Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-01-20

ileges and created monopoly. Could
l read that veto message here this
evening, | am sure that it would be
more instructive on the issues that
this day divide the parties here repre-
sented, from the Republican party,
than anything that will be said to-
night. Should do so, however, and
the name of the author be concealed,
l would look in the morning organ to
see it stated that w. II. White took
up his time in reading a screed against
the business interests of the country,
the author of which was some anar-
ehistic crank belonging to the popu-
listic branch OF the late unholy fusion
alliance, and I would expect to hear
from the same source the oracular an
nouncement that genuine Democrats
like Mr.. B. and Mr.. w. and Mr.. S. de-
nounced such sentiments.
In that message Jackson maintained
that, Every monopoly and all exclu-
slve privileges are granted at the ex-
pense OF the public which ought to re-
ceive II fair equivalent. The many
millions which this act proposes to be-
stow on the stockholders of the exist
ing bank, must come directly or indi-
rectly out OF the earnings of the Amer
lean people. 1t is due to them, there.
fore, if their Government sell monopo-
lies or exclusive privileges, that they
should at least exact for them as
much as they are worth in open mar
ket."
He also said, "It is maintained by
some that the bank is means of exc
cutting the constitutional power to
coin money and regulate the value
thereof Congress has established O
mint to coin money and passed laws
to regulate the value thereof. The
money so coined, mith its ralue so reg
ulated, and such foreign coins as Con-
gress may adopt, are the only currency
known to the constitution. But if
they have other power to regulate the
currency, it was conferred to he exer-
cised by themselves, and not to be
transferred to corporation"
The principles announced by the
Democratic party in 1896 was not a
new departure. At Chicago we but
re-atfirmed our ancient precepts. In
Jackson's day no Democrat doubted
that Congress could regulate the value
OF money by law, and that ON Con-
gress alone devolved the duty of sup
plying the currency of the people di-
rectly, and not by the intervention OF
banking corporations. The Democ-
racy of the nation to-day stands for
the principles declared in 1882 by An
drew Jackson in his veto message of
the United States Bank Charter, and
those who are not with us in this re.
spect in vital essential, have ceased
to be Democrats, and common honesty
demands that they no longer assume
the name. To-day it is claimed by the
men we oppose, that commercial usage
and not law regulates the value OF
money, and that to banking corpora
tions should be confded the power OF
issuing and regulating the volume OF
currency. With these ideas We are at
war, a war as relentless as that waged
by Jackson against the U. S. Bank,
: and its adherents.
, In the same message Jackson also
said: "It is to be regretted that the
rich and powerful too often bend the
, acts of government to their selfish
purposes. Distinctions in society will
always exist under every just govern.
ment. Equality of talents, of educa-
ton, or of wealth cannot be produced
by human institutions. In the full
enjoyment of the gifts of Heaven and
the fruits of superior industry, econ.
omy and virtue, every man is equally
entitled to protection by law; but
when the laws undertake to add to
these natural and just advantages arti-
fetal distinctions, to grant titles, gra-
tuities and exclusive privileges, to
make the rich richer and the potent
more powerful, the humble members
of society-the farmers, mechanics
and laborers-whO have neither the
time nor the means of securing like
favors to themselves, have right to
complain OF the injustice of their gov
ernment. There are no necessary
evils in government. Its evils exist
only in its abuses. If it would con-
, fine itself to equal protection, and, as
Heaven does its rain, shower its favor
alike on the high and the low, the
rich and the poor, it would be an un.
qualified blessing"
The rejuvenated Democracy of 1896
stands as bulwark of defense for the
humble member of society. 1t Justly
demanded in its national platform OF
that year that the acts of the govern.
ment should bend no longer to selfish
purposes; that no longer laws should
be enacted making "the rich richer
and the potent more powerful; that
unjust laws for these ends should be
repealed; that the money of Jackson
and the money of the constitution,
silver and gold, at its long and justly
established ratio of 16 to !, should be
freely coined, supplemented with ma.
tional currency under the direct con.