The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-10-17
ADDRESS TO NArIoNAA ADEMoC CRAFTS
Issued by the National Democratic Conn
 mittee Yesterday.

Ind annapolis, Oct 16.-The national democratic committee issued the fol- lowing address to-day: ITO the na- tional democrats of the United States: Your national committee, speaking for the national democratic party, con- graduates the country on the emphatic and merited condemnation at the pols by the people in 1896, of the dishonor- able and dangerous doctrines promul- gated by the Chicago platform. The moral influence exerted by the Indian apolis convention has amply compen- sated for the efforts made in behalf of unalloyed democratic primo pies, as held and taught by Jefferson, Jackson, Til den and Cleveland. And to-day this platform is the rock and firm founda- tion on which alone democrat can rest his political faith. We, therefore, take this opportunity to re-affirm with accumulated force, the principles of our party as enunciated at Indianapo- lis in 1896. We believe that the theory of so-called protection, which, in it's last analysis. involves the spoilation of the many for the benefit of the few, is dishonest, and that it directly and in- evitably breeds trusts, monopolies, and those special privileges by which the cunning and interruptions prey on their unsuspecting and credulous fellow citizens. The protective tax is not only dishonest and oppressive, but it obstructs that free and natural inter- change of commodies which would in- creasingly tend to lessen the cost of the necessities and comforts of life to our a1o f 1o, rod our merchant navy. It has practically driven our flag from the seas, and has forced us into the humiliating necessity of paying vast and constant tribute to other nations for ocean-carriage. We oppose the extension of this lnsular system to any colonies that we have I acquired, or hereafter may acquire, and favor, as we always have favored, the I widest freedom of trade. It is folly to l think of securing foreign markets, un- less we are willing to trade with for | eign countries. Especially do we de- nounce the Chicago platform, for it's virtual abandonment of this great and l time honored principle.
 '"The doctrine of free silver is an ex- | tension of the protective principle. Free l coinage is the protection of few sil- yer mine owners, at the expense of our laboring classes. This policy, were it adopted, would rob the workers of half their earnings, and. by unsettling val 1 ues, would bring about a paralysis of trade and commerce and reduce us financially to the level of barbarous and uncivilized nations. We are unreserv- edly for the single gold standard, and oppose international bimetallism, so called, as both impracticable and unde- rabe. We believe that the theory of one standard, and the selection of gold as that standard, has been struck off in the mint of human experience, as the result of a slowly developed and i beneficent evolution in civilization. More than ever do we believe that the continued existence of our national or ganization is desirable for the well-be- ing of our country. There is no other i party that represents the principles for ! which we are proud to stand. Our work is not completed. We are not only against free silver, but we are for sound money. The same cause that induced the Indianapolis convention of 1896 still exists. The financial relief ex- pected of the present administration has not been given. The recent utter ances of no less than sixteen members of the democratic national committee, declaring for free silver, and the re- nomination of MT. Bryan, show conclu- sively that efforts will be made to fight the campaign of 1900 on the free silver issue, and under the old leader As long as the principles of the Indian apolis platform remain disregarded by fl,o n11 vel 1,141r +o try, to our party and to ourselves, de- mands that we should continue our fight against free silver, and keep up our efforts to secure for this nation such financial legislation as shall make us commercially the strongest nation in the world.
 'We protest against the pollution of the democratic party by alliances with those financial declarations which are at war with it's old and true creed. With the situation as it exists in some of the various states, we have no prov ince to interfere The national demo- crats of each state must solve their local problems in such a way as may seem to them most likely to insure the triumphs of the principles for which the national organization stands, and to the maintenance of which it is sol emnIy pledged. We seek no offices and wish for no rewards except those that flow from the consciousness of duty done. Our principles, the gold stand ard, monetary reform, tariff for reve- nue only, civil service reform, rigid economy in the administration of the government, the maintenance of law and order, freedom of contract, and the protection of all contract rights must triumph if our representative fed eral republic is to be perpetuated. Tn behalf of these principles, we appeal tc the sober, settled judgment of the American people. We should be pre- pared now, and at all times, to defend them against assault from any quar- ter It is our earnest hope that oul fellow democrats in every nook and corner of our land, may realize theil error in following the vagares of the Chicago platform, any may unite with us in the advocacy and promulgatior of those sound and fundamental polit- cal principles which will lead to rati- fication of them by the votes of the people, ensuring a truly democrats vic