The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-07-08
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

Following is the platform adopted by
lumbus:
The Democrats of Ohio, in convention
assembled, reafiirm and indorse the dec
laration of principles contained in the
platform adopted by the Democratic par
ty in the national convention at Chicago
in 1896, which platform declares the
money question paramount to all others
at this time, and is as follows:
Recognizing that the money question is
paramount to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the con
stitution names silver and gold together
as the money metals of the United States,
and that the first coinage law passed by
Congress under the constitution made the
silver dollar the money unit and admitted
gold to free coinage at Il ratio based upon
the silver dollar unit.
We declare that the act of 1873, demon
etizing silver without the knowledge or
approval of the American people, has re-
suited in the appreciation of gold, and a
corresponding fall in the prices of COM
modities produced by the people; heavy
increase i'll the burden of taxation and of
all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment of the money lending classes at
home and abroad, the prostration of in
dustry, and the impoverishment of the
people
We are unalterably opposed to mono
metallisin, which has locked fast the pros
perity of an industrial people in the paral
ysis of hard times. Gold recommendation
is British policy, and its adoption has
brought other nations into financial servi-
tude to London. 1t is not only un-Amcri
can. but anti-American, and it can he
fastened on the United States only by the
sitting Of that spirit and love of liberty
which proclaimed our political indepen-
dence in 1116 and won it in the war of
the revolution.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of both silver and gold at the
present legal ratio of 16 to / without wait
ing for the aid or consent of any other
nation. We demand that the standard
silver dollar shall be n full legal tender
equally with gold for all debts. public and
private, and we favor such legislation as
will prevent for the future the demoneti-
zation of any kind of legal tender money
by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and prac-
tice of surrendering to the holders of the
obligations of the United States the OPP
ton reserved by law to the Government
of redceming such obligations in either
silver or gold coin.
We are opposed to the issuing of inter
est-bearing bonds of the United States in
times of peace. and condemn the traffick-
ing with banking syndicates which, in
exchange for bonds and at an enormous
profit to themselves, supply the Federal
treasury with gold to maintain the policy
of gold monometalism
Congress alone has the power to coin
and issue money, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be dele
gated TO corporal tions or individuals. We
therefore denounce the issuance of notes
intended to circulate as money by national
banks as in derogation of the cOnstitu-
tion, and we demand that all paper which
is made a legal tender for public and pri
yate debts or which is receivable for du-
ties to the United States shall be issued
by the Government of the United States
and shall be redeemable in coin.
In support of these principles we invite
the cooperation of all men who love lib
erty and hate corruption, oppression and
tyranny.