The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-07-11

their suffrages at the polls that on
country may be placed where she by
right belongs, as the freest and fore
most; as the most prosperous and hap
piest nation that ever blessed the life o
mankind upon this globe"
When Mr.. Daniel had concluded hi
speech, the convention adjourned to NEE
at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, wher
it was promptly called to order by tn,
temporary chairman.
The committee On permanent organiza'
tion reported the name of Stephen M
White, of California, for permanent
chairman. Senator White, on taking tn,
chair, made a brief but forcible speech.
The sessions of Wednesday and Wednes.
day night were taken up with %oratory
and with the contests in Michigan and
Nebraska. The silver men were seated in
both cases.
On Thursday, after considerable oIa-
tory, the platform as agreed upon by
the committee was adopted by a vote oil
62s to 301, one delegate not voting.
THE PLATFORM.
We, the democrats of the UnIie |
DbdbCS, III haliOlol OOnNCIllOI uSSCIl-
bled, do reaffirm our allegiance TO
those great essential principles of JUS
tice and liberty upon which our institu.
tiOns are founded, and which the demo-
cratic party has advocated from Jeffer-
sons time to our own-freedom of
speech, freedom of the press, freedom
of conscience, the preservation of per-
sonal rights, the equality of all citizens
before the law, and the careful obsev-
ance of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the demo-
cratic party has resisted the tendency
of selfish interests to the Capitalization
of governmental power, and has stead
lastly maintained the integrity of the
dual scheme of government 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 ex-
preston in the maintenance of the
rights of the states and its assertion
that it is necessary to contine the gen
eral government to the exercise of the
powers granted by the constitution of
the United States.
ONE Lam FIRST.
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 to free coinage at a ratio based
upon the silver unit.
We declare that the act of 1873, de-
monetizing silver, without the knowl-
edge or approval of the American
people, has resulted in the apprecia-
ton of gold and a corresponding fall
in the prices of commodities produced
by the people; a heavy increase in the
burden of taxation and of the money
lending class, at home and abroad
prostitution of industry and impover-
ishment of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to the
recommendation which has locked fast
the prosperity of an industrial people
In the paralysis of hard times. Gold
monometallIsm is a British policy, and
its adoption has brought other nations
iUlO hudlCIdl SCI tlIuu0 " uuOn
1t is not only un-American, but anti
American, and it can be fastened upon
the United States only by the sitting
of hat indomitable spirit and love of
liberty which proclaimed our political
independence in 1776, and won it in
the war of the revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio of 16 to 1, without
waiting for the and or consent of any
other nation. We demand that the
standard silver dollar shall be a full
legal tender, equally with gold, for all
debts, public and private, and we
favor such legislation as will prevent
for the future the characterization of
any kind of legal tender money by
private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and
practice of surrendering to the holders
of the obligations of the United States
the option reserved by law [ the gov
eminent of ~redeeming such obligations
in either silver or gold coin.
INTEREsT-BEARING BONDS. ,
We are opposed to the Issuing of
interest-bearing bonds of the United
States in times of peace, and condemn
the traficking with banking syndicates,
in exchange for honds aud at an
profit to themselves, supply
the federal treasury with gold to main
tain the policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has the power to
coin and issue money, and President
Jackson declared that this power could
not be delegated to corporations OF
We therefore demand
hat the power to issue notes to circu-
as money be taken from the
banks, and that all paper
money shall be issued directly by the
department, to be Fedeemahle
coin and receivable for all debts,
and private,
We hold that tariff duties should
,nly be levied for purposes of revenue,
'uch duties to be so adjusted as to OPP
equally throughout the country
not discriminate between any class
)r section, n that taxation should be
United by the needs of the govern
nent, honestly and economically ad-
ninistered. We denounce as disturb
ng to business the republican threat to
'estore the Mckinley law, which has
leen twice capdemned by the people
n national elections, and which, en-
Icted under the false plea of protection
O home Industry, proved a prolific
of trusts and monopolies, en-
'iahed the few at the expense of the
many, restricted trade and deprived
he producers of the great American
of access to their natural mar
,etS.
Until the money question is settled =,
We are opposed to any agitation for 6
urther changes in our tariff laws, ex- !
ept such as are necessary to make the !
in revenue caused by the adverse {
Of the supreme court on the
tax. !
But for this decision of the supreme /,
curt there would be no deficit in the G
under the law passed by a 1
congress. In strict pur- G
uance of the uniform decisions of that I
curt for nearly 100 years, that '
nurt hautnn in fhat Aooio;nn o,, [