The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-07-17

/ 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 reafarm our
/ allegiance 10 those great essential principles
Of justice and liberty upon which our institu-
/ tions are founded. and which the democratic
| party has maintained from JeEerson's time 70
| cur own-freedom Of speech. freedom OF the
press. freedom Of conscience. the preservation
Of personal rights, the equality Of all citizens
before the Jaw. and Che faithful observance Of
constitutional limitations.
| The constitution Of the United States guar
| antees 10 every citizen the right Of civil and
religious liberty. The democratic party has
| always been the exponent Of political liberty
/ and religious freedom. and IL rsnews its obli-
| cations and reanarms its devotion to these fun
damental principles Of the constitution
/ 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 lnteg-
| riiy Of the dual scheme Of government estab-
/ lished By the founders Of this republic OF re-
| publics- Under its guidance and teachings the
great principle Of local self-govsrnment has
/ found its best expression in the maintenance
| Of the rights Of the states and its assertion
/ that il is necessary to confne the general gov
| eminent 10 the exercise Of the powers granted
/ by the constitution of the United States.
! Recognizing that the money question is par
| amount 70 all others at this time, We 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 BIZ congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
/ unit Of value, and admitted gold to free coin
age at a ratio measured By the silver dollar
| unit
We declare that the act OF 1878, demonetiL-
ing silver without the knowledge or approval
| Of the American people. has resulted in the
1 appreciation Of gold and corresponding fan
/ 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
| imDoverishment Of the people
| We are unalterablF opposed 70 the single
| gold standard. which has locked fast the pros
| perity Of an industrious people in the paraly-
/ sis 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 servitude
/ TO London. II 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 Inc
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 sixteen to
| one. without waiting for the aid or consent Of
/ any other nation We demand that the stand
/ ard silver dollar shall be full legal tender
equally with gold, for all debts, public and
private, aad We favor such legislation as will
prevent the decentralization of any kind Of
| nal 1uf7a nv wat
We are opposed 10 the policy and practice Of
| surreudering TO the holders of obligations Of
the United states the option reserved by law
| to the government of redeeming such obligs-
tions in either silver coin or gold coin
! We are opposed to the issuing OF interest
bearing bonds Of the United States ia times Of
| peace. and condemn the traficinE with banking
| syndicates which. in exchange for bonds and at
| an enormous profit 70 tn mselyes, supply the
| federal treasury with gold to maintain the
/ policy Of gold monometallisn
Congress alone has the power to coin and
! issue money. and President Jackson declared
| that this power could not be delegated TO cor
| poratioRs or individuals We therefore de-
| mand that the power to issue notes be taken
| from the banks. and that all paper money
shall be issued directly by the treasury depart
/ ment
| We held that tariff duties should be levied
/ solely for the purposes Of revenue, and that
!
/ government, honestly and economically ad-
| ministered We delcunce as disturbing 20
! business the republican threat 70 restore the
| Mckinley law. which has been twice con-
! demned ~ the people in national elections
! and which enacted under the false plea Of pro-
/ lection to home industry. proved a prolific
breeder Of trusts and uO1o. oI e. enriched the
! few at the expense 90 The many, restricted
trade and deprived the producers Of the great
American staples Of access TO their natural
markets
Until the money question i settled. We are
opposed to any agitation fer further changes
in our tariff laws except such as are necessary
to make up the deficit in revenue caused by
the adverse decision Of the supreme court on
the income tax
But this decision by the supreme C. urt
there would be no deficit in the revenue under
the law passed by a democratic congress IN
strict pursuance Of the uniform decisions Of
that court for nearly I00 years. that court hav-
ing in thar decision sustained constitutional
objections TO its enactment which had previ-
iously been overrued by the abltst judges who
have ever sat on that bench We declare that
il X the duty Of congress TO use all the conSti-
tutional power which remains after thai de-
eision, or which may come from its reversal by
the court as il may hereafter be constituted
so that the burdens Of taxation may equally
and impartially lead 70 the end that wealth
may bear its due proportion Of tie expenses
OF the government
We hold that the efficient way OF protecting
American labor is to ureve1t the importation
OF foreign pauper labor - compete with il II
the home ularSet. and that the value OF the
home market TO our American farmers ana
artisans is greatly reduced b. 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 poo.s. 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 -estric-
tons and guarantees in the control Of rail-
roads as will protect the people from robbery
and oppression
We demo. nee the proficate waste OF tie
money vrung from the people By oppressive
taxation. and The lavish appropriations Of re-
cent republican congresses. which have kept
taxes high. while the laborer that pays them
is unemployed and products Of the people 20 il
are depressed in price till they no longer repay
the cost Of production We demand a return
10 that simplicity and economy which best
BELTS a democratic government and reduction
in the number Of useless of1ces. the salaries Of
which drain the substance OF the people.