Show platform as adopted in kansas city today we the silver republican party in national assembly declare these as our principles and invite the cooper co oper aaion of all who agree therewith we recognize that the principles set forth in the declaration of american independence are fundamental and everlastingly true in their application io governments among men we bellevo the patriotic words ot farewell address to be the words of soberness and wisdom inspired by the spirit of right and truth we treasure the words of jefferson as priceless gems of american statesmanship we hold in sacred remembrance the broad philanthropy and patriotism ot lincoln who was the great interpreter ot american history and the great apostle ot human rights and ot industrial freedom and we declare as was declared by the convention that nominated the great emanel pator that the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the declaration ot independence and embodied in the federal constitution that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are those ot life liberty and the pursuit ot happiness that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just from the consent of the governed is essential to the preservation of our republican institutions we declare our adherence to the principle of bimetallism as a right basis 0 a monetary system under our constitution A principle thai found place repeatedly in republican platforms rom he of silver in 1873 to the st louis republican convention in 1896 since that convention a republican congress and a republican president at the dictation of the trusts and money power have passed and approved a currency bill which in itself is a repudiation of it he doctrine of bimetallism advocated theretofore by the president and every great leader of hi a party this currency law destroys the full money power of the silver dollar provides for the payment of all government obligations and the redemption ot all forms of paper money in gold alone retires the time honored and patriotic greenbacks green backs constituting one of the money in circulation and surrenders to banking corporations a sovereign function of issuing all paper money thus enabling these corporations to control the prices of labor and property by increasing or diminishing the volume of money in circulation thus giving the banks power to create panics and bring disaster upon business enterprises the provisions of this currency law making the bonded debt of tee republic payable in gold alone changes the contract between the government and the bond holders to the advantage of the latter and is in direct opposition io the declaration of the matthews resolution passed by congress in 1878 for which resolution fhe present republican president then a member of congress voted as did also all leading republicans both in the house and in the senate we declare it to ba our intention to lend our efforts to the repeal ot this currency law which not only repudiates the ancient and time honored principles of the american people before the constitution was adopted but is of the principles of the constitution itself and we shall not cease our efforts until there has been established in its place a monetary system based upon the free and un coinage of silver and gold into money al the present legal ratio of 16 to i by the independent action ot the untied states under which system all paper money shall be issued direct by the government and all such money coined or issued shall be a full legal tender in payment of all debts public and private without exception we are in favor of a graduated tax upon incomes and it necessary to accomplish com this we favor an amendment to the constitution wo believe that united states senators ought to be elected by a direct vote of the people and we favor such amendment to the constitution and such legislation as may be necessary end we favor the maintenance and the extension wherever practicable of the merit system in the public appointments point ments to be made according to fit nes competitively ascertained and public servants to be retained in office as long as shall ho compatible with he efficiency ot the service combinations trusts and monopolies contrived and arranged for the purpose of controlling the prices and quantity of articles supplied to the public are unjust unlawful and oppressive not only do these unlawful conspiracies alx the price of commodities in many cases but they invade every branch of the state and national government with their polluting influence and control the actions of their employed emp loyes and dependents n private hie until their influence actually im perils society and the liberty ot the citizen we declare against them we demand the most stringent laws tor their destruction and the most severe punishment of their promoters and and the energetic enforcement of such laws by the courts we believe the monroe doctrine to be sound in principle and a wise national policy and we demand a firm adherence thereto we condemn acts inconsistent with it and that tend to make us parties to tho interests and to involve us in the controversies of european nations and the recognition by pending treaty of tho right of en land to be considered in the construction of an inter oceanic canal we declare such canal when constructed ted ought to be controlled by the united states in the interests of american nations we observe with anxiety and regard with disapproval the increasing ownership of american lands by aliens and their growing control over our international transportation natural resources and public utilities we domand legislation to protect our public domain our national resources our franchises and our international commerce and to keep them free and their of all foreign monopolies institutions and influences and we declare our opposition to the leasing of the public lands of the united states whereby corporations po rations and syndicates will be able to secure control thereof and thus monopolize the public domann the heritage ot the people we are in lavor of the principles of direct legislation in view of fhe great sacrifices made and fhe patriotic services rendered we are in favor of liberal pensions to deserving soldiers their widows orphans and other dependents we believe the enlistment and service should be accepted as conclusive proof that he soldier was free from disease and disability at the time of his enlistment we condemn the present administration of the pension laws we tender to the patriotic people of the south african republics our pathy and express our admiration for them in their heroic attempts to preserve their political freedom and maintain their national independence we declare the destruction of these republics and ahe subjugation of their people to be a crime civilization we believe this sympathy should have been voiced by the american congress as was done in the case of the french the greeks the hun carians ga rians the Po landers the armen ians and the cubans and as the traditions dit ions of this country would have dictated we declare the porto rican tariff law to be not only a serious but a dangerous departure from the principles of our form of government we believe in a republican form of government and are opposed to monarchy and to the whole iveory of imperialistic peria listic control we believe in belf a government by consent of the governed and are unalterably opposed to a government based upon force it Is clear and certain that the inhabitants of the philippine archipelago cannot be made citizens of the united states without endangering dan gering our civilization we are therefore in favor at applying to the archipelago the principle we are solemnly and publicly pledged to observe in the case of cuba there being no longer any necessity for collecting war taxes we demand the depeal of the war taxes levied to carry on the war with spain we favor the immediate admission into the union as states the territories of arizona new mexico and oklahoma we demand eat our nations promises to cuba shall be filled in every particular we believe the national government should lend every aid encouragement ana assistance toward the reclamation of arid lands of the united stales and to thai end we are in favor of a comprehensive survey thereof and an immediate ascertainment of the water cupply available for such reclamation and we believe it to be the duty of the general government to provide tor th e construction of storage reservoirs and irrigation borrs so that the water supply of the arid region may be utilized to the greatest possible extent in the interests of the people while preserving all rights of the state transportation Is a public necessity and the means and methods of it are matters of pu alic concern railway companies exercise a power over industries dus tries business and commerce which they ought not to do and should lie made to serve the public interests without asking unreasonable charges or unjust discrimination we observe with satisfaction the growing sentiment among the people in avor of the public ownership and operation of public utilities peace Is the virtue of civilization and war is its crime war la only justified when the oppressors of humanity will heed no other appeal and when the enemies of liberty will respond to no other demand however high and pure may be the purposes of an appeal to arms in the beginning war becomes immoral continued for the purpose of subjugation or for national aggrandizement wo are in favor of expanding our commerce in the interests of american labor and tor the benefit of all our people by every honest and peaceful means but when war la waged lo 10 extend trade force or to acquire wealth it Is national piracy our creed and our history justifies the nations of the earth in expecting that wherever the american flag is unfurled in authority human liberty and political freedom will be found wo protest against the adoption of any policy that will change in the thought of the world the meaning of our flag we insist that it shall never float over any vessel or wave at the head oie any column directed against he political independence of any people or of any race or in any clime we are opposed to the importation r t KM of asiatic laborers in competition with american labor and a more rigid enforcement of the laws relating thereto the silver republican party in the united states in the foregoing principles seeks to perpetuate the spirit and to adhere to the teachings of abraham lincoln |