Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-08-22

integrity of the republic. Against the
protest of one-third of the delegates,
they promulgated a platform at variance
with the essential principles of the demo
cratic party. This platform is, IN as
policy, dangerous to the welfare and Die
of free government. 1t Is mischleVous IN
its tendencies. But even more threatening
and mischievous was the spirit OF the
convention that adopted Ii, spirit mani
tested not alone by it's affirmative action
but as we'll by it's reckless rejection OF
every proposition tending to temper the
declarations of the convention with con-
servatsm and justice.
THE platform proposes to degrade the
coin of the United States by means of
the free and unlimited and independent
coinage of silver by our government, and
the exercise by constitutional means of
an adequate revenue for the support Of
the government He believed in sim
pie. economical, honest and efficient adj
miristration of the affairs of the nation,
to the end that the prime object of Il
Governments the liberty of the people,
should be preserved with the least pos
s,ble resulting burden and the greatest
possible certainty.
with such a record and such a creed
the president, moreover, being a demo-
crat. elected on a platform reaffirming
the sound principles of democracy the
democratic party was called upon to elect
delegates to the national convention. The
delegates to the convention held at Chi
cago were authorized and had the power
to proclaim platform embodying tier
views of the true solution of the PAL
Of
agitating the nation, but upon the condi-
ton that such a platform should be con-
sistent with the cardinal principles held
by the party throughout its existence.
These principles constitute the essen
tial element of the party's life. They dis
tinguish it from all other political organ
izations. If they are abandoned the parry
ceases to exist. 1t was. therefore, not
within the power Of any majority of del
egates assembled at Chicago to bind the
democrats of the United States and the
power of the nation to compel the people
to accept deprecated coins at their nomi-
nal value, thereby working an injustice
to creditors, defrauding the laborer CT
a large part of his earnings and savings,
rcbbing the pensioned soldiers Of mart Of
their PENSIONS contracting the currency
by the expulsion of gold from circulation,
and injuring if not destroying dom este
and foreign commerce.
while processing to advocate the pol
icy of bimetallism it censures the present
democratic administration for maintain
ing the parity Of geld and silver. 1t pro-
poses to reduce this country to condi-
ton of silver monometallism, with its
vacillating and unreliable standard Of
values, and tends to bring the farmer
the wage Garner and the salar!ed men to
the wretched condition of the same classes
as countries in which the silver standard
prevails, and the rewards of agriculture
and labor are lower than anywhere in the
world With what seems to be delib9r-
ate attempt to mislead the people, 1t as
serts that in the coinage act of 1919 tie
United States abandoned the use of silver
as money, and that gold has appreciated,
and that commodities have fallen in p1ice
solely by reason of this legislation. 1t g
nores the fact that the prices of com
modities have fallen because of the en-
larged use of labor-saving machinery, in
creased production, and resulting compe-
titiOn 1t suppresses the fact that pc
tent reason for the decline in the price
of silver has been the discovery of new
and cheaply worked mines, resulting in
an enormous increase in its production.
Instead of recognizing these facts, it
appeals to the prejudice of the people
1t demands the free coinage of silver
at the arbitrary and fictitious ratio Of
16 to l, although the ratio established in
the worlds market is about 81 to /, and
although neither experience nor reason
warrants the belief that the commercial
ratio between the metals can be reduced
by the action of this government to any
ratio, even approXimating that proposed
Il threatens, in certain contingencies, 10