Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-10
PLATFORM As AMENDED.
Text of the Document rs ti"""s
.ao,ted by the Convention.

| CHICAGO ILL, July 9.-The Following
e tho rlatform as finally adopted by the
conventions:
..,vo the Democrats Of the United
states in national convention assembled
do reaffirm our allegiance to those great
essential principles Of justice and liberty
upon which our institutions are Rounded
and which the Democratic party mas
advocated from Jefferson's time TO our
own-freedom of speech. freedom or tne
nress. freedom OF conscience the presei
Iation Of personal rights, and equality OF
all citizens before the law and the laltn-
ful observance of constitutional llmlIa-
tious. During all these years the Demo
cratic marty has resisted the tendency
! OF selfish interests toward the cehtIaliza-
ton of governmental power, ana stoliuly
maintained the integrity OF the uual
rights Of government established by the
| founders Of this republic OF repupllCs.
| Under its guidance and teachihg the
great principle of local self-government
| 6as found IT'S hest expression in the main
! tenance OF the rights Of the States, ana
! I'm its assertion of the necessity OF con-
filming the General Government to the eN-
! ercise OF the powers granted by the
Constitution OF the United States
.rThe Constitution Of the United states
| guarantees TO every citizen the right OF
civil and RELIGIOUS liberty. The Demo-
cratic party has always been the expo
nent of political liberty and religious
freedom. and IL renews its obligations
and reafIirms its devotion 10 the funda-
mental principles Of the Constitution"
MONEY QUESTION.
.Recognizing that the money question
g paramount to all others at this time,
we invite attention TO the fact that the
Federal Constitution names silver and
cold together as the money-metals OF the
United States. and that the first coinage
law passed by Congress under the Con-
stitution made the silver dollar the none
tary unit and admitted gold to free coin
age at a ratio based upon the silver dol
lar unit.
I'VE declare that the act OF 1873 de-
monetlzing silver without the knowledge
! or approval OF the American people has
| resulted I'm the appreciation Of gold and
corresponding fall in the prices Of COM
modities produced by the people. heavy
| Increase IN the burden Of taxation, and or
all debts. public and private; the en-
| richment OF the money-lendng class at
home and abroad; the prostration OF in
dustry, and the Impeachment of the
poor.
1--WE are unalterably opposed to mono
metallism. which has locked fast the
| prosperity of an Industrious people I'm the
| paralysis Of hard times. Gold monome-
ialllsm is a British policy, and its adop-
| ton has brought other nations into
J financial servitude to London. IT is not
only un-American, but anti-American. and
It can be fastened upon the United States
only by the sitting Of that spirit and
love of liberty which proclaimed our po-
litical independence in ING and won it in
the war Of the Revolution
FREE COINAGE AT 16 To l.
1--WE demand the free and unlimited
coinage OF both silver and gold at the
present legal ratio of l6 to /. without
waiting for the aid or consent OF any
other nation. We demand that the stand
ard silver dollar shall be Of full legal
tender equally with gold. for all debts,
public and private. and we favor such
| legislation as will prevent for the future
| the demonetization Of any kind OF legal
| tender money by private contract
I'VE are opposed TO the policy and prac-
tice Of surrendering 10 the holders OF the
obligations of the United States the
option reserved by the government of
redeeming such obligations in either sill
yer coin or gold coin.
1--WE are opposed to the issuing of in
terest-bearing bonds of the United States
IN time of peace. and condemn the traf-
| ticking with banking syndicates which
| in exchange for bonds and at an enormous
profit TO themselves. supply the Fede-
raj Treasury with gold to maintain the
policy of gold monometallism.
AGAINST NATIONAL-BANK NOTES.
Congress alone has the power TO coin
and issue money. and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be
delegated to corporations or individuals
1--WE therefore denounce the issuance OF
notes intended TO circulate az money by
| national banks. in derogation of the
Constitution, and we demand that all
| paper which Is made a legal tender for
public and private debts, and which is
| receivable for dues to the United States.
shall be issued by the Government Of the
| United States, and shall be redeemable In
| coin.
THE TARIFF.
1--WE hold that tariff duties should be
levied for purposes OF revenue. such du-
| ties 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.
I'VE denounce, as disturbing 10 business.
| the Republican threat 10 restore the Nc
kinley law, which has twice been con-
demned by the people In national cleo
lions, and which. enacted under the false
| plea OF protection TO home industries.
proved prolific breeder Of trusts and
| monOpolies. enriched the few at the ex
pense OF the many. restricted trade, and
deprived the producers OF the great
| American staples OF access to their natu-
raj markets.
| INCOME-TAX.
until the money question is settled,
| we are opposed TO any agitation for fur
Their changes in our tarif laws. except
| such as are necessary 10 meet the deficit
in revenue caused by the adverse decision
OF the Supreme Court on the income-tax.
| But for this decision by the Supreme
Court there would be no deficit in the
revenue under the law passed by Demo-
cratic Congress In strict pursuance OF the
uniform decisions of that court for nearly
100 years, that court having In that de-
cision sustained constitutional objections
TO its enactment which had previously
| been overruled by the ablest judges who
| ever sat that bench.
| I'VE declare that IL Is the duty OF Con-
gress 10 use all the constitutional power
which remains after that decision, or
| which may come from its reversal by the
| court as IL may hereafter be constituted.
so that the burdens of taxation may be
equally and impartlally laid, 10 the end
| that wealth may bear its due proportion
! OF the expenses OF the government.
| PROTECTION OF LABOR.
1--WE hold that the most efficient way
| OF protecting American labor Is to pre-