River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-08-20
ADDRESS TO VOTERS.
Issued by Gold Democrats at
Meeting in Chic ago.
They Declare the Action OF the Chicago
Convention Is Not Binding ON Mem
beers of the Party Who Oppose
Free silver.

Chicago, Aug. 1s.-A meeting of the
national executive committee of the
gold democratic party was held at the
Palmer house Monday. Chairman
Eyuum. of Indiana, presided and all
the members were present except
Charles ". Tracey, of New York. The
principal business which called the COM
mittee together was the preparation and
adoption of an address to the democratic
voters % the country A subcommittee,
Secretary John r. Wilson, of Indian
apolis, and f. ~. NJ. Cutcheon, of Min
nesota, was chosen to draft the address.
The Address.
The committee appointed TO draft the
address reported as follows:
To the Democrats of the United States:
The democratic party is the only existing
political organization with a history ex-
tending back to the birth of the republic.
Party after psTty has attempted its over
throw. Some have achieved temporary
triumphs. With each triumph was heard
the prophecy that the democratic party
would surely die. Ii has survived all de-
feats. By virtue of its indestructible prn-
ciples II has witnessed the birth and death
of every rival save one, and this, Its pres
ent great antagonist. with history or no
more than 40 years. had no part I'm laying
the foundations of constitutional popular
government. For more than century
men OF high principles. noble ambitions.
unselfish and patriotic aims have adhered
10 the democratic party with constancy
OF devotion unparalleled in the history of
politics. For more than a century, through
good and evil report. in times of prosperity
and days of adversely, 1t has kept its faith.
without variableness or shadow of surn-
ing 1t has held fas- to the fundamental
principles of free government formulated
by its founders, and subsequently enforced
by its great leaders from Jefferson to Cleve-
land.
A True Democrat Defined.
Every true democrat insisted upon
strict observance of the mandates of the
federal constitution and of the limitations
therein prescribed, as well as upon a loyal
support of all the institutions thereby
created to be guarantees OF the liberty II
sought to perpetuate. He profoundly dis
believed in the ability OF government
through paternal legisit ton or supervision.
TO increase the happiness of the nation.
lie was opposed to all attempts to con-
lure comfort into the homes of its citizens
or wealth into their pockets. he believed
that X is the function or government to
provide the people with an honest and
stable medium of exchange, thus enabling
them to transact their business safely and
conveniently In every mart anc market of
the world. He reprObated every attempt
TO supply to. money by means OF iegisla-
ton that value which it can possess only
by reason of those qualities that render 1t
acceptable to the world when unsupported
by legislative at. He believed I'm the great
est measure of freedom of trade and in
dustry compatible with she necessity TO OBJ
tain by constitutional means an adequate
revenue for the support OF the government.
lie believed in a simple, economical, honest
and efficient administration of the af-
1airs of the nation, to the end that the
prime object of government, the liberty of
the people, should be preserved with the
least possible resulting burden and the
greatest possible certainty.
The Chicago Convention.
With such record and such a creed.
the president, moreover, being democrat
elected on a pia form reaffirming the sound
principles OF democracy. the democratic
party was called upon to select delegates
to a national convention.
The delegates to the convention held al
Chicago were authorized and had the
power to proclaim q platform embody!ng
their views Of the true solution OF the par
ticular problems of the government now
agitating the nation. but upon the condi-
ton that such platform should be con
slstent with the cardinal principles held by
the party throughout its existence These
constitute the essential element |
of tho partys life. They distinguish II
from all otneT ponllcdi OtkdHiLdtlofS. III
they are abandoned, the party ceases to
exist 1t was, therefore. not within the
power OF the majority OF the delegates |
assembled at Chicago to pind the democrats |
of the United States to a platform incon- |
sistcnt with the party's principles. or TO
any action that should result IN their sur |
render.
VIOLATED Trust.
In violation of the trust committed 90
them a majority of the delegates assembled !
in that convention. ignoring the rights |
os the minority, unseated regularly-elected |
delegates TO make places fof others In |
sympathy with themselves. They pro-
claimed a sectional combination Of the |
south and west against The north and |
east They .mpeached the honesty and {
patriotism of President Cleveland, who |
under exceptional embal1assments pro-
duced by past errors of legislation. has |
heroically maintained the honor nd inIeg- |
rity OF the republic. Against the protest |
of one-third of the delegates they promul- |
gated platform at variance with he es
sential principles OF the democratic party. |
silver MonometaIiism.
While protesting to advocate policy o. |
bimetallism, II censures the present dem |
ocratic administration for maintaining the |
parity of gold and silver. Ii proposes to re- |
duce this country. to a condition Of silver |
monometallism. with its vacillating and |
unreliable standard of values. and tends to |
bring the farmer, the wage-earner and the /
salaried man to the wretched condition of /
the same classes IN countries in which |
the silver standard prevails. and where |
the rewards OF agriculture and labor are |
lower than anywhere else I'm the world.
Almost a Panic.
Its declarations invite and have almost |
produced, q financial panic. and many of It's 1
announce that to accomplish |
their purposes they are prepared to in /
volve their country in a disaster com /
parable to nothing in its history save the |
calamity of civil war.
1t assails the Independence of the Ju- |
dietary by covert threat to reorganize the |
courts whenever their decisions contravene |
the DEGREES of the party caucus.
1t seeks to allure officeseekers and spoils- |
men to its support by attacking the exist
ing civil service laws. which good men of |
all parties have labored so long to establish |
and to extend to all departments of the |
public service.
AbsoIved from Obligation.
The Chicago convention. having thus de
parted from the recognized democratic |
faith and promulgated doctrines new and |
strange to the democracy, all democrats |
are absolved from obligation to support |
its programme. More than this, as the |
doctrines announced are destructive of |
national honor and private obligation and /
tend to create sectional and class distinc- /
tions and engender discoTi and strife /
among the people. all good citizens of the /
republic are bound to repudiate them and /
exert every lawful means to insure the |
defeat of the candida les that represent /
these false doctrines.
Honor at Stake.
The duty of the hour is to stand steadfast /
in defense of our ancient faith. In this
crisis there Is AZ stake more than the pos
sibility OF temporary victory. The honor
and perpetuty of the democratic party are
at stake. political organization that is
untrue TO itself. its principles, its his
tory and traditions, is disgraced and dis
honored. The existence of our great his
torical party that has withstood the as
saults of every foe is threatened by reason
of the recreancy of many of its men,
bers- That this party. as we have known
II. may not die. let the faithful of years
rally around it's hist 1ric banner. reform its
broken lines. and with abiding faith I'm the
final triumph of its principles unite to re-
store the name democrat to its former
meaning and proud distinction.
Urged TO Organize.
To this end we request all democrats who
are opposed 10 the platform adopted and
nominated at Chicago to organ
ize In their several states and to send rep
rcsentatives 10 the convention of the ma
ticnal democratic party to be held at In
on Wednesday. September 2.
1896, in accordance with the call hereto
fore issued by the national committee.
To Remain Closed indefinitely.
Woonsocket, II. L., Aug. is. - The
Alice mill of the Woonsocket Rubber
rraS tn hava S...s~, /