The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-10-04
ELECTION or 1900.
Democratic Platform Adopted at
Kansas City, July 4, 1900.
The Party (Democraticl Stands
Where 1t Did in 1890 ON the
Money Question. William J. Bryan
at GAINESVILLE, Ohio, Sept. 4, 1900.

Nominated:
For President WILLIAM ]. BRYAN
of Nebraska.
vice-P -ADLAI Il. STEVEN
SON of Illinois.
PLATFORM.
We, the Democrats OF the United
States, in national convention assembled,
do reafiirm our allegiance to those great
essential principles of justice and liberty
upon which our institutions are founded
and which the Democratic party has ad-
vocated from Jefferson's time to our own
freedom of speech, freedom of the
press, freedom Of conscience, the preser-
walton of personal rights, the equality of
all citizens before the law, and the fait-
full observance Of constitutional limita-
tons.
State Rights.
During all these years the Democratic
party has resisted the tendency of selfish
interests to the Capitalization Of govern
mental power, and stcadfastly maintains
ed the integrity OF the dual scheme Of
government established by the founders
OF this republic or republics. Under its
guidance and teachings the great princit
pie OF local self-gorernment has found
it's best expression in the maintenance
Of the rights of the States and in its as
sertion OF the necessity of continuing the
general government to the exercise OF the
powers granted by the Constitution Of
the United States.
The Money Question.
Recognizing that the money system is
paramount to all others ut this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the
Federal Constitution names silver and
gold together as the money metals Of the
United States, and that the first coinage
law passed by Congress under the Com
stitution made the silver dollar the mon
etary unit, and admitted gold to free
coinage at ratio based upon the silver
dollar unit.
We declare that the act Of 1873 demon
1I1ZlBR SllSSE WltuOul lhS hHo"iShbS Va
approval of the American people has re-
suited in the appreciation of gold and n
corresponding fall in the prices Of com
modities produced by the people, heavy
increase in the burden OF taxation and Of
all debts, public and private; the enrich
ment Of the money lending classes at
home and abroad; prostration Of indus
try and impoyerishment Of the people.
We are unalterably opposed to gold
monometaiism, which has locked fast
the prosperity of an industrial people in
the paralysis of hard times. Gold mono
lmetallism is British policy, and its
| adoption has brought other nations into
financial seryitude to London 1t Is MOI
only un-American. but anti-American,
and it can be fastened on the United
States only by the sitting of that spirit
and love Of liberty which proclaimed our
independence In 1776 and won it in the
war Of the Revolution.
Free silver.
We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of both gold and silver at the
present legal ratio of 16 to l, without
waiting for the MD or consent Of any
other nation. We demand that the
standard silver dollar shall be full legal
tender, equally with gold, for all debts,
public and private, and we favor such
legislation as will prevent for the future
the demonstration Of any kind of legal.
tender money by private contract.
We are opposed to the policy and prac,
tice of surrendering to the holders Of
the obligations OF the United States the
option reserved by law to the government
Of redeeming such obligations in either
silver coin or gold coin.
Bond Issues.
We are opposed to the issuing Of inter.
est.bearing bonds Of the United States
| In time OF peace, and condemn the traf-
ticking with banking syndicatcs which,
in exchange for bonds and at an enor.
nous profit to themselves, supply the
Federal treasury with gold to maintain
| the policy of gold monometallism.
Congress alone has the power to coin
and issue money, and President Jackson
declared that this power could not be del.
| egated to corporations or individuals. We
| therefore demand that the power to issue
notes to circulate as money be taken from
the national banks, and that all paper
money shall be issued directly by the
Treasury Department, be redeemable In
| coin, and receivable for all debts, public
and private.
Tariff for Revenue.
We hold that the tariff duties should be
levied for purposes of revenue, snch du-
| ties to be so adjusted as TO operate equal
| Is throughout the country and not dis
criminate between class or section. and
| TINT taxation should be limited by the
| needs of the government honestly and
economically administered. We de-
nounce, as disturbing to business, the Re-
publican threat to restore the Mckinley
law, which has been twice condemned by
the people in national elections, and
which. enacted under the false plea Of
protection to home industry, proved q
prolific breeder OF trusts and monopolies,
| enriched the few Mt the expense Of many,
restricted trade and deprived the pro-
ducers Of the great American staples Of
access to their natural markets Until
the money question is settled we are OPP
| posed to any agitation for further
changes in our tariff laws, except such
as are necessary to make the deficit in
revenue caused by the adverse decision
Of the Supreme Court on the income tax.