Show democratic PLATFORM we the democrats of alie united state in national convention lel do oar allegiance to thoe great essential principles of justice abil liberty upon which our institutions ore founded and which the democratic party has advocated from jeffersons time tu our own freedom of speech freedom ol 01 the press freed of conscience the preservation of personal lights tho equality of all citizens before the law and the faithful observance of constitutional limitations during all these years the democratic party has resisted the tendency of selfish interests to the centralize tion of governmental power and steadfastly maintained the integrity of the dual scheme of the established by tro founders of this republic of republics under its guidance and teachings the great principle of local self government has found its best in the maintenance of the rights of abo states and in its ot the necessity of confining alie general government to the exercise of power granted by the constitution ution of the united states the constitution of the united states guarantees ta every citizen the rights fcc civil and religious liberty the democratic parta has always been alie exoa ent of political liberty and religious freedom and it renew sus obligation end reaffirms ita tu these fundamental principles ot the constitution MAIN ISSUE recognizing that the money question is paramount to all others at this time we invite attention to the fact that the federal names dilver am gold together as the money metals of the united states and that the first law passed by congress under akin made the the monetary unit and admitted old to free at a ratio baled upon hie silver dollar nit we declare that the bet of 1873 silver ashcut the knowledge or the american people resulted in the appreciation 0 gold end a corresponding fall in the prices of commodities produced by the people a heavy increase in the burden of taxation and all debts public and the enrichment of the money lending elapses at hi me end abroad the prostration of industry and impoverishment of the people we are unalterably opposed to mono which baa locked fast taci prosperity ot nn industrial in the of hard times gold diun j is policy and ita has brought other nations into financial servitude in goadon it is not only american un but anti americua and it can be fastened on the united states only by the of that spirit and love of liberty which our political independence in 1776 and woo it in the war of the revolution THE we demand the free and unlimited coinage of both abid and silver at tho present legal ratio of 13 to 1 without waiting for the aid consent of any other nation we demand that te standard silver dollar bhail be a full legal tender equally wila gold tor alq debts public and private and we favor euch legislation as will prevent in abo future the of any kind of begil tender money by private contract we are opposed to the policy and practice of surrendering to the holders of of the united states the options reserved by law to the government of redeeming eboh obligations in either dilver coin or gold oin va BONDS IN TIME OF freace we are opposed to the of in terest bearing bonds of abe united states in time fl peace and condemn the traffic Une with bandine syndicates with and in exchange for bonds at an enormous profit to themE elvee to supply the federal treasury with gold to maintain the policy of gold TO MONEY congress alone baa the power to coin and issue money od president jackson declared that this power could not be delegated to corporations or individuals bounce the issuance of noes as money or national banan in derogation of the and we demand that all paper which is made legal tender for public and private deota or which Is receivable for dues to be vetted Sta teji ball be by abe government of the united states and ceball be redeemable in coin tariff AND INCOME TAX we hold that the tariff duties should be levied burp ses of revenue suet duties to be adjusted aa to operate cooperate co equally the country an 1 l not discriminate between alape or section and abat taxation should bo limited by alie needs of the government honestly and economically administered we denounce as disturbing to business the republican threat to restore the me kinley law which has been twice condemned by the people in national elections and which enacted under the falee pica of protrusion prot rution to homo industry proved a prolific breeder of trusts and monopolies enriched the few at the elpe many restricted trade and deprived alic of the great american staples of access to their natural markets until the money question ia bellied we oro opposed to any agitation for further changes in our barff laws except lucli as anro necessary nece seary to ewt the deficit in revenue educed by the alveree decision by alie supreme court on the income tax but for the decision by the court thero would be no deficit in the revenue the law passed by a democratic congress in strict pursuance of the uniform decisions of that court lor nearly years that court has in alint decision sustained constitutional objections to its enactment which had previously been overruled by the best judges who have set on that bench V declare that it is the duty 0 oon cross to use all the constitutional power which remain after that decision or which may come from its by the court as it icay hereafter be constituted EO that abo burdens of taxation may be equally and impartially laid to the end that wealth may tea its due proportion of alie expense of the government we hold eliat the most efficient way of protecting amerian interests is to prevent abo importation of foreign pauper la to compete with it in the home and that abo value of the market to farmers and artisans is greatly reduce bv the monetary system which depresses the prices of their products belov of production and thus deprives them of the means of purchasing the products of our homo manu tho absorption of wealth by the few the consolidation of our leading railway systems uld the formation of our trusts and pools require a stricter control bv the federal government of theeo arteries arter iee of commerce wo demand atio ment of the powers of the interstate commerce commission and such restrictions and guarantees in the control of railroads as will protect the people from robbery and oppression profligate WASTE OF MOSEY we denounce the profligate waste of the money wrung from the people by oppressive taxi ion and the lavish appropriation of recent republican don greshes gre sees which have kept taxes high while the laborer that pays them is unemployed and the products of the people s toil are depressed in price till they no longer repay the cost of production we demand a return to that simplicity and economy which befits a democratic government and reduction in the number of useless offices the e claries ot which draw the substance of the country DENOUNCES NATIONAL IN LOCAL AFFAIRS arbitrary interference by federal authorities in local affairs a a violation ct the constitution of the united states and a crime free institutions we especially object to government by injunction as a new and highly dangerous form of oppression by federal judges in contempt of the laws and the rights of citizens become at once legislators and we approve the bill parsed at the laet erosion of the united states senate and now pending representatives relative locon tempts in federal courts and proving for trials by jury in certain cases of contempt ROADS AS BILLS 1 discrimination should be indulged by the government of the united stance n favor of any 0 its debtors we ap improve of the refusal f the fifty third congress to pas ue pacific funding bill and denounce abo efforts of the pre ent republican congress to enact a measure jast LAWS recognizing ue lust claims 0 deserving union soldiers we heartily indorse the rule of the of pensions eliat no names shall be arbitrarily dropped from the pension rolls aad the fact of enlistment end bervice should be deemed conclusive evidence against disease and disability before ADMISSION we favor the aa mission of the territories of and arizoca into the as states and we favor the early admission ri all the territories having the necee eary population and resources to entitle them lo 10 statehood and while they remain territories we hold that the officials appointed to administer the s of any ten i tory alie ground with the district of columbia and alaska should be bona fide residents of the territory or district in which the duties fire to be performed the democratic party believes in boire rule and that all lands of alie united states debould be appropriated to the establishment orf free for u we recommend bat alaska be granted a delegate in congress and that the general land and timber laus c the united states be extended to eaid territory SYMPATHY FOB CUBA alie monroe doctrine as originally de and as interpreted by our leading presidents is a permanent part of tho lorwin polica ottlie staica ani must at all umea be maintained we extend our sympathy to the people of cuba in their heroic et ruggle fir liberty and independence CIVIL ASP XO THIRD TEEM we declare it to be the unwritten law of this republic by custom and usage of one hundred years and sanctioned by the example of the great state and the wisest of those who founded it eliat no man bo eligible for a third term to alie presidential office WATERWAY improvements too federal government should care i for and improve the mississippi river aad other areat ot the republic as to secure tor the interior elates easy and cheap transportation to tide water whenever any waterway of the republic is of sufficient to demand ail of alie government such aid should be extended noon a infinite aln of cont lunona work uncil aur pr venit nt ii eru rod Cou udini in the justice of our cause and abo necessity of ita at the polls we submit the foregoing declaration of principles princ ioles and purposed seq lo 10 tho considerate judgment of the americ in people we invite the support cf al citizen who approve them and who de fire to have them made effective through legislation for the relief of the people and prosperity abe restoration of the i |