The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-10-22

of the Chicago Coliseum Was tho Free
Coinage of Silver at the Present Legal
Ratio Ever Advocated.
The contention of the Bryan wing of
democracy that the democratic party
has always advocated the free and un-
limited coinage of silver at the present
legal ratio of sixteen to one, is not at
all in keeping with the facts in the
ease, says Mr.. f. Mont Reilly, of Kan.
sas City.
have carefully investigated the
platforms of every democratic nation
al convention in this country and not
one of them advocated free silver at
any ratio (nuch less sixteen to one),
until tie platform recently adopted at
Chicago made that strange pOpulistic
departure in a frenzy of excitement and
threw Mr.. Bryan upon it to make the
race for president.
The frst platform ever adopted at
national convention in this country was
the democratic platform adopted at
Baltimore, Md, March, 1892, upon which
Andrew jackson was nominated and
elected. This platform has nothing to
say on the money question.
The democratic national convention
held in Baltimore in May, 1886, nomi-
mated Van Buren and elected him, but
made no platform whatever. At the
democratic national convention held
in Baltimore in 1910, which renOmi-
mated Van Buren,, the platform opposed
national banks, but makes no mention
of the silver question in any way.
The democratic platform adopted at
Baltimore in 1914, when James X. Polk
was nominated, also opposed national
banks. but failed to say that they ia
vorcd the free coinage of silver.
The democratic convention of 1S4S
held at Baltimore, nominated Lewis
ssss of Michigan, and adopted the
Polk platform and indorsed his admin
istration, but again forgot to say any
thing about the free coinage of silver.
The democratic convention met in
Baltimore in 1852, and nominated
Franklin Pierce, adopted the platform
OF 1913, but did not express themselves
in any way as to the free coinage of
silver.
The democratic convention held at
Cincinnati III 1876, nominated James
Buchanan for president, but said moth
ing N regard to the silver question in
the platform, but opposed nationa!
banks.
In 1860 there were Two national dem
ocratic conventions, one nominating
Douglas and the other nominating
breckenridge. and, while they differed
IN some respects, they both opposed
national banks and neither had any
thing to say in The advocacy of the
free coinage of silver at any ratio.
The democratic convention held at
Chicago in 1864 nominated Mcclellan,
but the platform makes no mention Of
the money question.
In 1865 the national democratic con-
ventiOn was held IL New York and
nominated Seymour and made no dec
laration whatever for free silver, but
did say in the platform, plank 8: "Onc
currency for the government and the
people, the Iaborer and ofiicehOlder, the
pensiOner and soldier. the producer and
bondhOlder."
In 1872 the democratic convention
held in Baltimore nominated Horace
Greeley, but made no mention of the
money question in any respect. The
straightout wing of the democratic
party that would not support Repub-
lican Greeley held n convention in
Louisville, Ky, in 1872, and also made
no mention of the money question, but
one of the planks in their platform is
worth quoting to the Bryan wing of
the present democracy. 1t is as fol-
lows: "Resolvcd, That yve proclaim to
the world that principle is to be pre-
ferred to power; that the democratic
party is held together by time-honored
principles, which they will never eX-
change for all the offices that presi-
dents can confer. We welcome an cter-
nal minority, rather than n majority
purchased by the abandonment of our
principles"
The democratic national convention
held in St Louis in June, 1876, nomi-
mated Samuel !. Tilden, of New York
for president This was what was
called the reform convention" of the
democratic party. The first plank in
the platform reads: Reform is nee
essary to establish n sound currency,
restore the public credit and maintain
the national honor" The platform then
proceeds to denomce the republican
party for not making any advance
toward resumption of specie payments
But not one word IS in that platform
mentioning or advocating the free coin
age of silver Now remember, this was
in '7G, the first national convention held
since the alleged "crime of '73," and
there is not one line, not one word. in
that great reform platform that either
mentions or condemns the 'act of 1879
Now, if the "act of '73'' was ''crime," :"
why did not they denounce it then and
put plank in their pla torn in favor
of the free coinage of silver? If it is
a "crime" now, it was then, and the
democratic party should be chastised
for its stupidity in not discovering it
until now
In 1886 the democratic national con-
yention met in Cincinn6t ii and nomi-
mated Gen. ". s. Hancock for presi-
dent, but the platform there adopted
did not say anything about the ''crime
! of '73," nor do the records show that