The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-02-05

or, Il desirable, establish al hoacrabis
alliance on leading issues.
I also suggest that a national confer
ence OF party leaders and workers be
held as soon as practicable, that we
may have a full and free expression re-
garding our future work. We hope,
therefore, that the reform press viii
give the fullest possible expositions of
their views on this important subject;
and our friends are invited to write me
or our national chairman, expressing
their ideas on the independent party
action herein proposed.
Shall we march to victory under orr
own banner, or continue as stragglers
under another9
GEORGE j. WAsHBURN,
Member Peoples Party National EX-
ecutive Committee, Boston.
The democratic idea on finance is
well expressed in the money plank Of
the Chicago platform. 1t is as follows;
We demand the free and unlimited coinage Of
both gold ana silver 1t the present legal ratio
Of sixteen to one without waiting for the aid or
consent Of any other nation. We demand that
the standard silver dollar shall be full legal
tender, equally with gold, for all debts, public
or private, and we favor such legislation as viii
prevent for the future the decentralization Of
any kind Of legal tender money by private con-
tract.
We are opposed to the policy and practices Of
suErendering to the holders Of the obligations
Of the United States the option reserved by law
to the government Of redeeming such Obliga-
tions 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 the trafioking with bank
ing syndieates which, in exchange for bonds at
an enormous profit to themselves, supply the
federal treasury with gold to maintain the
policy Of gold mOnOmetallism
Congress alone has the power to coin and is
sue money, and President Jackson declared
that this power could not be delegated to cor
pOratiOns or individuals. We, therefore, de-
nounce the issuance Of notes as money for ma
tiGRal banks Is in derogation of the coastitu-
tion, and We demand that all paper which is
made legal tender for public and private debts,
OF which is receivable for dues to the United
States, shall be issued by the government OF
the United States, and shall be redeomabie in
coin
Here is a plain and explicit demand
for a specie basis-speeie redemption
monetary system. Since the election
four state legislatures, having a large
majority of silver-reform democrats,
refused to pass a bill prohibiting the
decentralization of silver by private
contract,
The populist idea on finance, under
stood, advocated and defended by
100000 voters, may be tersely set
forth thusly:
The vital features Of a monetary system are
| issue and distribution, which carry with them
and include range OF prices and rates Of inter
est.
We demand the unrestricted coinage Of both
gold and silver at the ratio OF sixteen to one, as
It existed prior 10 1873, and supplemental issue
| OF full legal tender, absolute paper money, not
redeemable in specie, but receivable for all
( public dues, sufficient in volume to properly
! transact the business Of the nation, and to be
issued direct to the people by the general gov
eminent in payment Of current appropriations
/ and in the prosecution Of a comprehensive sys-
| TEN Of public improvements,
! In order that such money may be justly and
/ eQuitably distributed in the channels of trade
we demand the establishment Of a government
| system Of banks of deposit, loan and discount,
which shall furnish place Of safe deposit for
the savings Of the people, and loan such deposits
| t'bank creditsD upon good bankable security,
/ ct a uniform, low rate Of interest,
! We demand that, in strict compliance with
! the provisions Of the law, there shall De coined
| a sufficient amount Of the silver bullion pur-
| chased by authority Of the so-cGlled Sherman
silver act to redeem the treasury notes issued
in payment therefor, and that such notes, when
so redeemed, shall be Cancelled and destroyed,
We further demand that as fast as United
| States treasury notes, commonly called green
backs, are received into the government
treasury they shall be Cancelled and destroyed
and full legal tender, inconveTtible paper money
issued In their stead,
We denounce the issue Of interest-bearing
bonds and demand that no further issue OF
bonds shall be made, Recognizing the fact
that the specie redemption fallacy is the basic
cause Of bond issues, We demand that no more
paper promises to pay shall be issued to circu-
late as money.
Let the money question" as the
leading issue, be differentiated on
these lines. GEORGE c. WARD.