The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1901-06-15


In l>>S the platform still re"ogui I'D. !,
other things besides revenue W r. l., -
TAKEN into account In framing tariff
iation. 1t said: Our established ia
gered."
For more than half a century ev.rv
Democratic Convention cond m,,ed n.
tionai bank anil firmly supported n met >.
lie currency. In 1880, a. ana isS> the
Democrstic party declared IN favor IL
eoio and silver and pap-r convert BILE int
coin on demand. In 1882 IL favored ~
coinage of both metals under All int-rn,-
t,""al agreement In 1888 the Republican
platform read:
The Republican party is in favor of tns
use OF both gold aud silver AS money AMI
condemns the policy of the Demo rs,is
Admi, ration In its efforts to demope-
tixe silver"
In 1897 the Republican platform was
identical In principle upon this questi IN
WIN the Democratic platform Of 1880, 1854
There have been protection Democrats
ever since Madison and Calhoun favored
the protection doctrine. There have been
free trade Republicans from the founda-
tion oi tho Government.
Such men AZ Samuel j. Randall, John
Randolph and John c. Calhoun always
spoke freely and clearly whether or not
they were in accord with the plat forms of
their parties. The Democratic party has
always favored freedom Of speech and ac-
tion., The Republican party has always
sought to 30 centralize the Government as
TO carry out the idea of Alexa ider Hamil-
ton. The Democratic party has been a
party that has had for it's policy the great
est good 10 the greatest number while the
Repu blican party, as q party, has believed
with Hamilton, It's founder, in bestowing
benefits upon the few and only burdens
upon the many. until these latter day
saints" have led the Democratic party
60 .s~.~
subsidies the Republicans have taken ad-
vantage Of the situation and boldly got
upon the Democratic platform.
They are now upon the currency ques-
party stood up to 1895. They are now ad-
vocating the reciprocity of jackson and
Pierce. They. are now advocating. the
Democratic principle which Is announced
IN the Democratic invention of 1888 in
the matter of building the Pacific Rail
road. They want to apply that principle
to our foreign commerce. Whenever the
Republicans are forced to abandon their
own policy they take up Democratic poll
cies, and the Democrats are asked to op-
pose those Democratic policies because
they have been adopted by the Republi-
cans.
The Democrats of this country must
stand together and restore their party to
the power which was theirs. They cannot
do it by condemning that which is good
because the Republicans endorse it, nor
can they do it by going off after strange
and unsoLnd pol cies In order to secure
publican. The fight Of Hamilton and
Jefferson Is still on in this country, and
will be until It 10 fought to a finish
Either We will have an arisrocracy or We
will have a republic. Are the Democrats
liberty Of the individual aud freedom of
thought and action by refusing to recog-
niZe as mem bers OF their party those men
who have al ways fought it's battles I'm the
past. but who in the present believe that
some OF It's policies arc not the policies OF
the true Demotracyi The true Democracy
Is progressive party. II progressed az
no other party ever has done. and the ma
tion pr"spered by reason Of its wisdom and
cannot prosper IL it is to oppose the exten-
sion of our foreign trade, the creation Of
new markets the upbuilding of our com.
mercial and industrial interests and the
freedom OF the Individual. 1t the Repub-
iican party, the record of which shows it
to have been party forbiddinR the free
exercise of speech, concentrating the
wealth OF the country In the hands of q
Few. burdening the people by excessive
taxau IN aud conducting pub affairs for
ehe boneft OF private citizens; il that
party is to be allowed to turn its back
upon Its record and, by adopting the pro.
Rressive features of the Democracy, be-
come the party of progress, then the Dem
nent to appropriate its principles. can no
longer live.
believe that the Democratic party does
not exist for the mere purpose of oppos-
Ing whatever the Rspubl party may
suggest. ] believe that 1t lives, as It has
lived In times past, for the purpose of
adopting that which is right and discard.
Ing that which 10 wrong, and conducting
tho affairs of State SO as to make all men
sQual under the law
The record NJ thu narn mn. t;o n.rtx
the money question has always been in
favor Of gold and silver coined at such a
ratio a. will maintain their parity and
paper money convertible into coin at the
any Democratic platform fixing tho ratio
of silver and gold prior to 1895. There is
not q line In any Republican platform ad-
vocattng or opposing the ratio of l6 to l
or any other particular ratio. There
were strong men in the Democratic party
In favor of the free coinage Of silver; there.
were strong men in the Repu blican party
in favor of the free coinage of silver The
Republican party adopted the first free
coinage platform: Although silver was
1873 the only objection to that Act made
prior to 1895 came from the Repu biicans.
who had passed the Mintage Act. under
which silver was demonetized. After
ic party condemned the Act of 1873. under
which silver was demonetized. The Re-
publicans answered by abrogatinR their
previous platform and indorsing for tho
first time the monetary system for which
they were responsible. At that point both
parties split. Silver men withdrew from
the Republican party. and gold mon, as
they wero called, withdrew from the Dem
ocratic party. There were more Demo-
Gratis who withdrew on account of their
belief In the monetary system than there
were publicans who withdrew ON &C
count of their opposition to 1t. The result
was that after magnifioently fought
campaign the Republicans were success
full, and the Democratic Leaders all agreed
that this Republican success was due to
those Democrats who had left their party
and voted either the Gold Democratic
ticket or directly for the Republican tick
et. The Democratic party showed that It