The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-05-11

wise, and was nothing short of a COM
plete and dishonorable surrender of ey-
cry Democratic principle. The platform
adopted by this conference indorses the
worst forms OF Populism and virtually
makes the St. Louis platform Of that
party the issue in the campaign. It is
not bimetallist platform, but a fiat
declaration, and adopts as it's creed the
most vicious doctrine of paternalis,,
The Democrats on that committee had
no right to commit the party to this
doctrine, and while we regard the pres
ent Republican financial policy as ,.d
and OF incalculable injury to the coun-
Try That proposed in this platform would
be its ruin. 1t would not advance The
silver cause, but fiat paper would soon
retire both gold and silver Tn order
mat we may not be accused of mis-.
quoting the platform on this noint Wa
produce it here: I'VE demand no
tional money, safe and sound. issned NV
the general government only, without
the intervention of banks of issue IN
be full legal tender for all debts nuh-
Tic and private; also a lust. eouitab1a
anu efficient means of distribution d.
rect 10 the people through the lawful
disbursements Of the government Tn
thls plank you have both fiatism and
palernallsm 1t demands fiat money
h0
iloin the government and it's distribu-
ton among the people AS if this nlank
was not plain enough on this point and
might be interpreted as not mean;no
that the government shall become .
loanlng agency by means of it's fat is
sue this plank follows: 1--WE demand
that the Volume of, circulating med;.
UNI be speedily increased to an amount
sumclent to meet the demands of the
business and population of this conn
try, and to restore the Just level of
prices of labor and production" Here
you nave the pure doctrine of paternal-
ism as preached by the Populists. When
these two plankst we're made a condi-
ton, there should have been sufficient
democracy left in the members not to
submit to it. On the initiative and
referendum question, there was adopted
the most ultra Ecnalist views. = There
is no use to mince words. The platform
is an insult to the state, and while we
kno" that many of the delegates in the
convention recognized this fact. we re-
greet to say that not one had the corr
age to enter protest against this hu-
initiating and dshonorable surrender.
In the matter of the distribution Of
the spoils the Democrats got lust what
the magnanimous Pops saw fit to give
them. Should the ticket be successful
the state administration will be in their
hands
{" There was an opportunity present
ed to make an honorable union. This
opportunity was thrown away. We
have no advice to offer to the Demo-
Gratis. Thousands will refuse to ratifv
this surrender and indorse the platform
presented. We were told by some of
the Fopulists that we could not helm
ourselves and would have to stand in
and support the combine. We are an
American citizen and no man or set
OF men can force us to approve, directly
or indirectly, policy or doctrine which
we believe will strike down this govern
ment and which is in defiance of every
principle of the party as advocated from
Jefferson's to the present time. Events
may occur which may justify the sue
cess of this combine. We are Demo-
crat and propose to stand firmly to the
principles of the party as taught by it's
founders gold and silver as the
money of the country and opposed 70 all
forms of government paternalism. -
Industry, Oakland Cal.