The Daily Texarkanian., 1896-09-22
THE PLATFORM
Adopted by the National Democratic
Convention at Chicago, July, 1896

Convention, at Chicago, July, 1896.
We. the Democrats of the United
States, in national convention assembled,
do reatfirm 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 tne 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 self 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
eral 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
modities produced by the people; heavy
increase in the burden of taxation and Of
all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment of the money-lending class at
home and abroad proStratiOn OF industry
and Impoverishment Of the people.
We are unateraby opposed to mono
metalism, which has locked fast the
prosperity of an Industrious people in the
paraIysis of hard times. Gold monomet-
alliSm is British policy, and its adOp-
tion has brought other nations into iinan-
ctal servimde to London. 1t is not only
un- American, but anti American, and it
can be fastened on the United States only
by the sitting Of that indOmitablc spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence In l776, and won it
In the war of the revolution,
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio Of rs TO ], without
waiting for the consent or aid of any 9TH
er nation We demand that the standard
silver dollar shall be full legal tender,
equally with gold, for all debts, public
and private, and we favor such legisla-
tion as will prevent for the future the de-
monetzation Of any kind OF legal tender
money by private contract,
We are opposed to the policy and prac-
tice of surrcndering to the holders Of the
obligations Of the United States the opin-
ion reserved by law to the Government Of
redpemnp such obligations i'm either sill
yer coin or gold coin.
Wearc opposed to the issuing Of mter
est bearing bonds Of the United States in
time Of peace and condemn the trailcing
withdrawing syndicates whichin exchange
for bonds and at an enormous profit to
themselves supply the Federal Treasury
with gold to maintain the policy OF gold
mOnometa
Congress alone has the power to coin
and issue mon y, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be del
pgated to corporations or individual We
therefore demand that the power to issue
notes TO circulate as money Uc taken from
the national banks and that all p per
money shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department, be rcdGCm0blo III
coin and received Tor all deOlS, puDlc ana
private,
We hold that tariff duties should be lev
led for purposes Of revenue, such duties
TO be so adjusted rs TO operate equally
throughout the country and not discrImi.
nate between class or section, and that
taXntlon should be limited by the needs Of
the Government honestly and economic
ally administered. We dcnounco as dis
mTbng to business the Republican threat
to restore the Mckinley law, which has
been twice condemned by the people In
national CloctIOus aud which, enacted
under tho false plea Of protection 60 homo
industry proved u prolific breeder OF
trusts and mon0pOlics, enriched the few
at the expense Of the many, restricted
trade and deprived the producers OF the
great American staples Of access to their
natural markets.
rntil the money question Is settled we
are opposed t0any agitation for further
changes In our tariff laws, except such rs
are necessary 20 make up the deficit IN
tho revenue caused by the adverse deelS.
ion Of the supreme Court on the income
tax. But for this decision by the SUI
premo Court there would be no deficit In
the revenue under the law passed by u
Democratic Congress IN strict pursuance
of tho uniform decisions OF that court Tor
nearly one hundred years, that court
having sustained constitutional oblcc
tIons to its enactment which have been
oveTnlcd bYthc Hhest Judges who have
over sat upon the bench, We declare
that IL Is the duty OF CONGRESS- TO uso nj
tho con tlutnnOl power which remains
nttOr that decision or which may como
from rs reversal by tho court as u may
hereafter be constituted, 10 that the bur