Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/126

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116
M. C. George

of the railroad land grant from Wallula to Portland, the restriction of Chinese immigration, internal improvement, an eight hour law, and denounced trusts.

On the money question its declaration was noticeable: "that recognizing the fact that the United States is the greatest silver producing country in the world, and that both gold and silver were equally the money of the constitution from the beginning of the republic until the hostile legislation against silver, which unduly contracted the circulating medium of the country, and recognizing that the great interests of the people demand more money for use in the channels of trade and commerce, therefore, we declare ourselves in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of silver, and denounce any attempt to discriminate against silver as unwise and unjust."

The democratic state platform on the silver question was equally red hot on the trail, and after condemning the tariff bill and denouncing Speaker Reed, and favoring forfeiture of all unearned land grants and the enactment of an eight hour law, sought to give the "gold bugs" the warm end of the poker, as follows: "We reaffirm the position which has ever been maintained by the democratic party that gold and silver are equally the people's money. We are opposed to all measures of discrimination against silver, and demand free coinage to supply the needs of business, and that all money issued by the government be made legal tender for all debts, both public and private."

Both platforms were condemned as to the money question by the leading daily of Portland, which said, "the men in both parties have assented to a policy in regard to silver that they know is erroneous."

Governor Pennoyer was re-elected over D. P. Thompson, republican. The other state officers were: George W. McBride, republican, secretary of state; Phil Met-