Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-10

Democratic party, in session at In
dranaEolis, Thursday, adopted plat
form of clear-cut Democratic princi-
pies. Its full text is as follows:
This convention has assembled to |
uphold the principles upon which de-
popd the honor and welfare of the |
American people, in order that Demo
Gratis throughout the Union may unite |
their patriotic labor to avert the disas- !
ter from the country and ruin from
their party.
The Democratic party is pledged to
equal and exact justice to all men of
every creed and condition; to the
largest freedom Of the individual con-
sistsnt with good government; TO the
preservation OF the Federal government
in its Constitutional vigor and to the
support of the States in all their just
rights; to economy in the public ak
penditures; to the maintenance of the
public faith and sound money, and
i 1t is opposed TO paternalism and all
class legislation.
The declarations of the Chicago con-
vention attack individual freedom, the
right Of private contract, the indepeIi-
dence Of the judiciary and the author
ity of the President to enforce Federal
laws They advocate a reckless at
tempt to increase the price of silver by
legislation TO the debasement of our
monetary standard and threaten I'M
limited issues OF paper money by the
government. They abandon for Re-
publican allies the Democratic cause of
tariff reform 10 court the favor of pro-
tectionists to their fiscal heresy.
In view of these and other grave de-
partures from Democratic principles
we cannot support the candidate of that
convention, nor be bound by It's acts.
The Democratic party has survived
many defeats, but could not survive a
victory won in behalf of the doctrine
ana policy proclaimed in its name at
Chicago.
The conditions, however, which
make possible such utterances from a
national convention are the direct re-
suit of class legialation by the Repup
lican party. 1t still proclaims, as it
has for years, the power and duty of
government to raise and maintain prices
by law, and it proposes no remedy for
existing evils except oppressive and
unjust taxation.
The National Democracy here recon-
vened, therefore, renews its declaration
of faith in Democratic principles, espe.
cially as applicable to the conditions
of the times.
Taxation, tariff, excise or direct, is
rigbtfully imposed only for public pur-
poses and not for private gain. 1t.
amount is justly measured by public
expenditures, which should be Limited
by scrupulous economy.
The sum derived by the treasur,
from tariff and excise levies is affected
by the state of trade and volume o
consumption The amount required
by the treasury is determined by tin
appropriations made by Congress.
The demand of the Republican part
for an increase in tariff has its pretex
in the deficiency Of revenue, which ha
its causes in the stagnation of trad
and reduced consumption, due entirel
to the loss of confidence that has fol
lowed the Populist threat Of free coir
age and depreciation of our money an
the Republican practice of extrayagan
appropriations beyond the needs {
good government. We arraign and cor
denim the Populistic conventions {
Chicago and st. Louis for their CT
operation.
The Republican party is increasin
the conditions, which are pleaded
justification Of heavy increase
burdens of the people and a furth,
resort to protection. We, therefor
denounce protection and its ally, fir,
coinage Of silver, as schemes for tt
personal profit OF few at the expen'
of the many, and oppose the two pa
ties which stand for these schemes
hostile to the people of the Republi
whose food and shelter, comfort al
property are attacked by higher tax
and deprecated money. In fine, we r
affirm the historic Democratic ductril
of tariff for revenue only.
We demand that henceforth mode
and liberal policies toward America
shipping shall take the place of oil
imitation of the restricted statutes
the eighteenth century, which we
abandoned by every maritime DOW
but the United States and which,
the nations humiliation, have driv
American capital and enterprise to t
use of alien flags and alien crews, ha
made the Stars and Stripes an almt
unknown emblem in foreign lands, a
have virtually extinguished the race
American seamen. We oppose the pi
tense that discriminating duties "
promote shipping, as that scheme is
Invitation to commercial warfare up
the United States, un-American in
light of our great commercial treat
81 and offering no gain whatever to Am
lean shipping, while greatly increasi
ocean freights on our agricultural a
manufactured products.
The experience of mankind /
shown that gold is the necessary nor
of the large affairs of commerce a
business, while silver is convenien
adapted to minor transactions. I
most beneficial use of both togett
can be ensured only by the adoption
the former as standard of moneti
measure and the maintenance of sill
at parity with gold by its limit
coinage under such safeguards Of lay
Thus the largest possible enioymt
of both metals is gained with va
universally accepted throughout
world, which constitutes the only pr
tical currency assuring the most stab
and especially the best and SAT
money for all who earn livelihood
labor or the produce of husband
They cannot suffer when paid in {
best money known to man, but are
peculiar and most defenseless victi
OF debased and huctuating curren
which offers continued profits to
money changer at their cost.
Realizing these truths. demonstra
by long public inconvenience and 10
the Democratic party in the intere
of the masses and of equal justice