Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-07-18
PLATFORM ADOPTED.
Full Text of the Declaration of Principles
Finally Passed.

Full Text of the Declaration OF Principles
Finally Passed.
CHICAGO. July 1O.-The majority re-
port of the committee on resolutions of
the democratic national convention
submitted the following report, which
was read by Senator Jones, of Arkan-
sas, chairman of the committee:
The Platform.
We. the democrats of the United States. in
national convention assembled. do reaffirm
of justice and liberty upon which our institu-
tionS founded. and which the democratic
party has maintained from Jenerson's time to
our own-freedom Of speech, freedom of the
press freedom of conscience. the preservation
of personal rights, the equality of all citizens
before the law. and the faithful observance Of
constitutional limitations.
The constitution of the United States guar
antees to every citizen the right of civil and
religious liberty. The democratic party has
always been the exponent of political liberty
and religious freedom, and it renews it's obli-
cations and reaf1rrns its devotion to these fun
damental principles of the con stitution.
During all these years the democratic party
has resisted the tendency of selfish interests
to the Capitalization of governmental power,
and has steadfastly maintained the integ-
rtty of the dual scheme of government eStab-
lished by the founders of this republic of
publics- Under its guidance and teachings the
great principle of local self-government has
found its best expression in the maintenance
of the rights of the states and its assertion
that it is necessary to confine the general gov
by the constitution of the United States.
Recognizing that the money question is par
amount to all others at this time, invite
attention to the fact that the federal constitu-
ton names silver and gold together as the
money metals of the United States. and that
the first co image law passed by congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
unit of value. and admitted gold to free COIN
age at ratio measured by the silver dollar
unit
We declare that the act of 1873, demonetiz-
ing silver without the knowledge approval
of the American people, has resulted in the
appreciation of gold and corresponding fall
| in 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 paralysis of industry and
| impoverishment of the people
We are unalterably opposed to the single
4 gold standard. which has locked fast the pros
| perity of an Industrious people in the paraly
| sis of hard times Gold recommendation is a
| British policy. founded upon British greed for
| gain and power. and its general adoption has
| brought other nations into financial Servitude
| to London. 1t is not only un-American, but
| anti-American. and it be fastened upon
| the United States only by the sitting of that
| indomitable spirit and love of liberty which
| proclaimed our political independence in 1776
| and it in the If the revolution
| We demand the Immediate restoration of
| the free and unlimited coinage of gold and
silver at the present legal ratio of sixteen to
| one. without waiting trr the aid or consent of
| any other nation We demand that the stand
4
| equally with gold, fog all debts, public and
private, aad we favor such legislation as will
| prevent the demonstration of any kind of
| legal tender money by private contract.
| We are opposed to the policy and practice Of
| Surrendering to the hstderS of obligations Of
| the United States the option reserved by law
10 the government OF <edeeming such obliga-
tons in either silver C. in or gold coin
| We are opposed to the issuing Of interest
| bearing bonds of the Cuited States in times of
| peace, and condemn The trafficing with banking
| syndicates which. in exchange for bonds and at
an enormous profit to themselves, supply the
| federal treasury with gold to maintain the
| policy of gold monomrtallisn.
| Congress alone has the power to coin and
| issue money, and President Jackson declared
| that this power could not be delegated to cor
porations or individuals We therefore de-
| mand that the power t. issue notes be taken
| from the banks. and that all paper money
| shall be issued directly by the treasury depart
| ment
We hold that tariff euties should be levied
| solely for the purposes of revenue, and that
| taxation should be limited by the needs of the
| government, honestly and economically adj
| minstered We dencsInce disturbing to
business the republican threat to restore the
| Mckinley law, which has been twice con-
| demned by the people in national elections,
| and which, enacted unG ct the false plea of pro-
| lection home industry, proved prolific
| breeder of trusts and onopo1ieS, enriched the
| few at the expense os' the many, restricted
| trade and deprived the producers of the great
| American staples Of access to their natural
| markets.
| Until the money question is settled. are
| opposed to any agitation for further changes
in tariff laws except such necessary
| to make up 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 deficit in the revenue under
| the law passed by a democratic congress in
| strict pursuance of the uniform decisions of
| that court for nearly 100 years, that court hav-
| ing in that decision sustained constitutional
| objections to it's enactment which had previ-
| iouSly been overruled by the ableSt judges who
| have ever sat on that bench We declare that
| it is the duty of congress all the consti-
| tutional power which remains after that de-
| the court as it may hereafter be constituted.
so that the burdens of taxation may equally
| and impartially lead to the end that wealth
may bear its due proportion OF the expenses
OF the government
We hold that the efficient way of protecting
| American labor is to prevent the importation
| of foreign pauper labor to compete with it In
| the home market and that the value of the
| home market to our American farmers and
| artisans is greatly reduced by a vicious none
| tary system. which depreSSeS the prices of
their products below the cost of production,
| and thus depriveS them of the means of salts
flying their needs.
| The absorption of wealth by the few, the
| consolidation of our leading railway systems
and the formation of trusts and pools, require
a stricter control by the federal government
of those arteries of commerce We demand
the enlargement of the powers of the inter-
state commerce commission and such restric-
| tions and guarantees in the control of rail-
| roads as will protect the people from robbery
| and oppression
We denounce the profigate waste of the
money wrung from the people by oppressive
cent republican congresses, which have kept
taxes hhyh while the laborer that paws them