Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-07-30
SOLID FOR SILVER.
Platform of the National Bi-AetaIic Fars
tY Adopted at the National silver Cone
vention at ST Louis July "a, 1896

Platform of the National Bi-Metalic Par
ty Adopted at the National Silver Cone
vention at St Louis July "a, 1896.
The Platform.
The National Silver party in convention as
sembIed makes this the declaration OF It's
principles:
First-The paramount issue at this time in
the United States is indisputably the money
question. It is between the gold standard,
gold bonds and bank currency on the one side,
and the bimetaIlic standard. no bonds and
government currency on the other
On this issue we declare ourselves to be IN
favor of distinctively American system We
are unalterabIy opposed to the single gold
standard and demand immediate return to the
constitutional standard OF gold and silver, by
restoration by this government. independently
of any foreign power, of the unrestricted COIN
age of both gold and silver into standard
money at the ratio of is to /, and upon terms
OF exact equality. as they existed prior to 1873;
the silver coin TO be full legal tender equally
with gold for all debts and dues public and
private. and we favor such legislation as VIII
prevent for the future the characterization OF
any kind of legal tender money by private con-
tract.
We hold that the power to control and
regulate paper currency is inSepaTable from
the power 10 coin money: and hence, that all
currency intended to circulate as money should
be issued and its volume controlled by the gen
tender.
We are uualterabIy opposed to the issue by
the United States OF interest-bearing bonds IN
time of peace, and we denounce blunder
worse than a crime the present treasury
policy. concurred in by a republican house, of
plunging the country in debt by hundreds of
millions in the vain attempt to maintain the
gold standard by borrowing gold, and We de-
and the payment of all coin obligations of the
United States. as provided by existing laws, in
either gold or silver coin, at the option of
the government, and not at the option OF the
creditor
The Crime of '73.
The decentralization of gold in 1878 enor-
mously increased the demand for gold, en-
HANGING its purchasing power and lowering all
prices measured by that standard. And since
that unjust and indefensib1e act the prices of
American products have fallen, upon an aver
age, nearly 50 per Cent, carrying down with
pfoportionate1y the money value OF all other
forms Of property.
Such fall OF prices has destroyed the profits
of legitimate industry, iniuring the producer
for the benefit of the non-producer, increasing
the burden of the debtor, swelling the gains OF
the creditor. paralyzing the productive ener-
gieS of the American people RELOCATING to
idleneSS vast numbers OF willing workers,
sending the shadows OF despair into the home
Of the honest toiler, filling the land with
trampS and paupers and building up colossal
fortunes at The money centers.
the country has within the last two years, in a
time of peace and plenty, been loaded down
with S262. 600 90 of additional Understanding
debt under such circumstances as to allow
syndicate OF native and foreign bankers to
realize net profit of millions on single deal.
1t stands confessed that the gold standard
only be upheld by depicting our paper cur
rency as to force the prices OF our products be-
low the European, and even below the Asiatlc
level. to enable US 10 sell in foreign markets
of
people so bitterly complain. degrading Amer
lean labor and striking at the foundations of
our civilization itself.
The advocates of the gold standard persis-
tently claim that the cause of our distress is
overproduction-that have produced
much that It has made US poor-which implies
that the true remedy is to close the factory.
abandon the farm and throw the multitude of
people out of employment. A doctrine that
leaves US unnerved and disheartened and abSo-
lutely without hope for the future. We con-
firm it to be unquestioned that there can be nc
such economic paradox as overproduction and
at the same time teas of thousands OF our fell
low citizens remaining half clad and half fec
and who are piteously clamoring for the COM
mon necessities of life
Money of the Constitution.
Over and above all other questions of policy
we are in favor of restoring to the people Of
United States the time -honored money OF the
Constitution, not one, but both, the money OF
Washington. and Hamilton, and jefferson, and
Monroe, and Jackson. and Lincoln, to the end
that the American people may receive honest
pay for an honest product; that the American
debtor may pay his just obligations in any one
standard, and not in a standard that has APP
preciated 100 per cent above all the great
sta pies of our country; and to the end further
that silver standard countries may be deprived
of the unjust advantage they now enjoy in the
difference in exchange between gold and silver
an advantage which tariff legislation alone can
not overcome.
We, therefore, confidently appeal to the
people of the United States to leave in abey
ance for the moment all other questions, how
ever important, and even monentous, they
may appear, to Sunder. if need be, all former
party ties and Affiliations, and unite in
preme effort to free themselves and their chill
dren from the domination of the money power,
a power more destructive than any which has
ever been fastened upon the civilized men OF
any race any age. And upon the consume
nation of our desires and efforts. we invoke
the gracious favor Of Divine providence.
Inasmuch as the patriotic majority of the
Chicago convention embodied In the financial
plank Of Its platform the principle enunciated
in the platform OF the American bimetallo
party. promulgated at Washington, d. C., jan
uary p. 1896, and herein reinstated, which Is
not only paramount. but the only real issue in
the pending campaign. therefore recognizing
that their nominees embody these patriotic
principles. we recommend that this convention
nominate VIM. j. Bryan, OF Nebraska, for
president and Arthur Sewall OF Maine, for
Vice-president.
Finally the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That it is the sense of this confer
ence committee that a union OF all the forces.
including the peoples party. silver men and
free-silver democrats, is expedfent, and should
be effected at once for the purpose of achiev
ing victory for the advancement of free silver
In November.