The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-17
NATIONAL DEMOCRATS
THEIR COMMITTEE REAFFIRMS THE
INDIANAPOLIS DECLARATION.
An Address Sent Out to the Country
by Chairman Peabody - Dam
gers of Organism.

The National Democratic committee,
through it's chairman, George Foster Pea
body, has sent out from this city the fol-
lowing address:
ITO the National Democrats of the United
States:
Your national committee speaking for
the National Democratic party, congratu-
lates the country on the emphatic ana mer-
tied condemnation at the polls by the peO-
pie in 1856 of the dlShonOrable and danger
Gus doctrines prOiumgated by the Chicago
Platform. Inc moral influence exerted by
the Indianapolis convention has amply COM
pensated Tor the enOrts made in benalf of
unaloyed Democratic principles, as held
and taught by Jefferson, Jackson, Tilden
and Cleveland And to-day this platform IS
the rock and firm foundation on which
alone Democrat can rest his political
to reaffirm with accumulated force the priIi
clples OF our party as enunciated at Indian
We believe that the theory of so-called
protection, which. in it's last analysis, in
wolves the spoliation of the many for the
directly and inevitably breeds trusts, mo-
nopolies and those special privileges by
which the cunning and unscrupulous prey
on their unsuSpecting and creduIOuS fellow
citizens. The protective tax is not only dis
honest and oppressive, but 1t obStructs that
free and natural interchange of commodities
which would increasingly tend TO lessen the
cost of the necessities and comforts of life
to our wage-earning classes. 1t has de-
StrOyed our merchant navy; 1t has prac-
ticaliy 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 insular system TO any
colonies that we have acquired, or here
after may acquire, and favor, as we always
have favored, the widest freedom of traue.
1t is folly to think of securing foreign mar
kets unless we are willing 20 trace with
foreign countries. Especially do we de-
nounce the Chicago platform for its virtual
abandonment of this great and time-hon-
ored principle.
of
sion of the protective principle. Free coin
age is the protection of few silver mine
owners at the ,, expense Of our laboring
rob the workers of half their earnings, and,
by unsettllng values, would bring about a
paralysis of trade and commerce, and re-
duce us financially to the level of barbarous
and unciviliZed nations We unre-
servedly for the single gold standard. and
as both impractcable and undesirable 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 ex-
perience as the result of a slowly developed
and beneficent evolution in civilization.
More than ever do believe that the
continued existence of our national organi-
cation is desirable for the well-being of our
country. There Isl no other party that rep
reSents 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 causes that induced the Indi-
annapolis convention of 1896 still exist. The
financial relief expected of the present adj
miniStratiOn has not been given. The re-
cent utterances of no less than six
teen members of the Democratic national
committee, declaring for free silver, and
clusively that efforts will be made to fight
the campaign of 1906 on the free-silver issue,
and under the old leader. AS long as the
principles of the Indianapolis platform re-
main disregarded by the old parties, our
duty to our country, to our party and to
ourselves, demands that we should continue
our efforts to secure for this Nation such
financial legislation as shall make us COM
mercially the strongest nation in the
1--WE protest against the pollution of the
Democratic party by alliances with those
financial declarations that 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 province
TO interfere. The National Democrats or
each State must solve their local problems
in such way as may seem to them most
likely to insure the triumphs, or the pr mel
stands. and to the maintenance OF Wnlcn
it is solemnly pledged. We seek no offices,
and wish for no rewards, except those that
flow from the consciousness of duty DONE
Our principles the gold standard, none
tary reform, tariff for revenue only, CIVIL
service reform. rigid economy IN the az
ministration of the government, the main
tenance of law and order, freedom or con-
tract, and the protection OF an contf ACT
federal Republic is to be perpetuated. In
behalf of these principles. we appeal 70 the
sober settled judgment of the American
people. We should be prepared now, and
at all times. to defend them against assault
from any quarter.
1T is our earnest hope that our fellow
Democrats in every nook and corner. of our
land may realize their error IN following
| The vagaries of the Chicago platform, an6
NAV unite with in the advocacy and
PRONUNCIATION of those sound and funda-
mental political principles which will lead
to a ratification of them by the votes of
the people, insuring truly Democratic vic.
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