The record-union., 1896-10-18
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.
Platform Adopted by the National
Convention at Chicago,

laration Of principles for 1896. Adopted
at Chicago Thursday, July 9th:
We, the Democrats of the United
States in National Convention assem-
bled, do reaflirm our allegiance to those
sreat essential principles of justice and
liberty upon which our institutions are
founded, and which the Democratic
party has advocated from Jefferson s
time to our own-freedom Of speech,
freedom of press, freedom of conscience,
the preservation of personal rights, the
equality of all citizens before the law
and the faithful observance of constitu-
tiOnal limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendency of sell
fish interest toward the Capitalization
Of governmental power, and steadfastly
maintained the integrity of the dual
scheme of government established by
the founders of this republic of repub-
lies. Under its guidance and teachings
the great principle of local self govern
ment has found its best expression in
the maintenance of the rights of the
States and in the assertion of the ne
cessity Of combining the general govern
ment TO the exercise Of the powers
granted by the Constitution OF the
United States.
The Constitution Of the United States
guarantees to every citizen the rights of
civil and religious liberty. The Demo-
cratic party has always been the eX-
ponent of political liberty and religious
freedom, and it renews its obligations
and reaffirms it's devotion to those fun
damental principles Of the Constitution.
Recognizing that the money question
is paramount to all others at this time,
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 dollar
the monetary unit and admitted gold
10 free coinage at a ratio based upon the
silver unit
We declare that the Act of 1873 de-
rnonetizing silver without the knowledge
or approval Of the American people, has
resulted in the appreciation Of sold and
in a corresponding fall Of 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; the prostration oi
industry and the impoverishment or the
people.
We are unalterably opposed to mono
meIallism, which has locked fast the
prosperity of an industrial people in the
paralysis of hard times. Gold mono
netauism is a British policy. and its
adoption has brought other nations into
financial servitude to London. 1t is not
only un-American. but it is antiAmeri-
can. and it can be fastened on the United
states only by sitting that spirit and
love of liberty which proclaimed oul
nolitical Independence in 1116 and wor
il i'm the war of the revolution.
FREE COINAGE OF SILVER.
we demand the free and unlimited
coinage Of both silver and gold at the
frasent legal ratio Of 16 to |, withou'
Waiting for the aid or consent of any
other nation. We demand that th'
standard silver dollar shall be full le-
pal tender, equally with gold, for al
debts. public and private and we favor
such legislation as Will prevent for tbs
future the demonstration of any kine
OF legal tender money by private con
tract.
we are opposed to the policy anC
r,,actice of surrendering to the holder:
of the obligations Of the United State:
the option reserved by law TO the Gov
eminent Of redeeming such obligation.
in either silver coin or gold coin. W.
Gre opposed to the issuing of interest
hearing bonds of the United States il
time of peace, and condemn the traf
nckin with banking syndicates, which
an exchange for bonds and at enormou:
rroft to themselves, supply the FED
eral treasury with gold to maintain th'
policy OF gold monometallism.
Congress alone has power to coli
and issue money. and President Jack
son declared that this power could no
be delegated to corporations or to IN
dividuals. We therefore denounce tn
issuance OF notes intended TO circulate
as money for national banks as Il
derogation Of the Constitution. and w
demand that all paper which is mad
legal tender for public and privat
debts or which is receivable for due
TO the United states, shall be issued b.
the Governement of the United State
and shall be redeemable in coin.
TARIFF.
We hold that the tariff dutie
should be levied for the purpose of reve
nue., such duties 10 be SO adjusted as t
operate equally throughout the countr,
and not discriminate between class o
sections, and that taxation should b
limited by the needs Of the Government
honestly and economically admins
tered. We denounce as disturbing t
business the Republican threat to re