The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-10-09

tanned from Jefferson'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
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 consti-
tuition made the silver dollar the unit of
value and admitted gold to free coinage,
at a ratio measured by the eilver dollar
unit.
monetizing silver without the knowledge
or approval Of the American people has
resulted in the appreciation of gold and
a corresponding fall n 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 classes
at home and abroad; paralysis OF indus
tries and impoveriahment OF the people.
We are unalterably opposed to the sim
gle gold standard, which has locked fast
the prosperity OF an industrious people
in the paralysis of hard times. Gold
monometallism is British policy,
founded upon British greed for gain and
power, and its general adoption has
brought other nations into financial ser
vitude 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 indomitabe spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence in 1776 and won
it in the war of the Revolution.
We demand the immediate restoration
of the free and unlimited coinage OF gold
and silver at the present legal ratio of l6
to l, without waiting for the aid or con-
sent 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 the
demonetization of any kind Of legal
tender money by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and practice
ofsurrendering to holders Of obligations Of
the United states any option reserved by
law to the government of redeeming 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 condemn
trafficing with banking syndicates which,
in exchange for bonds at an enormous
profit to themselves, supply the federal
treasury with gold to maintain a policy
of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has power to coin and
Issue money and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be
delegated to corporations or individuals.
We therefore demand that the power
to issue notes be taken from the banks
and that all paper shall be issued direct
iy by the treasury department. We
hold that tariff duties should be levied
solely for the purpose of revenue and
that taxation should be limited by
the needs Of the government, honestly
and economically administered. We
denounce as disturbing to business
the republican threat to restore the Nc
Kinley Law, which has twice been cen
demned by the people in national
elections, and which, enacted under the
false plea of protection to home industry,
proved prolific breeder OF trusts and
monopolies, enriching the few at the ex.
pense of the many, restricted trade and
deprived the producers Of the great Amer
ican staples of access to their natural
markets. Until the money question
is settled, we are opposed 10 any agitation
for further changes in our tariff laws ex-
cept such as are necessary to make the
deficit in revenue, caused by the ad
verse decision OF the supreme court
as TO the income tax.
There would have been no deficit in
the federal revenue during the last two
years but for the annulment by the
eupreme court of the income tax law,
placed upon the statute hooks by demo
cratic congress. The obstruction to au
income tax, which the supreme court dis
covered in the constitution after it had
laid hidden for hundred years, must be
removed, to the end that accumulated
wealth may be made to bear its just ehare
of The burden OF the government We,
therefore, favor an amendment TO the
federal constitution that will permit the
levy of an income tax. We bold that the
efficient way of protecting American
labor is to prevent the imT ortation of
foreign pauper labor to com pete with the
home market, and that the value OF the
home market to our American farmers
and artisans is greatly reduced by 8
vicious monetary system which depresses
the prices OF their product below the cost
OF production, and thus depriyes them OF
the means Of satisfying their needs. We
denounce the profligate waste Of the
money wrung from the people BY oppres-
sive taxation and lavish appropriations
al recent republican congresses, which
have kept taxes high, while the laborer
that pays them is unemployed, and pro-
ducts OF the people are depressed in price
until they no longer repay the cost of
production. We demand return to that
simplicity and economy which best befits
a democratic government, and reduc-
ton in the number Of useless Offices, the
salaries Of which drain the substance of
the people Con1dina in the justice Of
our eauec and the necessity OF its success
at the polls, we submit the foregoing
declaration OF principles and purposes to
the considerate judgment Of the American
people. We invite the support Of all
citizens who approve them and who de-
sire 10 have them made effective through
Installation for alta ~aI;af s.f 4ka ~aa~,1.