Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1898-08-18

personally was adopted without a
change.
The convention adjourned sine die
at II O'Clock.
THE PLATFORM.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo-, Aug. 11.-Fol-
lowing is the platform in full, as agreed
on by the State Democratic Conven-
ton:
The Democrats of Missouri, in State
convention assembled, reindorse the
Democratic national platform adopted
at Chicago in 1896, and especially do
we renew our demand for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver and
gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to
1, without waiting for the consent OF
any other nation, and this demand we
especially emphasize at this time by
reasserting our belief that the money
question is and will remain the most
important of all political questions af-
fecting the prosperity and happiness
of our people until it is finally settled
by the restoration of bimetallic coin
age in accordance with our demand.
And we declare our unswerved conf
dence In Col. William J. Bryan as the
leading exponent Of the foregoing
principles.
Absolutely confident that the free
and unrestricted use of gold and sil-
yer as a standard money by all the
American republics would promote
national prosperity in all of them and
result in making America the most
prosperous and powerful quarter of
the globe, we would invite the CO.
operation of our sister republics in
establishing bimetallism as the Amer
lean monetary system in contradis-
tinction to the European monetary
system, recommendation. We would
oppose America with bimetallism
against Europe with monometallism
in commercial competition and indus
Trial QeVelOpment.
While we believe the American re-
publics should break away from Euro
pean dictation snd combine in estab-
fishing a distinct monetary system of
their own, and while we should strive
to secure the cooperation of our sis
ter republics in accomplishing that
great object and in promoting Ameri-
can commere, we nevertheless demand
the immediate restoration of both gold
and silver coinage at the present ratio
by our Government without waiting
for the aid or consent of any other
nation.
We call attention to the fact that
the Republican party has failed to en-
force the antitrust laws. The 1000
men said by statisticians to control
over half of the wealth of the country
have taken complete control of the
Republican organization and are using
it as political machine, regardless of
the welfare or the rights Of the peo-
pie. Regarding trusts and combina-
tions in restraint of trade as evils OF
the greatest magnitude, and as organ
izations of this nature not only con-
tinue to exist, but multiply in num-
bers, in defiance of law and public
sentiment, we demand that such laws,
both State and national, be enacted as
will certainly result in suppressing
them.
We assert that the declaration OF
war against Spain was justified by the
causes which called it forth. We direct
attention to the fact that the national
Republican Administration, backed
by the Republican majority in Con-
gress, was opposed to war, and yielded
only after long delay to strong public
sentiment, aroused by the first and
persistent demands of Democratic
Senators and Representatives, fore
most among whom were those from
Missouri; and for their part in forcing
the Republican President and Con-
gress to defend the rights OF our coun-
try we extend to them our hearty con-
gratulations.
Confident that the war could have
been prosecuted to successful and
speedy end without increasing the
interest bearing debt of the people,
we denounce the issue of millions OF
bonds as both unwise and unneces-
sary, as the expense Of the war could
have been met by the coinage of seign-
forage in the treasury and the issuance
Of fnon-interest-bearing treasury notes
And we indorse the course of oul
Democratic Senators and Representa-
tives in opp osing their issue
We send greetings and thanks to
our soldiers and sailors, whose match
less valor has added luster to on,
national history, and we extend oul
heartfelt sympathy to the relatives oi
those who have fallen IN battle or dice
of disease, and declare it to be the
duty of the country to provide fol
those dependent upon the gallant
dead.
We are opposed to waging war fol
conquest, but as this war was forced
on rs by the intolerant conduct of the
Spanish government and people, We
declare that 1t should be prosecuted
until Spain is driven from the Western
Hemisphere.
And since the prosecution of ths
war has entailed great loss to as OF
both life and treasure, we demant
that Porto Rico and all Spanish ter
ritory in the West Indies, except Cu-
ba, shall be seized by the UnitedStatel
or be taken by possession Of arms an6
help under sovereignty Of this coun'
try.
We favor carrying out in good faitf
the resolution of Congress undel
which we interviewed in Cuba, and aid
ing the Cubans to establish and main
tain an independent government oi
their own, If they desire this, and w
will favor its peaceful annexation
whenever it can be done with tht
consent of the people of the island.
II