Evening star., 1896-07-09
THE MINORITY PLATFORM.
Senator Hill Presents the Protests OF
the Gold Men.

senator Hill Presents the Protests of
the Gold Men.
CHICAGO, July 0.-Following is the re-
port OF the minority OF the committee on
resolutions, presented by Senator David B.
Hill:
ITO the Democratic National Convention:
Sixteen delegates. constituting the minor
ity OF the committee on resolutions. find
many declarations IN the report OF the ma
jority to which they cannot give their as
sent. Sope Of these are wholly unnsc,s-
sary. Some are Ill considered and ambigu-
odsly phrased, while others are extreme
and revolutionary OF the well-reoognized
principles of the party. The minority con-
tent themselves with this general express
sion Of their dissent. without going into q
specific statement OF these objectionable
features OF the report Of the majority.
But upon the financial question, which
er cages. at this time. the chief share of
public attention, the views of the majority
differ SO fundamentally from what the
minority think the vital democratic doc
trine as to demand a distinct statement OF
what they hold TO an the only GUST and true
expression of democratic faith upon this
paramount issue. as follows, which is Of
fered as substitute for the financial plank
In the majority report:
I'VE declare that our belief that the ex-
pertinent on the part of the United States
alone Of free silver coinage and a change
Of the existing standard of value indo-
pendently OF the action Of other great ma
tions would not only imperil our finances
but would retard. or entirely prevent. the es-
tablishment Of international bimetalli,m to
which the efforts of the government sh ould
be steadily directed. 1t would place this
country at once upon silver basis, i'm
pair contracts. disturb business. diminish
the purchasing power OF the wages Of
labor and inf1ict irreparable evils upon our
ration's commerce and industry
tntil fnternationd Cooperation among
me leading nations for the free coinage Of
silver can be secured. We favor the rigid
maintenance of the existing gold standard
as essential to the preservation OF our ma
tionai credit. the redemption Of our public
countrys honor. We insist that all our
paper and silver currency shall be kept
absolutely at parity with gold.
Ihe democratic party Is the party of
naru money, and Is opposed to legal tender
paper money as part Of our permanent
financial system, and we therefore favor
the gradual retirement and cancellation of
all United States notes and treasury notes
under such legislative provisions as will
prevent undue contraction. We demand
that the national credit shall be resoluteiy
cumStances.
The minority also feel that the report
OF the majority Is defective In failing to
make any recognition OF the honesty. econ
omy. courage and fidelity Of the present
democratic administration, and they there
fore offer the following declara tion as an
amendment to the Majority report:
We commend the .honesty, economy.
courage and fidelity Of the present demo-
cratic national administration"
(SlEneD David B. Hill, New York: VIM.
r. Villas, Wisconsin; George Gray. Della
ware: John Prentiss Poe. Maryland; Irving
W Drew. New Hampshire: c. o. Holman
Maine; 2. J. Farrell. Vermont: Lynde Har-
rlson, Connecticut; David F. Baker Rhode
Island; Thomas A. G. weadock. Michigan;
James r. O'Brien. Minnesota: John E. Rus,
sell, massachusetts,: Robert E. Wright
pennsylvania; w. r. Steele. South Dakota:
Allen McDermott. New Jersey; Charles ID.
Rodgers, Alaska
Senator Hill also offered the following
amendments to the platform, and moved
their adoption:
But it should be carefully provided by
law at the same time that any change In
the monetary standard should not apply to
existing contracts ~
Our advocacy Of the independent free
coinage OF silver being based on belief that
such coinage will affect and malutain a
parity between gold and silver at the ratio
OF III to i. we declare as a pledge of our
sincerity that IL such tree coinage shall
IAN to effect such parity within one wear OF
Its enactment by law. such coinage shall
thereupon be suspended