of the state debt during the next four
| years. with the possibility at the end of that
| time Of raising all state taxes from corpora
| lions. leaving the personal and real property
in the counties to be taxed only for county pur-
| poses.
| The public school system in Missouri was
| founded by the act OF February g. 1887, under
| democratic supremacy. 1t has had its fullest
1rfl
the money school funds OF this state have be-
come among the largest possessed by any COM
monWealth in the Union, amounting at this
time to Sl2 2S3 491. 10. beside which over $1,000.
| 600 is invested in the public school houses OF
the staLe. The common schools and higher
] education have been literally fostered, and the
school system of Missouri. crowned by the
| state university. is famed for excellence
throughout the republic
We invite the attention OF the people to this
record. and await with confidence their YER
dict
We pledge the democratic party, so long as
it is intrusted with power, q continuance OF the
| wise, economical and progressive policy that
has marked its past administration
We favor appropriations for the public
schools as liberal the states income will
permit. and generous provision for the needs
OF the state university and state normais- We
oppose any interference by the state with the
parents inalienable right to control and direct
the child's education
We favor an efficient road law that will aid
and encourage the improvement OF the public
roads throuRh bout the state
We renew our demand for the enactment Of
laws by congress and the state legislature that
will compel railway companies to adopt safety
appliances for the protection OF lives and limbs
OF their employees
We favor all legislation that tends to
amellorate the condition OF the workingmen
and to elevate labor. and we favo such amend
yaeuts to the constitution and such statutory
laws as may be necessary TO protect wage
carriers from oppression Of their employers
We also favor protecting the free labor of
the state as far as possible, and the general
public interests will permit, from competition
with prison labor.
We heartily indorse the present state ad-
ministration for It's patriotism, Integrity.
ability and economy. and commend the enact
ment OF {. reform election law for the cities OF
St Louis aud Kansas City, passed az an extra
session CT the legislature. called By demo-
cratic governor for that special purpose. which
legislature would have placed uDoa the statute