Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-07-11
The Platform.

| Following IS the Democratic natlona
platform as adopted by the convention
We, the Democrats of the United States
in national convention assembled, reaf
firm our allegiance to the great essentia
principles of Justice and liberty upor
which our institutions are founded ant
which the Democratic party has advocat
ed since Jefferson's time to our own
freedom of speech, freedom of the press
freedom of conscience, preservation oi
personal rights, equality of all citizens
before the law, and the faithful observ-
ance of constitutional limitations.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendency of selfish
interests to Capitalization of govern
mental power, and has steadfastly main
tanned the integrity of the dual scheme of
government as established by the found
ers of this republic of republics. Under
its guidance and teachings the great
principle of local self government has
found best expression in the mainte-
nance of the rights of the states and the
assertion of the necessity of confining the
general government to the exercise of
the powers granted it by the constitu-
tion of the United States.
FREE COINAGE.
Recognizing the money question as
paramount to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the fed
eral constitution names silver and gold
together rs the money metals of the
United States, and that the first coinage
law passed by congress under the consti-
tuition made the silver dollar the none
tary unit and admitted gold to free coin
age at ratio based upon the silver dol
lar unit.
We declare that the act, of 1873, de-
monetizing silver without the knowledge
or approval of the American people, has
resulted in the appreciation of gold and
corresponding fall in the prices of COM
modities produced by the people, a
heavy increase in the burden of taxation
and Of all debts public and private, the
enrichment of the money lending class at
home and abroad, the prostration of in
dustry and the impovershing of the peo-
pie. We are unalterably opposed to
monometallism, which has locked fast
the prosperity of an industrial people in
the paralysis of hard times. Gold mono
metallism is British policy, and it's
adoption has brought other nations into
the financial servitude of London. It is not
only un-American, but anti-American,
and it can he fastened on the United
States only by the sinking of that spirit
and love Of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence In 1776 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 16 to without
waiting for the aid and consent of any
other nation. We demand that the stand
ard silver dollar shall be full legal tender
equally with gold and for all debts, pub
lie and private, and we favor such egisla-
tion as will prevent for the future the
demonstration of any kind of legal
tender money by private contract.
BOND DEALS.
We are opposed to the policy and prao-
tice of surrendering to the holders of
obligations of the United States the op-
tion, reserved by law to the government,
of redeeming such obligations in silver
or in gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of inter-
est bearing bones of the United States In
time of peace, and condemn trafficing
with banking syndioates which, in ex-
change for bonds at an enormous profit
to themselves, supply the federal treas.
ury with gold to maintain the policy of
gold monometallism.
NATIONAL BANKS.
Congress alone has power to coin
money, and President jackson declared
that this power could not be delegated
to corporations or individuals. We,
therefore, demand that the power to is-
sue notes to circulate as money be taken
from the national banks, and that all
paper money shall be issued directly by
the treasury department, be redeemable
in coin aud receivable for all debts pub.
lie and private.
THE TARIFF.
We favor tariff for revenue sufficient
to defray the necessary expenses of the
government, economically administered,
and 30 adjusted as not to discriminate
against industries of any section, and
especially the raw materials of the south
and west, including their wool, hides
sheep, cattle and other live stock interests
We denounce as disturbing to business
the Republican threat to restore the Nc.
Kinley law which has been twice con.
demned by the people In national cleo
tions, and which, enacted under the false