The Dickinson press., 1896-07-18
WHERE THEY STAND,

WHERE THEY STAND.
Majority Report ON Platform nv Prc.
sented to the Convention.
Chicago. July 0.--EoliOwing is the Plat
form prepared by the committee on rcso.
!utions and presented to the convention:
We. the Democrats OF the United States
In national convention assembled. do re-
amrM our allegiance to those great essen
tial principles Of justice aud liberty upon
which our Institutions are founded. and
which the Democratic party has advocated
from Jefferson's time to our own-frcedom
of speech, freedom of the press. freedom
rights. the equality Of all citizens before
the laws, and the faithful observance Of
constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
pnrty has resisted the tcmi,sa:y Of self sh
interest to tn" centralizat. ~ IL :"vr, nlneil-
tai power and steadfastly maintained the
Integrity OF the dual scheme of govern
mcnt established by the founders of this
republic Of republics. Under Its guidance
and teachings the great principle Of local
self government has found its best express
sion In the maintenance OF the rights Of
state and In Its assertion OF necessity OF
combining the general government to the
exercise Of powers granted by the constt-
tuition Of the United States.
Recognizing that the money system is par
amount to all others at this time, we i'll
vitc 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 to free coinage at IL ratio based upon
the silver dollar unit.
We declare that the act OF 1873 dcmOnc-
tiz!ny silver without the knowledge Or ap-
prOval Of the American Deople has resulted
In the appreciation OF gold and corrc-
spending fall In the prices of commodities
produced by the people: IL heavy increase in
the burden of taxation and of all debts
public and private; the enrichment of the
mOney-lending clnss at home and abroad;
prOstration of industry and impOverishmcnt
OF the people.
We are unaltcrnbly opposed to monomrt-
nllism, which has locked fast the prosperity
Of an industrial people In the paralysis or
hard times. Gold mOnOmctnllisln Is Brlt-
isll policy and Its adoption has brought
other nations into financial servitudc to
London. 1t Is not only unameritan. but
anti-AmcrlcaI, and 1t can be fastened on
the United States only by the stifling Of
that spirit and love of liberty which pro-
claimed our political independence In 1916.
and won 1t In the War OF the Revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited coin
age OF both gold und silver at the present
legal ratio OF 10 to 1. without waiting for
the aid or consent OF any other nntion
We demand that the standard silver dollar
shall be II full legal tender, equally with
gold for all debts. public and private, and
we favor such legislation as will prevent
for the future the decentralization Of any
kind OF legal tender money by private
contract.
We are opposed to the policy and practice
of surrendcrins to the holders OF the obli-
cations OF the United States the option
secured by law to the government OF re-
deelning such obligations in either silver
coin or gold coin. We are opposed to the
Issuing of interest bearing bonds OF the
United States In time Of peace. and COLI
delnn the trufiicklng with banking synti-
Gates, which, in exchange for bonds. and
Mt an enormous profit to themselves, sup
ply the federal treasury with gold 70 main
tain their gold mnnolnctallism. Congress
alone has the power to coin the issue
money, and President Jackson declared that
this power could not be delegated to cor
porations Or individuals. We therefore de-
mald that the power to Issue notes to cir
culate as money be taken from the national
banks. and that all paper money shall be
issued directly by the treasury department,
rcdcc mable in coin and receivable for all
debts. public and private.
We hold that tariff duties should lie
levied for purposes Of revenue, such duties
10 DC so us ~ OutINtc
throughout the country. and not diScrini-
inate between class or section. and that
taxation should be limited by the needs OF
the government, honestly and economic
ally administered. We denounce as dis
turbing to business the Republican threat
TO restore the Mckinley law, which has
been twice condemned by the people In ma
tiOnal elections, and which. enacted under
the false plea Of protection to home indus
try, proved a prolific breeder OF trusts and
monOpOlics. enriched the few at the eX-
pense Of the many, restricted trade and de-
prived the producers nf 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 tariff laws except such na
are necessary to meet the deficit In rrvcnuG
caused by the adverse decision Of the gu
prcnc court on the income tax. But for
| this decision OF the supreme court there
would be no deficit in the revenue under tho
law passed by democratic congress- In
strict pursuance Of the uniform decisions
Of that court for nearly 100 years, that
court having. under that decision, sustained
constitutional objections To Its enactment.
which have been ovcrrulcd Ivy the ablcst
Judges who have ever sat on that bench.
We declare that 1t is the duty of congress
to use all the constitutional power which
| remains after that decision. or which may
| come from the reversal by III" court As
| 1t may hereafter be constituted. so that
| the burdens OF taxation may be equally and
impa artialy laid to the end that wealth may
bear It's due proportional expenses of the
government.
We hold that the most efficient way OF
protecting American labor is TO prevent the
importation OF foreign pnuper labor To
compete with II In the home market. and
| that the value OF the market to Amer
| lean farmers and artisans Is greatly ra
,ffin, t.lrv ~
| dcprcsscs the prices Of their products be-
| low the cost OF production and thus de-
privcs them Of the means OF purchasing
| the products OF our home manufacturers
1.-The absorption OF wealth by the few,
| the consolidation OF Our leading railroad
| systems and the formation OF trusts and
pools require IL strctcr control by the fed
| cral government OF these arteries of com,
| mcrcc. We demand the enlargement OF
| the powers OF the interstate cOlnmt rec COM
| mission and such restrictions and guaraI'-
| tees In the control OF railroads as Will
! protect the people from robbery and op
| preston We dcnouncc the rro!iisatc
| waste Of the money wruns from the reo'
| pie by oppressive taxation and the inviS!
| appropriations OF recent Republican con
crosses which have kept taxes high while
| the labor that pays them Is unemployed
| and the products Of the peoples toll are
depressed in price till they no longer pay
| tne COST Oh wv utiIitN'A d "
| turn 10 that simplicity and economy which
benefits Democratic government and 4
| reduction in the number Of useless offices,
| the salaries OF which drain the substance
| Of the people.
We deno,incc arbitrary interference by
| federal authorities in local affairs a
| violation of the constitution Of the United
States and crime against institutions.
and we especially object TO gov
crnment by injunctions. as new
and highly dangerous form OF
oppression. by which federal judges, in
| contempt OF the laws Of the states and
| rights OF citizens, become ut once lcgis'
lators, judges and cxecut;oncrs; and we APP
prove the bill passed Ut the last session
| Of the United States senate and now pend
| Ing III the house relative to contempts In
| federal courts, and providing for trials by
] jury In certain cases Of contempt.
| No discrimination should be indulscd In
by the government OF the United States in
favor Of any of its debtors. We approve of
the refusal Of the Fiftythird congress to
pass the Pacific railroad funding bill. and
| denounce the effort of the present Kepub-
lican congress to enact a similar measure.
Recognizing the just claims OF desSrvins
| Union soldiers. we heartily endorse the
rule OF the present commissioner
OF pensions that no names shall