Sierra County advocate., 1896-10-30
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

We, the Democrats Of The UniteC
States, In national convention
assembled, reaifirm our allegianc,
to the great essential principles o
justice aud liberty upon which oul
institutions are founded, and which
the democratic party has advocated
since Jefferson's time to oui own
freedom of speech, freedom of tn,
press, freedom of conscience, pre-
servation of personal rights, equal
ity of all citizens before the law
and the faithful observance of con
stitutional limitations.
During all these years the demo
cratic party has resisted the tend =
ency Of selfish interests to CENTRAL
cation of governmental power, and
has steadfastly mainteined the
integrity of the dual scheme of
government as established by the
founders of this republic of repub-
lies. Under its guidance and
teachings the great principle of
local self-government has found
best expression in the maintainence
of the rights of the states and the
assertion of the necessity OF contin.
ing the general government to the
exercise of the powers granted it
by the Constitution OF the United
States.
"Recognizing the money ques-
ton as paramount TO all others at
this time, we invite attention to
the fact that the federal constitu-
ton names silver and gold togeth-
er as the money metals OF the
United States. and that the first
coinage law passed by congress
under the constitution made the
silver dollar the monetary unit
and admitted gold to free coinage
at ratio based upon the silver
dollar unit.
"We declare that the act of 1878,
demoneitzing silver without the
knowledge or approval of the
American people, has resulted III
the appreciation of gold and n cor
responding fall in the prices OF
commodities produced by the
people, n heavy increase in the
burden Of taxation and of all debts
public and private, the enrichment
of the money lending class at home
and abroad, the prostration Of in
dustry and ihe impoverishing Of
the people. We are unalterahly !
opposed to monometallism, which !
has locked fast the prosperity Of |
an industrial people IN the paraly.
sis Of hard times. Gold monome-
tellism is a British policy and its
adoption has brought other nations
into Financial servitude to Lon
don. 1t is not only un American.
but anti American, and it can be
fastened on the United States only
by the sinking of that spirit and
love Of liberty which proclaimed
our political independence in 177G
and won it in the war of the revo.
luton.
ave demand the free and I'M
limited coinage of both gold and
silver at the present legal ratio Of
16 to l without waiting for the aid
or consent OF any other nation.
We demand that the standard sill
YER dollar shall he full legal ten
der equally with gold and for all
debts, public and private, and we
favor such legislation as will pre-
vent for the future the demonetiza.
ton of any kind Of legal tender
money by private contract.
We are opposed to the issuing Of
interest bearing bonds Of the
United States In time of peace, and
condemn trafficing with banking
syndicates, which IN exchange for
ponds at an enormous profit to
themselves, supply the federal
reasury with gold to maintain the
policy of gold monODetalIsm.
Congress alone has power TO coin
money, and President Jackson de.
.lared that this power could not he
delegated to corporations or indi.
We, therefore, demand
hat the power 20 issue notes to
circulate as money be taken from
As nAiional. hanks, ard lhssts ell
4