Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-16
WILaINGToS. THURSDAY. july 10
the Democratic Voice at Chicago.

The voice OF true Democracy was
heard at Chicago, Thursday, although
its counseis were unheeded and its
recommendations rejected. 1t was
sounded In the minority report of the
committee on resolutions, reading as
follows:
Sixteen delegates constituting the
minority of the committee on resolu-
tiona, find many declarations in the re-
port OF the majority to which they can
not give their assent. Some of these
are wholly unnecessary. Some are ill
considered and ambiguously phraeed,
while others are extreme and revoiu-
tionary OF the well-recognized princi-
pies Of the party. The minority con-
tent themselves with this general ex-
preston of their dissent without going
into specific statement of these OBJ
jectionable features of the report of the
majority.
But upon the financial question,
which engages at this time the chief
share of public attention, the views of
the majority differ so fundamentally
from what the minority regard as vital
Democratic doctrine, as to demand
distinct statement Of what thew hold as
the Just and true expression of Demo-
cratic faith upon this paramount issue
rs follows, which is offered as substi-
tute for the financial planks in the
majority report:
We declare our belief that the ex-
pertinent on the part of the United
States alone OF free-silver coinage and
change OF the existing standard of
value, Independently of the action of
other great nations, would not only i'm.
peril our finances, but would retard or
entirely prevent the establishment of in
terDational bimetallism. TO which the
efforts OF the government should be
steadily directed. 1t would place this
country at once upon silver basis, i'm
pair contracts, disturb business, di-
minish the purchasing power of the
wages of labor and inflict irreparable
evils upon our nations commerce and
industry.
Until International co operation
among leading nations for the free
coinage of silver can be secured, we
favor the rigid maintenance of the ex-
listing gold standard as essential to the
preservation of our national credit, the
redemption of our public pledges and
the keeping inviolate of our countryfs
4 homer. We insist that all our paper
and silver currency shall be kept alb
solutely at parity with gold. The
Democratic party is the party Of hard
money and is opposed to legal tender
paper money as part of our perma-
nent financial system, and we therefore
favor the gradual retirement and can
collation. OF all United States notes and
treasury notes under such legislative
provisions as will prevent undue con-
traction. We demand that the national
credit shall be resolutely maintained at
all times and under all circumstances
To this report was appended the
names of the following Democrats, some
of whom are prominent leaders of the
party: David B. Hill, New York
William F. Villas, Wisconsin; George
Gray, Delaware; John Prentiss Poe,
Maryland; Irving W. Drew, New Hamp-
shire; O. o. Holman, Maine; p. j.
Farrell, Vermont; Lynde Harrison,
Connecticut; David +. Baker, Rhode
Island; Thomas A. q. Weadock, Michi.
gan; James E. O'Brien, Minnesota
John E. Russell. Massachusetts; Robert
E. Wright, Pennsylvania; William R.
Steele, South Dakota; Allen A. Nc
Dermott New Jersey; Charles d.
Rogers, Alaska.
But the protest of true Democracy
was of no avail. The free silver ma
jority trampled it under foot and by a
decisive vote adopted their free silver
coinage platform as the declaration of
principles for the national Democratic
party.