The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-04
ALOOK AT DEMOCRATIC PLAT
FORMS.

Assuming that the Democratic platform
committee will not have at hand the con-
venient book of State Librarian Henry,
which gives the platforms of both parties
for several years. the Journal ventures to
make some quotations from previous plat
forms of the party in Indiana in the sincere
hope that they may serve as landmarks to
guide the present committee in its work.
1t may be proper to go back to 1864 to dis
cover the spirit of the Democracy during
the campaign which resulted in the second
election of Abraham Lincoln. The Demo
cratic platform of that year begins:
We utterly condemn as revolutionary and
subversve of the Constitution of our State
the action of Governor o. Z. Morton In
establishing a financial bureau, an institu-
ton unknown TO the Constitution, the laws
and the usages of Indiana, in securing, dis
bursting and squandering the funds OF the
State; in borrowing money upon the faith
of the State, and pledging the property and
the energies of the people to pay such
loans.
AS Democrats are now frequently prais-
ing Abraham Lincoln and extolling the wis
dom of his administration, the following is
interesting as giving the opinion of the In
diana Democratic convention in 1864:
We utterly condemn the profligate and
reckless expenditure of the public revenue
by the administration and its criminal in
efficiency in the mana cement of the gen
eral business and finances of the country.
- We utterly condemn the suppression
of newspapers, the arrest OF citizens with
out warrant, the suppression of the freedom
of speech and of the press by the lin
colnl administration as crimes against civil
legation and the highest hopes and i interests rs
maintaining nersonsl and constitutional lin
erty, and we pledge ourselves to sustain our
| rights citizens to the bitter end.
The foregoing have no bearing upon pres
ent conditions except that they are express
sions showing that under all circumstances
the Democracy out of power is against the
party in power, even when fighting to main
tain the honor and the life of the Republic
Coming down 10 more recent times, the
| following is found in the platform of 1894:
We heartily indorse the able, fearless and
| patriotic administration OF Grover Cleve-
| land. and especially his course in main
/ tanning law and order.
The convention which adopted the fore
| going Missed the names of Senators Hill
of New York, and German. of Maryland.
Indeed. the floor" was anxious to name
them as traitors to the Democratic party.
Before the convention of 1896 several things
had happened. The country had rebuked the
German tariff and the party had been
stampeded by the silver bullion trust or it's
| agents. If Mr.. Cleveland was not Kissed in
the convention he was denounced by party
men as a traitor to his party. Silver was
uppermost; 16 to / was shouted in chorus
on the street the single Democrat would
break out in a shout of '16 TO l." So the
very first plank OF the platform declared
| that
| We reafirm our adherence to and faith in
| the Democratic doctrine of bimetallism,
/ and, therefore, demand the immediate res
| toration of bimetalism by the free and un-
limited coinage of gold and silver at the
| ratio of 10 to without waiting for the CO.
operation OF Great Britain or any other
| foreign nation.
The convention of 1898 declared itself "un-
alterably opposed TO the single gold stand
ard" Mr.. Bryan was not candidate at
| vention declared that
We express our undiminished confidence
| I'm William Jennings Bryan, our peerless
| leader in the campaign of 1896.
The platform of 1900, adopted June 7. just
|
| dorses Mr.. Bryan:
We reaffirm and pledge our allegiance 70
the principles OF the Chicago platform OF
1895 and commend it's distinguished expon-
ent. William Jennings Bryan. 10 the people
of the United States an able statesman
a sincere patriot and an honest man. who
can be cafely trusted TO stand at all times
for the people and against their foes al
home and abroad.
If the convention which meets to-day
makes no mention of William Jennings
Bryan as the able statesman it will be very
clear that the time has come when the
confidence of the Democratic managers in
that peerless leader" is diminished II
they shall say nothing in favor of Is 10 l. II
must be assumed that those Democrats who
declared themselves "unalterably' opposed
to the gold standard did not realize the
folly OF the silver heresy which they would
| silently ignore