The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-11
MASSACHUSETTS GOLD DEMOCRATS
Very Much Displeased With Republican
Financial Policy.

Boston, September I0.-The gold
Democrats of the state as party organi-
zation have issued an appeal to the people
of Massachusetts on the issues to be met
| in the coming political contest, arraigning
at the same time the Republican party
on its financial policy and its administra-
tion of national affairs. The appeal fol-
| lows:
| To the People of Massachusetts.
| The Democratic national party of Mass
achuetts will nominate candidates to be
voted for at the approaching election and
| will urge the voters to support them be-
cause there is no other party which pro-
| poses to conduct the government of the
country in the interests of the people-no
other party which has not forfeited it's
rights to public confidence.
On the one hand the Republican party
has repeatedly shown that there is only
one definite purpose upon which it is
united to tax all the people for the benefit
of a few. 10 accomplish this it does not
scruple to sacrifice the soundness of our
currency and the peaceful and dignified
conduct of our foreign relations
Republican Senators, in statements ever
disproved, have told why that disastrous
silver bill was enacted. 1t was to pur-
chase both the passage of the Mckinley
tariff bill and support for the Republican
party organization in the northwestern
states; not to prevent the passage of a free
coinage bill, as has been since audacious-
ly claimed.
The party came again into power on the
fourth of March last, after a campaign in
which it had rallied to it's support Repub-
licans and Democrats alike upon the issue
of sound money.
1t has ignored pledge to the whole
country, while it has respected pledge
to the supporters of bimetallism and it
has done SO in order to pass tariff bill
more outrageous in its provisions than
the measure which the country emphatic-
ally condemned in 1890 and 1892.
What sort of measure has this viola
tion of solemn pledges purchased? It is a
bill full of provisions which tax the poor
for the benefit of those already rich. How
much were the representatives of the
people consulted as to the terms? Repub-
lican leaders contirlNe to furnish the
answer. On July 2S, Senator Hoar, in
an interview, explained that the new
tariff contained Objectionable provisions
as the result of another ultimatum from
Senator Jones of Nevada. Senator Hoar
said:
''We were obliged in caucus to agree
that we would delegate differences of de-
tail to the Republican subcommittee of
the committee on finance and would sup
port conclusions without regard to in
dividual opinions or special state in
terests. That agreement was the price of
the tariff. -
We are gradually learning the extent Of
this price" Because the bill could not
be passed at ali If it's details were dis
cussed in open Senate, and because in the
House, as Senator Hoar said in the
Forum, it was passed blindfolded under
suspension of the rules Other out
rageous provisions were somehow inserted
and Republican leaders are defending
themselves by disputes as to how they
"slipped in
To facilitate the passage of the tariff
bill it became necessary not only to refuse
consideration of the currency and to inn
pose improper taxes like those on hides
and wool, but also to introduce the very
policy against which President Mckinley
was understood to warn the country in
his inaugural address.
1t is important that the opportunity
should not be lost of rebuking by popular
vote this continued record of broken trust
We must speak at once or the effect Of
public opinion on the present Congress
will be lost.
On the other hand, the party which
calls itself Democratic has abandoned the
sound Democratic principles which once
entitled it to support
The time has come therefore, when the
safety and welfare of our country impera-
lively demand that the patriotic friends
of good government should renounce their
allegiance to mere party name and unite
with those who have earned a right to
their conscience. ana
Democratic National State Committee:
Nathan Matthews, Jr., Chairman; John
G. Lane, Secretary. Boston, September
IL, 1897.