The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-07-12

charged with the duty of drafting the platform
consisted of Messrs. Daniels, of Virginia.; Hill, of
New York; Bryan, of Nebraska; Williams, of
Mississippi; Pattison, of Pennsylvania; Dubois,
of Idaho; Hamlin, of Massachusetts; Gable, of
Illinois; Poe, of Maryland; Shively, of Indiana;
Davis, of West Virginia, and Newlands, of
Nevada. The two elements of the party were
pretty evenly divided in this committee and they
set themselves to the hard task of making a har-
mony platform.
Naturally, the money question proved itself the
greatest stumbling block. Friday afternoon, while
Bryan and John Sharp Williams we're on the
floor of the convention, the subcommittee by a
vote of 5 to 3 adopted the following as the fnan-
cial plank of the party:
"The discovery of gold within the past few
years and the great increase in the production
thereof, adding. two thousand million dollars TO
the worlds supply, of which seven hundred mil
lion falls to the share of the United States, has
contributed to the maintenance of a money stand
ard of value no longer open to question, remou;3ig
that issue from the field of political contcntion."
This plank, it will be seen, impliea ~oquiescence
to the present gold standard, and of course could
not be satisfactory to. Mr.. Bryan. When the sub
committee madeGts report to the full committee,
the Nebraska leader made a dramatic and pas
AO1AoC OPOCSh against u, LIN Co111Cu LIZ JILL
thus winning one of the most notable victories of
the convention. Hill, Bryan and Williams were
then appointed as a special COMMITTEES to frame
a declaration suitable to both factions, but they
we're unable to agree, and the platform as finally
adopted contains no reference whatever to the
money question. Worthy of note in this connec-
ton is the fact that when the discussion was on,
David B. Hill assured the committee that he did
not know what are Judge Parker's views as to the
money question. Bryan now declares himself
"fairly well satisfied and will support the ticket.
Trusts, Protection, and Imperialism Denounced.
The PLATFORM, which we are printing on page
- with only some unimportant planks omitted,
is, as we have said, a much more virile and vigo-
rous document than would have been put forth if
the New York "reorganizers" had been in COM
plete control of the convention. Bryan not only
forced out the plank accepting the gold standard,
but he compelled the adoption of stronger trust
and tariff planks than Hill favored. He did, how
ever, have to make one concession. Hill declared
that an income tax plank would ALLEVIATE many
wealthy New Workers and make it impossible to
carry the Empire State, and Bryan yielded this
point as Hill had yielded on several others.
The party stands firmly on it's historic position
as to the tariff, expansion and trust. "Wherever
there may exist a people incapable of being gov
erned under American laws, in consonance with
the American Constitution, that people ought
not to be a part of the American domain. 4
1t is our duty to set the Filipino people upon their
feet, free and independent, to work out their own
destiny" As to the tariff there is a like directness
of statement: owe denounce protection as a rob-
| berry of the many to enrich the few X \ and
favor a revision and a gradual reduction of the
tariff" As to trusts, more stringent legislation
a.I raoro u;norors enfnrcement of existing laws