The Daily Texarkanian., 1896-10-12
THE PLATFORM
Adopted by the National Democratic
Cnnventi0n. at Chicago. july. 1896.
Conver

We, the Democrats of the United
States. in national convention assembled,
do reatlirm 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 JeiferSon'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 centriliZation Of govern
mental power, and stead lastly 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 government has found
its best expression in the maintenance OF
the rights of the States and its assertion
of the necessity of confining 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 thefact that the Fed
era constitution names silver and gold
together as the money metals of the Unit
ed States, and that the first 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 demone
tiZing silver without the knowledge or
approval of the American people has re-
suited in the appreciation of gold and a
corresponding fall in the prices OF com
modites produced by the people; heavy
increase in the burden of taxation and OF
am debts, public and private; the enrich
ment of the money lending class at
home and abroad; prostratiOn Of Industry
and lmpoverishmcnt Of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to mono-
metallism, which has locked last the
prosperity of an industrious people in the
paralysis Of hard times. G0ld monomet-
allism is a British policy, and It's adop-
tion has brought other nations into imam
cial servltude to London. II Is not only
un-AmerIcan, but anti American, and II
can lie fastened ON the United states only
by the sitting OF that indomitable spirit
and love Of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence In l770, and won II
In the war Of the revolution
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage Of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio OF l6 TO L. without
waiting for the consent or aid OF any oth-
or nation. We demand that the standard
silver dollar shall bea full legal tender,
eQually with gold, for all debts, public
aud private. and we favor such leglsla-
tion MS Will prevent for the future the de-
monetlzAtiOn OF any Kind OF legal tender
mOnpV bV DrlVatp contract
We are opposed to the policy and prae-
tce OF surrenderng TO the holders OF the
obligations Of the United States the opin-
ion reserved by law 10 The Government Of
redeeming such obligations In either sill
yer coin or gold coin.
We are opposed TO the issuing Of inter
est bearing bonds Of the United States In
timeof peace and condemn the traflclng
withdrawing syndlcatos whlchin exchange
for bonds and at an enormous profit TO
themselves, supply the Federal Treasury
with gold 70 maintain the policy of gold
Congress alone has The power To coin
and issue money, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be del
egated 90 corporations or individuals we
therefore demand thAt the power tO issue
notes TO circulate ~ money be taken from
the national banks and that all y plper
money shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department, bq rodecmnbc In
coin and received for all debts, public and
private,
We hold that tariff duties should be lev.
led for purposes Of revenue, such duties
10 be sd nd dlusted as 10 operate equally
throughout the country and not dlRcrlmia
nate between class or section, and that