Evening star., 1896-07-09
DEM0CRACY!'S VIEWS
Declarations Of Principles i At Chi
oaga
ACTION on THE ISSUES OF TEE DAY
The Money Question i. Pro-
nounced Paramount.
A TARIFF FOR REVENUE

The following Is the democratic platform
as sgreed upon yesterday in committee:
We, the democrats OF the United States,
in national convention assembled, do re-
affirm our allegiance to those great essen
tial principles Of Justice and liberty upon
which cur institutions are founded, and
which. the democratic party has advocated
from Jeffersons 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.
Free Silver Coinage.
We declare that the act of 1873 demone-
tizing silver without the knowledge or ap-
proval Of the American people has result
ed in the appreciation Of gold and a corre-
spending fall in the prices Of commodities
produced by the people.
We sre unalterably opposed to monomet-
allism. which has locked fast the prosper
ity OF an industrial people in the paralysis
Of hard times. Gold morOmetaliism Is a
British policy, and it's adoption had brought
other nations into financial servitude to
London. 1t is not only un-American, but
anft-Ameftcan, and 1t can be fastened ON
the United States only by the sitting of
claimed our political Independence In 1778
and won IN the war of the revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited COIN
age Of both gold and silver at the present
legal ratio OF l6 to 1. without waiting for
the aid or consent Of any other nation. We
demand that the standard silver dollar
shall be full legal tender equally with
gold for all debts, public and private, and
for the future the decentralization Of any
kind of legal tender money by private con-
tract.
State Rights.
During all these years the democratic
party has resisted the tendency of selfish
interests to the centralzatlon Of govern
mental power and steadfastly maintained
the integrity Of the dual scheme Of gov
ernment established by the founders of
this republic Of republics. Under its guild
ance and teachings the great principle OF
local self-government has found It's best
expression in the maintenance Of the rights
Of the states and its assertion Of the neces-
sity of confning the general government to
the exercise OF the powers granted by the
Constitution OF the United States.
Money Question.
Recognizing that the money question Is
paramount to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the fed
eral Constitution names silver and gold to-
gether the money metals of the United
States. and that the first coinage law pass
ed by Congress under the Constitution
made the silver dollar the monetary unit
and admitted gold to free coinage at
ratio based upon the Ailver unit.
We are opposed to the policy and practice
of sure ndering to the holders Of the obi
cations Of the United States the oStion
reserved by law to the government of re-
deeming such obligation in either silver
We are opposed to thS Issuing of inter-
est-bearing bonds Of the United States in
times Of peace, and condemn the traftfcking
with banking Syr dictates which, in ex-
change for bonds and enormous profit to
themselves. supply the federal treasury
with gold to maintain the policy Of gold
monometalhsm.
Issue money, as President Jackson declar-
ed that this power could not be delegated
to corporations or individuals. We there
fore. demand that the power to issue notes
to circulate as money be taken from the
national banks. ard that all paper money
shall be issued directly by the Treasury
Department be redeemable in coin and re-
ceivable for ali debts. public and private.
Tariff for Revenue.
We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes Of reverue, such duties to be
so adjusted as to operate equally through
out the country. and not discriminate be-
tween class or section, and that taxation
should be limited by the needs Of the gov
ernment, honestly ard economically ad-
ministered. We denounce as disturbing to
business the republican threat to restore
the Mckinley law, which has been twice
condemned by the people in national elec-
tionS. and which, enacted under false pleas
OF protection to home industry. proved
prolific breeder OF trusts and monopolies.
enriched the few at the expense Of the
many. restricted trade and deprived the
producers of the great American staples of
to- ft1ntN ot,,rn oYITn Tnf Ff.f fhn
money question Is settled, we are opposed
to any agitation for further changes in
our tarin laws, except such as are neces-
sary to meet the deficit in revenue caused
by the adverse decision Of the Supreme
Court on the income tax. But for this de-
cision by the Supreme Court there would
be no deficit in the revenues Under the
law passed by a democratic Congress. in
strict pursuance of the uniform decisions
Of that court for nearly one hundred years.
that court having in that decision sustain
ed constitutional objections to Its enact
lnent. which had previously been oyerruled
by the ablest judges who have ever sat on
that bench.
We declare that it is the duty of Congress
to use all the constitutional power which re-
mains after that decision. or which may
come from its reversal by the court. as 1t
may hereafter be constituted, 30 that tho
burdens Of taxation may fbe equally and
impartially laid to the end that wealth may
bear its due proportion Of the expenses OF
the government. -
Paupsr Immigratioss.
We hold that the most efficient way of
protecting American labor is to prevent
the Importation OF foreign paupsr labor to
compete win it in the home market. and
that the value Of the home market to our
American farmers and artisanss is greatly
reduced by SR vicious monetary system.
which depresses. the prices Of their prod
ucts below the cost Of production. and thus
deprives them of the means OF purchasing
the products af our home manufactures.
The absorption of wealth by the few.
the consolidation Of ou< leading railroad
systems and the formation Of trusts and
pools require a strictes control by the fed
eral government of those arteries of COM
merce. We demand ,Ihos enlargement Of
the powers of the intetstate commerce COM
mission, and such restrictions and guar
antees in the controls ofSrailroads as Will
protect the people ftomIsrobbery and op-
preston. do 'st
Republican BKtEavagnnce.