Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-09-27


tect them from the undeserved odlium
corporations which enter the political are
ma.
Interstate Commerce.
The Republican party has persistently
refused to comply w'.h the urgent re-
quest of the interstate commerce commits
sion, for such an enlargement Of the
scope Of the interstate commerce law as
will enable the commission to realize the
hopes aroused by its creation. The Demo-
cratic party Is pledged to legislation
which will empower the commission to
protect individuals and communities from
discrimination, and the public at large
from unjust and unfair transportation
rates..
For Free Silver.
The platform reiterates the demand
contained in the Chicago platform for an
American financial system made by the
American people for themselves.
The purpose of such a system is
to restore and maintain bimetal-
lie level of prices, and in order that
tho method of restoring bimetal-
lism, the specific declaration In IA
vor of free and unlimited coinage
at the existing ratio of 16 to 4, in
dependent of the action of other
nations, 10 repeated.
In 1896 the Republican party recognized
the necessity for bimetalism by pledg-
ing the party to an earnest effort to Sc
cure an international agreement for the
free coinage of silver, and the president,
Immediately after his Inauguration, by
authority Of congress, appointed COM
mission composed of distinguished citi-
}c{t OF
aid. Secretary Hay, in a letter written
to Lord Alderman in November, 1898,
and afterwards published in England, de-
clared that at that time the president
and a majority of his cabinet still be-
lieved In the great desirability of an in
ternational agreement for the restora-
ton of the double standard, but that
it did not seem opportune to reopen the
negotiations just then. The financial law
enacted less than a year ago contains
concluding section declaring that the
measure was not intended to stand in
the way Of the restoration of bimental-
lism, whenever it could be done by CO.
operation with other nations. The plat
form submitted to the last Republican
convention, with the Endorsement of the
administration. again suggested the pos
siblity of securing foreign aid in restor-
ing silver.
Now the Republican party, for the first
time, openly abandons its advocacy of
the double standard, and indorses the
monetary system which it has so often
and so emphatically condemned. The
Democratic party, on the contrary, re-
mains the steadfast advocate of the gold
and silver coinage of the Constitution,
and is not willing that other nations
shall determine for us the time and man.
ner of restoring silver to its ancient place
as a standard money. The ratio Of 16
to 1 Is not only the ratio now existing
between all the gold and silver dollars
in circulation in this country, a ratio
which even the Republican administration
has not attempted to change, but it is
the only ratio advocated by those who
are seeking to reopen the mnts.
Whether the senate, now hostile to
BIN ct allism, can he changed during
this campaign or the Campaign of
1902 can only be determined after
the votes are counted. but neither
the present nor the future political
vented or should prevent an an
nouncement of the party's position
upon this subject in unequivocal
terms.
The currency bill, which received the
sanction of the executive and the Re
publican members of the house and SEN
ate justifes the warning given by the
Democratic party in 1896. 1t was then
predicted that the Republican party
would attempt to retire the greenbacks
although the party and it's leaders stu
diously concealed their intentions. That
purpose is now plain and the people must
choose between the retention of the
greenbacks, issued and controlled in vol
ume by the government, and a national
bank note currency issued by banks and
controlled in their own interests. If
the national bank notes are to be secured
by bonds, the currency system now sup
ported by the Republican party involves
permanent and increasing debt, and, so
long as this system stands. the financial
classes will be tempted to throw their
powerful influence upon the side of any
measure which will contribute to the
size and permanency of a national debt.
1t is hardly conceivable that the Ameri-
can people will deliberately turn from
the debt paying policy of the past, to
the dangerous doctrine of perpetual
bonds.
Election of Senator's.
The demand for constitutional amend
ment providing for the election of sena-
tors by direct vote of the people, appears
for the first time in a Democratic ma
tional platform, but a resolution propos-
ing such an amendment, has three times
passed the house of representatives, and
that, too, practically without opposition.
Whatever may have been the reasons
which secured the adoption of the pres
ent plan, a century ago, new conditions
have made it imperative that the people
be permitted to speak directly in the Sc
lection of their representatives in the
senate. A senator is no less the repre-
sentative of the state because he re-
ceives his commission from the people
themselves, rather than from the men,
bers of the state legislature. If voter
is competent to vote for a member of
congress, for state officers and for presi-
dent, he is competent to choose his rep
resentative in the senate. A system
which makes the senator responsible for
his election DO the people, as whole, and
amenable to them If he misrepresents
them, must commend itself to those who
have confidence in the intelligence and