The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-09-11

power, and its general adoption has
brought other nations into financial ser.
vitude to London. 1t is not only un-
American, but anti American, and it can.
be fastened upon the United States only
by the sitting Of that indomitable spirit
and love of liberty which proclaimed our
political independence in 1776 and won
it in the war of the Revolution.
We demand the immediate restoration
of the free and unlimited coinage of gold
and silver at the present legal ratio of l6
to |, without waiting for the aid or con-
sent of any other nation. We demand
that the standard silver dollar shall be a
full legal tender, equally with gold, for
all debts, public and private, and We
favor such legislation as will prevent the
decentralization of eny kind of legal
tender money by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and practice
ofsurrenderingto holders of obligations OF
the United states any option reserved by
law to the government of Yedeeming such
obligations in either silver coin or gold
coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of
interest bearing bonds of the United
States In time OF peace, and condemn
trafIicing with banking syndicates which,
in exchange for bonds at an enormous
profit to themselves, supply the federal
treasury with gold to maintain policy
OF gold monometallism.
Congress alone has power to coin and
issue money end President Jackson
declared that this power could not be
delegated to corporations or individuals.
| We therefore demand that the power
to issue notes be taken from the banks
and that all paper shall be issued direct
| ly by the treasury department. We
hold that tariff duties should be levied
solely for the purpose of revenue and
| that taxation should be limited by
| the needs of the government, honestly
and economically administered. We
denounce as disturbing to business
| the republican threat to restore the Me-
Kinley law, which has twice been con-
demned by the people in national
elections, and which, enacted under the
| false plea of protection to home industry,
proved prolific breeder of trusts and
] monopolies, enriching the few at the ex-
| pense OF the many, restricted trade and
deprived the producers of the great Amer
| ican staples OF access to their natural
markets. Until the money question
is settled, we are opposed to any agitation
| for further changes in our tariff laws ex-
cept such as are necessary to make the
| deficit in revenue, caused by the ad
verse decision of the supreme court
as to the income tax.
There would have been no deficit in
the federal revenue during the last two
years but for the annulment by the
supreme court of the income tax law,
placed upon the statute books by demo-
cratic congress. The obstruction to an
income tax, which the supreme court dis
| covered in the constitution after it had
laid hidden for hundred years, must be
removed, to the end that accumulated
| wealth may be made to bear its just share
| of the burden of the government. We,
| therefore, favor an amendment to the
| federal constitution that will permit the
| lew of an income tax. We hold that the
| efficient way of protecting American
labor is to prevent the importation of
| foreign pauper labor to compete with the
home market, and that the value of the
home market to onr American farmers
and artisans is greatly reduced by .
| vicious monetary system which depresseE
{ the prices OF their product below the cost
| of production, and thus deprives them uf
the means of satisfying their needs. We
denounce the profigate waste of the
money wrung from the people by oppres-
siya taxation and lavish appropriations
of recent republican congresses, which
have kept taxes high, while the laborer
that pays them is unemployed, and pro-
! ducts OF the people are depressed in price
| until they no longer repay the cost of
| production. We demand return TO that
simplicity aud economy which best BELTS
Democratic government, and reduc.
ton In the number OF useless Offices, the
salaries OF which drain the substance Of
the people. Confding in the justice of
our cause and the necessity of its success
at the polls, We submit the foregoing
declaration of principles and purposes TO
the considerate judgment of the American
people. We invite the support of all
citizens who approve them and who de-
eirs 10 have them made effective through
legislation for the relief of the people
and the restoration OF the country's
prosperity.