The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1896-07-15
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
We, the democrats of the United

We, the democrats of the United
States, IN national convention as
sembled, do reaffirm our allegi.
ance to the essential principles of
justice and liberty upon which our
institutions are founded, and
which the democratic party has
advocated from Jefferson's time to
our own-ireedom of speech, free
dom Of The press-freedom of con.
science, the preservation Of per-
sonal rights, the equality of all
citizens before the law, aud the
faithful observances of constitu-
tional limitations. During all
these years the democratic party
has resisted the tendency of sci
fish interests to the Capitalization
of government power and stead.
lastly maintained the integrity of
the dual scheme of the govern.
merit established by the founders
of this republic Of republics. Uu.
der it's guidance and teachings the
great principle of local self-gov-
ernment has found it's best express
sion in the maintenance of rights
of the States, and in its assertion
of the necessity of combining the
general government to the exer'
else of the powers granted by
the Constitution Of the United
States.
The constitution Of the United
States guarantees to every citizen
tile right of civil aud religious lib.
erty. The democratic party ha.;
always been the exponent OF polit.
ical liberty and religious freedom,
and it renews its obligation and
rcatirms its devotion to those fan.
damental principles CT the con
ventiun.
Recognizing that the money
question is paramount to all others
at this time, We invite the atten
ton 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 con
gress under the constitution made
the silver dollar the monetary unit
and admitted gold to free coinage
at the rate based upon the silver
dollar unit.
We declare that the act Of 1878
demonetizing silver without tht
knowledge or approval of tht
American people, has resulted ii
the appreciation of gold and Il cor
responding fall in the prices o
commodities produced By the PEG
pie, heavy increase in the burden
of taxation and of all debts, pub
lie and private, the enrichment o
the money lending class at home
and abroad, the prostration of in
dusty aud lmpovtrisAmeNt Of TIN
: people.
We are una|terably opposed t
monometallism, which has locke,
fast the prosperity of an industrial
people in the paralysis Of hare
times. Gold recommendation is
British policy and it's adoption ha
brought other nations iutO fnan
cial servitnde to London. It j
not oily un.American, but anti
american, and it can be Fastened
: Oh the Uuited States only by tn
sitting Of that spirit and love Q
liberty which proclaimed our pc
litical independence in 1915, au'
won in the war Of the revolution
We demand the free and unlim
\ ited coinage of both silver AIT
gold at the present ratio Of 16 t
l, without waiting for the aid 0
consent of any other nation.
We demand that the standar
silver dollar shall he a full lega
: tender, equally with gold for al
debts, public and private, aud W
, favor such legislation as will pre-
: vent for the future the demoneti
zativn of any kind of legal tende
money by private contract.
We are opposed to tile polio
aud practice Of snrrenderiug to til
holders OF the obligations of til
United States the option reserves