The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-09-09

middle west. The following is the
platform adopted:
This convention has assembled to uphold the
principles upon which depend the honor and
welfare of the American people, In order that
democrats throughout the Union may unite
their patriotic efforts to avert disaster from
their country and ruin from their party.
The democratic party is pledged to equal and
exSet justice to an men OF every creed and
condition; to the largest freedom of the indi-
vidual consistent with good governments; 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 expenditures; to the maintenance
di the public faith and sound money; and it is
| opposed 10 paterralism and all class legisla-
tiOn.
The declarations of the Chicago convention
attack Individual freedom, the ri 1ht of private
contract, the Independence Of the judiciary and
the authority Of the president to enforce fed
eral laws. They advocate q reckless ATTEMPT
| to increase the price Of silver by legislation to
the debasement of our monetary standard and
| threaten unlimited issues of paper money by
the government. They abandon for republican
| allies the democratic cause OF tariff reform to
court the favor of protectionists ia their fiscal
heresy.
Inview Of these and other grave departures
from democratic principles we cannot support
the candidates OF that convention, nor be bound
by its acts. The democratic party has survived
many defeats, but could not survive o victory
won in behalf OF the doctrine and policy pro-
claimed In its name at Chicago. The conditions
however, which make possible such utterances
from national convention are the direct re-
suit OF class Legislation by the republican
party 1t StlH proclaimS, as IL has for years
the power and duty OF government to raise AMI
maintain prices by law, and 1t proposes no rem
cay for existing evils except oppressive and
unjust taxation.
The national democracy here reconvened
therefore renews its declaration Of faith in
democratic principles especially as app1oa-
Bile to the condition of the times.
Taxation, tariff, excise or direct, Is right
fully imposed only for public purposes. and
not for private gain. Its amount is Justly
measured by public expenditures, which
should be limited by scrupulous economy.
The sum derived by the treasury from tariff
and excise levles is affected by the state OF
trade and volume OF consumption. The amount
required by the treasury Is determined by the
appropriations made by congress The demand
of the republican party for an increase in tariff
taxation has its pretext in the deficiency of
revenue which bas its causes in the stagna-
tion OF trade and reduced consumption, due en-
tlrely to the loss of confidence that has fol-
lowed the populiSt threat of free coinage and
depreciation of our money and the republican
practice OF extravGgant appropriations beyond
the needs of good government We arraign
and condemn the populistic conventions OF
Chicago and ST. Louis for their cooperation
with the republican party In creating these
conditions which are pleaded in Justification OF
heavy increase Of the burdens of the people
by further resort to protection. We there
fore denounoe protection and its ally, free
coinage Of silver, as schemes for the personal
profit of few at the expense Of the masses
and oppose the two parties which stand for
these schemes as hostile to the people Of the
republic, whose food and shelter comfort and
prosperity are attacked by higher taxes ana
deprecated money. In fine, we reafirm the
historic democratic doctrine Of tariff for reve-
nue. only.
We demand that henceforth modern and
liberal policies towards American shipping
shall take the place Of our imitation OF the re-
stricted statutes of the eighteenth century,
which were long ago abandoned by every mari
time power but the United States, and which,
to the nations humiliation, have driven Amer
1can capital and enterprise to the use Of alien \
flags and alien crews; have made the stars and
stripes an almost unknown emblem In foreign
ports and have virtually extinguished tho race
OF American seamen. We oppose the pretense
that discriminating duties will promote ship
ping; that scheme is an invitation to CONNER
cial warfare upon the United States, un-Amer-
lean in the light of our great commercial
treaties Offering no gain whatever to American
shipping, while greatly increasing ocean
freights on our agricultural and manufactured
products.
The experience Of mankind has shown that
by reason of their natural qualities gold is the
necessary money OF the large affairs Of COM
merce and business, while silver is convenient
ty adapted TO minor transactions, and the most
beneficial use Of both togete can b, ensured !