The Daily Texarkanian., 1896-10-08
THE PLATFORM
Adopted by the National Democratic
Convention, at Chicago, July, 1896.

We, the Democrats Of the United
States. in national convention assembled
do reaftirm our allegiance to those great
essential principles Of Justice and liberty
upon which our institutions are founded,
and which the Democratic party has ad-
vocated from JelferSon'S time to our own
freedom Of speech, freedom of press,
freedom of conscience, the preservation
of personal rights, the equality Of all citi-
ZenS before the law, and the faithful OBJ
serVatiOn of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendencies of selfish
interests to the centrIi2atiOn Of govern
mental power, and CadfaStly maintain
ed the integrity of the dual scheme Of
of government established by the found
ers of this republic Of republics. Under
it's guidance and teachings the great prin-
ciple of local self-gOVernment has found
its best expression in the maintenance Of
the rights of the States and its assertion
of the necessity of COnlning the general
government to the exercise Of the powers
granted by the constitution of the United
States.
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
together as the money metals Of the Unit
ed States, and that the iir't coinage law
passed by Congress under the constitution
made the silver dollar the unit Of value
and admitted gold to free coinage at a
ratio measured by the free silver dollar
unit.
We declare that the act Of 1873 demonc.
tiZing silver without the knowledge or
approval Of the American people has re-
.,,it,I In thn pnDrppiu ion DI gold and a
corresponding fall in the prices Of COM
modities produced by the people; heavy
increase I'm the burden Of taxation and Of
all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment Of the mOney-lcnding class at
home and abroad; prOStrajiOn of industry
and rmpOveriShment Of the people,
We are unaterabIy opposed to mono
metallism, which has locked fast the
prosperity Of an industrious people in the
paralysis Of hard times, cold mOnOmct-
allsm IL a British policy, and its adop-
tiOn has brought other nations into Imam
cial scryitudG to London, II Is not only
un- American, but anti American, and it
can he fastened on the United States only
by the sitting Of that ndomitabIe spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence In lI76. and won it
In the war Of the revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio Of lG TO /, without
waiting for the consent or aid of any 9TH
or nation. We demand that the standard
silver dollar shall be a full legal tender,
euually with gold, for all debts, public
and private. and we favor such lcgiSIa-
tlon as will prevent for the future the de-
monctizatOn Of any kind Of legal tender
money by private contract,
We are opposed to the policy and prNc-
tice Of surrcndoring TO the holders OF the
obligations Of the United States the opin-
ion reserved by law TO the Government Of
redeemIng such obligations In either siI-
yer coin or gold coin,
Wearc opposed to the issuing Of inter
est bearing bonds Of the United states In
time Of peace and condemn the tralicing
withbanking syndicates whichin exchange
for bonds and at an enormous profit 20
themselves, supply the Federal Treasury
with gold TO maintain the policy Of gold
monomrtalism,
Congress alone has the power 20 coin
and issue money, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be del
punted 60 corporations or IndiVidualt, We
therefore demand that the power to issue
notes 10 circulate M money be taken from
the national banks and that all piper
money shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department, De redGcmublc w
coin and received for all debts, public and
private,
We hold that tariff duties should be lew
led for purposes Of revenue such duties
10 be so adjusted as TO operate equally
throughout the country and not discriml'
nate between class or section, ana that