The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1896-10-17

% q Tle DeUlOCftiS VI lhC 0llhStA
in national convention assembled, 20 r.
affirm orr allegiance to those great 'sseh-
tial principles OF Justice and liberty upon
which our Institutions are ionhaeo ana
which the Democratic party mas auNocat-
ed from .Jetferson's time to orr own iree-
tlom of speech. freedom OF the prs,S, ,feee
dom of conscience. the preservation OF
personal rights the eqlality OF al citlzeus
before the law, and the faithful ooserv-
ance Of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendency OF SELFISH
interests to the CONTEMPLATION OF govern,
mental power and steadfastly maintained
the integrity of the dual scheme OF gov
.rn,nent established by the founders OF
this repnblic of republics. oHdGf lis
~gnidanee the great principle OF local selt
government has found Its Dest expression
In the maintainauce of the rights OF the
States and in it's assertion OF the necessi-
ty of combining the general government 20
the exercise of the powers. granted by the
Constitution of the United States.
"Recoguizing that the money system IS
paramount to all others at tnls t,hiei We
rrnI Constitution names sllyertand goid
together as the money metals OF the Uhlt-
ed states, and that the first coinage law
passed by Congress under the Cohslitu-
ton made the silver dollar the monetary
unit and admitted god the Tree coinage ~
!. ratio based upon the silver dollar unit.
Wa DECLARE that the act of 1873, de-
monetizing silver without the knoWleuSe
or approval of the American people mas
resulted in the appreciation OF Sola anu
a corresponding fall III the prices "t ON
Inodities~ produced by the people; = heavy
incrp.Ise i'm the burden of taxation ami
If ali debts, public and private; the en-
richment of the money lending class at
home and abroad; prostitution OF industry
and impoverishment of the people.
/ y n1NllnGbn TO liz
monometallism Which has locked fast the
prosperity of an industrial people III iie
naraIys,s Of hard times. Gold mononlet-
:,Ilisln il Il British policy, and It's adoptlon
has brought other nations INTO fhahcla'
servitude IT, London. ILLS not ontA IN,
american. hut auti-American. ana 10 can
Ln fastened on the United States only ny
the sitting of that spirit and love OF I'D
cry which proclaimed our polltlcai mt
prli,ience in l176. and won 1t III uhe Waf
of the Revolution; ..o1
coinage Of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio of IL to l.. without
waiting for tlie aid or consent vi any otn,,
or nation. We demand that the standard
silver dollar shall be a full legal tenuer
equally with gold. for all aepts' pm1iLo'
aid ~nrivate. and we favor slch leslsia-
tim - will prevent for the filtIlre the 9e-
n,onetizntion of any kind of legal lender
money by private cOiitfaet.
WI, nrn opposed to the policy ana prac,
tice of surrendering to the holders OF tue
affiliations of the United States the OPP
tion reserved by law to the government
Of rcdeeming such obligations III either
silver coin or gold com. e;,+or
We are opposed to the issuing or inter-
est bearing bonds of the United STATES IN
time 81 peace and condemn the traffieklng
with hankiuv s~yndicates which, III eX-
change for bonds and rs an enormous
profit to themselves, supply the Feaefal
5re,snrv with gold to maintain the policy
of gold monometalllsm.,
Congress alone has the power 20 corn
and issue money. AMI President Jackson
declared that this power could not he DEL
gated to corporations or individuals. we
fherefore demand that the power to issue
notes to circulate rs money be taken from
national banks and that all paper lioti-
ey shall be issued ulreeSis Z coi ain
and receivable for all debts, public ana
We hold that the tariff duties should
be levied for purposes of revenue, sucn
duties tn be so adjusted az 70 operale
enunIly throughout the country; ana hot
discriminate between class anu secIlon.
and that taxation shonid be limited BY
the needs Of the government, honestly
and economically administered. we &c
nouuce M disturbing tor business the re
publican threat TO- restore tne mom,dn -,
HIM. WHICH tlttS UNlSS 49,
tha peonle in national elections. anu
which. enacted under false plea OF pro
lection ohone industry, proved q pro!lle
breader of truss and m~onopoileS, ehrlch-
ed the few at the expense OF tne LILLY
restricted trade and deprived the produ-
rors ~ the great American staples OF ac-
cess to their natural markets..
Until the money question IS settaed We
ARE opposed to ANY agitation Tor Iurther
hanpes i'm our tariff laws, except sncl US
49, .rIg ~ fhn nnTrtI III
are necessary to make up WV ana ~
revenue, caused by the adverse decision
nv the sipeme court on the income FAY.
lint for fills there would be no dehlct IN
revenue. Under the law passed by a
Democratic Congress. in strict pursuance
ofthe uniform decisions o. IIia0 cnulo
having that decision sustained, constltn-
tlonal objection to its enilctineut' when
has been oyerruled by the ablest Judges
,vmo ever sat on that bench. We declare
that ii in the duty of Congress 20 All eis
constitutional power which remains aiter
that decision or which may come from It's
raversaI kv the court as it may hereafter
he constituted, so that the Dufdenso Oh
taxation may be equally and lnlpartlaiiy
lad 10 the end that wealth may bear It's
due proportionate expenses OF the RoSerh-
ment.
protect American labor is to prevent tnc
Importation of foreign paupef iabof "
compete with it i'll the home market, anu
that the value of the home market 80 our
farmers and artisans is greatly reduced
by avicious monetary system; whiGh ue-
presses the price Of their products below
lie eost Of production. and thus deprlves
them Of the means of purchasing the pro-
duets Of our home mannfaetureeIs, cav
The absorption of wealth by the rev.
thneonsolidation of our leading railway
systems and the formation of trusts anu
RRp eaeral Government Of those arteries of
commerce. We demand the enlargement
Of the novrers of the Interstate Commerce