Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-06-15
DIFFERENCE IN PLATFORMS.
Cincinnati Inquirer Cites Some interesting
Political Facts.

The construction OF political plat
forms Is a trade, and master mechanics
usually employed are those who can
most successfully conceal the views
of party leaders and cheat the plain
people out of their votes. Platforms
in the form OF series of resolutions
are drafted with great care in the
private Office of 4 lawyer by cabal OF
Office seekers, and committee on
resolutions appointed nominally by
convention dovetail them together,
and after patriotic appeal to the
people to rally to the polls and save
the country, adjourn, leaving it to the
partisan presses to do the lying neces-
sary to success.
There are rare instances in the po-
litical history OF the country when the
party platforms were All honest ex-
preston OF the opinions of those who
made them. The most remarkable
exception within our recollection is
the deliverance of the Democratic
Convention at Chicago in 1896. There
is no mistaking the meaning of
single word or sentence by anybody
that can read. No interpreter is
needed. This exception is rendered
the more conspicuous by comparing it
with the Republican platform OF the
same year. Take as an illustration
the financial plank OF the two great
parties.
The Democracy declared that they
we're in favor of restoring the money
of the constitution, consisting of both
gold and silver, at the ratio adopted
by the founders of the republic. The
Republicans declared that they were
in favor of the coinage of both metals,
provided that other nations with
which we had commercial intercourse
would approve Of bimetallism, but
until other nations would consent the
single gold standard should be main
tanned in the United States.
With full understanding that BIZ
metallism would not be adopted in
Great Britain, it was a fraud prac-
ticed upon the people by party lead
ers to insert such plank in the plat.
form.
The Democrats declared in favor of
an income tax which would compel
accumulated wealth to bear q portion
OF the enormous expenses of govern
ment. Do the Republicans favor an
imposition of such tax? No answer.
The Democrats agree with Jefferson
that banks of issue should be sup
pressed and that all paper money
should be issued by the government,
and be rcdeemable in gold or silver.
The Republicans declared in favor
OF charging the powers of banks by
giving them entire control of the ma
TONS finances, and the right to issue
all paper money, the government to
be responsible for the redemption of
all such notes as the banks failed to
redeem in gold coin. The Democrats
claim that the word coin wherever it
occurs in our statutes or in our bonds
and obligations to pay money includes
silver as we'll as gold coin, and it de.
pended upon the option of the govern.
ment at the maturity of an obligation
to decide in what kind of coin it
should be paid.
We urge our readers to examine the
platforms of 1896 and see if we have
made mistake in characterizing
them. One is a plain expression of
the views, purposes and object of the
Democratic party given in language
which the illiterate or the learned
cannot fail to understand. The
other is ingeniously constructed to
mislead and deceive honest men who
are anxious to know their duty and
perform it.
Fear In H;ah Dlacee