Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-07-30
PLATFORM FOR FREE SILVER


convention assembled. do affirm our allegiance
to those great ESSENTIAL principles Of justice
and liberty upon which our institutions are
founded and which the Democratic party has
advocated from J'siiers@n's time 70 our OWL
freedom Of speech, freedom Of the press, free
dom Of conscience. the preservation OF per
sonal rights, the equality Of all citizens before
the law, and the faithful observance of con-
stitutional limitations
During all these years the Democratic party
has resisted the tendency OF selfish interests
70 the Capitalization of governmental power
and steadfastly maintained the integrity OF
the dual scheme Of government established by
the founders OF this republic Of repub lies
Under its guidance and teachings the great
principle Of local self government has found
its best expression in the maintenance of the
rights of the states and lis assertion Of the
necessity Of confning the geaeral governments
TO the exercise Of the powers granted by the
constitution Of the United States
The constitution of the United States guar
antees to every citizen the rights of civil and
religious liberty. The Democratic party has
always been the exponent OF political liberty
and Of religious freedom, and il renews Its OBJ
legations and reaf1rms the devotion to those
fundamental principles Of the constitution
Recognizing that the money question is par
amount TO all others at this time, we invite
attention TO the fact that the federal constitu-
money meta.s OF the United States. and that
the hrst coinage law passed by congress under
the constitution made the silver dollar the
monetary unit and admitted gold to free coin
age at a ratio based upon the silver unit
We are opposed TO the policy and practice
of surrendering to the holders OF the obliga-
tions of the United States the option reserved
by law to the government of redeeming such
obligation in either silver coin or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of interest
bearing bonds of the United States in times Of
peace, and condemn the trafflckng with bank
ng syndicates which, in exchange for bonds
and enormous profit to themselves, supply thh
federal treasury with gold to maintain the
policy OF gold monometallsm.
Congress alone has the power TO coin or issue
money, as President Jaslkon declared that
this power could not be delegated to corpora
tions or individuals.
We therefore denounce the issuance of
notes intended to circulate as money by ma
tional banks as in derogation of the consti-
tuition and we demand that all paper which Is
made legal tender for public and private
debts or which is receivable for dues to the
United States, shall be issued by the govern
ment of the United States and shall be re-
deemable in coin.
We hold that tariff duties should be levied
for purposes Of revenue, such duties to be SO ad-
justed as to operate equally throughout the
country, and not discriminate between class
or section and that taxation should be limited
by the needs of the government honestly and
economically administered. We denounce az
disturbing 10 business the Republican threat
to restore the Mckinley law.
Until the money question is settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
In our tariff laws, except such as are neces.
sary to meet the deficit in revenue caused by
q the adverse decision Of the supreme court on
the income tax.
But for this decision BY the supreme court
there would be no deficit in the revenue under
the law passed by a democratic congress in
strict pursuance Of the uniform decisions OF
that court for nearly one hundred years, that
court having under that decision sustained
constitutional objections to, its enactment,
which have been overruled by the ablest
judges who have ever sat on that bench
We declare that it is the duty of congress to
use all the constitutional power which re-
mains after that decision, or which may come
from its reversal by the court as it may here.
after be constituted so that the burdens Of
taxation may be equally and impartally laid,
to the end that wealth may bear its due pro-
portion Of the expenses Of the governments
We hold that the most efficient way of pro
tecting American labor is to prevent the inn
portation Of foreign pauper labor to compete
with it in the home market, and that the value
of the home market to our American farmers
aud artisans is greatly reduced by vicious
of their products below the cost Of production
and thus deprives them Of the means of pu-.
chasing this products of our home manufactor
res
And as labor creates the wealth ofthe coun-
try we demand the passage of such laws as
may be necessary to protect 1t in all its rights
Anu absorption OF wealth by the few, the
consolidation of our leading railroad systems
and the formation of trusts and pools require
stricter control by the federal government
1fk k1.N1rN nrfav lf
the enlargemt at of the powers of the inter
state CONNIE zoe commi ssion, and such restric.
tions and qua rantees in the control of rail.
roads as will protect the people from robbery
and oppression.
We denounce the proffigate waste of tho
msnes wrung from the people by oppressive
taxation and the lavish appropriations Of re.
cent Republican congresses, which have kept
taxes high, while the labor that pays them Ia
unemployed, and the products Of the peoples
toll are depressed in price till they no longer
repay the cost of production.
We demand a return to that simplicity anC
economy, which. BELTS a democratic govern
ment and q reduction of the number OF use
less offices, the salaries of which drain the
substance of the people.
We CIn0unce arbitrary interference by fed
eral authorities In local affairs as a violation
of the constitution of the United States and a
crime against free institutions and we es.
pecially object to government by Injunction
as new and highly dangerous form of op-
preston by which federal judges, in contempt
Of the laws Of the states and rights of citizens,
become at once legislators, judges and execu-
tioners, and we approve the bill passed at the
last session of the United States senate and
now pending in the house of representatives
relative to contempts in federal courts and
NJ sGn 1s b s6oGd 6r Be- e IN
the government of the United States in fayo
Of its debtors. We approve of the refusal 0
the Fifty third congress to pass the Pacif1
railroad funding bill and denounce the effor
of the present republican congress to enac
a similar measure.
Recognizing the Just claims OF The deserving
Union soldiers we heartily endorse the rules
of the present commissioner of pensions, that
no names shall be arbitrarily dropped from
the pension roll, and the fact of enlistment
and service should be deemed conclusive evi.
dence against disease and disability before en-
Iistment.
We favor the admission of the territories o
New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arizona to tn
union as states, and we favor the earl,
admission of all the territories to state
hood, and while they remain territories W.
hold that the officials appointed to admins
with the District Of Columbia and Alaska
should be bona tde residents of the territor
or district in which their duties are to be per
formed.
The democrtic party believe in home rule
and that all public lands of the United State
should be appropriated to the establishment
of free homes for American citizens.
We recommend that the territory of Aask
begranted a delegate In congress. and tina
the general land and timber laws of tn
United States be extended to said territory
clared and as interpreted by succeedin,
presidents, is permanent part ofthe foreigl
policy of the United States, and must at al
times be maintained
No WI TO-
Cuba in their heroic struggle for liberty an
independence.
We are opposed to life tenure in publ
service. We faver appointments based upo
merit, fixed terms Of office, and such an ad
ministration of the civil service laws as wi
afford equal opportunities to all citizens Q
ascertaiDed fitness.
this rennhlic established hv nnstnm an