The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-17
NOT DEAD YET.
National Democrats Issue
An Address.

Indianapolis, Oct. Is. = The national
democratic committeeissued the follow
ing address today:
| To the national democrats of the
United States: Your national commit
tee, speaking for the national demo-
cratic party, congratulates the country
on the emphatic and merited condem-
nation at the polls by the people in
1895, Of the dishonorable and dangerous
doctrines promulgated by the Chicago
platform. The moral influence exerted
by the indianapolis convention has am
ply compensated for the efforts made
in behalf of unalloyed democratic prin-
ciples, as held and taught by Jefferson,
Jackson, Tilden and Cleveland. And to-
day this platform is the rock and firm
foundation on which alone a democrat
can rest his political faith, therefore we
take this opportunity to reafirm with
accumulated force the principles of our
party as enunciated at Indianapolis in
1886.
We believe that the theory of So
called protection, which in it's last anal
ysis involves the spoliation of the many
for the benefit of the few, is dishonest
and that it directly and inevitably
! breeds trusts, monopolies and those
special privileges by which the cunning
and INSCRIPTIONS prey on their unsus-
pecting and credulous fellow citizens
The protective tax is not only dishonest
and oppressive, but it obstructs that
free and natural interchange of com
modities which would increasingly tend
to lessen the cost of the necessities and
comforts Of life to our wage learning
classes. 1t has destroyed our merchant
navy. 1t has practically driven our
flag from the seas, and has forced US
into the humiliating necessity of pay
ing 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
hereafter may acquire, and favor, as
we always have favored the widest
freedom Of trade. 1t is folly to think of
securing foreign markets unless we are
willing to trade with foreign countries
Especially dc we denounce the Chicago
platform for its virtual abandonment Of
this great and time honored principle.
The doctrine of free silver is an eX-
tension Of the protective principle. Free
coinage is the protection of a few Sin
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
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-
sirable. 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 re-
suit of slowly developed and benefi-
cent evolution in civilization.
More than ever do we believe that the
continued existence of our national or
ganization is desirable for the we'll
being Of our country. There is no other
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 causes that induced the
indianapolis convention of 1896 still ex-
list. The financial relief expected of the
! present administration has not been
| given The recent utterances of no less
than sixteen members Of the democratic
national committee, declaring for free
silver, and the denomination of Mr..
| Bryan, show conclusively 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 Indianapolis platform remain
disregarded by the old parties, our duty
| to our country, TO our party and to our
selves, demands that we should con-
tinue 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 ma
ton in the world.
We protest against the pollution of
the democratic party by alliances with
those whose financial declarations 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 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 solemn
" 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,
monetary reform, tariff for revenue
only. civil service reform, rigid economy
in the administration of the govern
lflelit, lllt IidillttIdlCE VI ldW dliiu Ot-
der, freedom Of contract, and the pro-
lection of all contract rights, must tri-
umph If our representative federal re-
public is to be perpetuated. In behalf of
these principles, we appeal to the sober,
settled judgment OF the American peo-
pie. We should be prepared now and at
all times, to defend them against as
sault from any quarter.
It is our earnest hope that our fellow
democrats in every nook and corner Of
our land, may realize their error in fol-
lowing the vagaries Of the Chicago
platform and may unite with us in the
advocacy and PRONUNCIATION of those
sound and fundamental political prin-
ciples which win lead to a ratification
Of them by the votes of the people en-
surfing q truly democratic victory.
(Signed) The national committee Of
the national democratic party, by Geo
Foster Peabody. chairman.