Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-09-10
TERRITORIAL CONVENTION.
ThE PEOPLES PARTY DECLARE THEIR
PRINCIPLES AND NOMINATE
CANDIDATES.

CANDIDATES.
The Territorial Convention OF the
Peoples Party assembled in the Grand
Army Hall, at Tacoma, on Saturday,
| the 4th instant. A. G. Turner, OF
King was chosen temporary Chair
man, and w. H. Gprham, Of King,
temporary Secretary, and Thomas Ma
lony OF Pierce assistant.
Afterthe appointment OF committees
on Credentials, Permanent Organiza.
ton and Platform, Convention took q
recess till afternoon.
The first business Of the Convention
after reassembling was to adopt the
report OF the Committee on Creden'
tials. 1t showed that fifty-eight dele
gates had been elected, thirty-four Of
whom were present, representing the
counties of Clarke, King, Lewis, Ma
son, Pierce, Skagit, Spokane and
Thurston.
The temporary organization was
then made permanent.
The Committee on Platform sub.
mitted the following declaration Of
principles:
The Peoples party announces this
truth That when bad men and drones
combine, the industrials must asso.
ciate, or they will fall an unpitied sac.
rifice in contemplate struggle.
That in assuming to organize n politi-
cal party in defense of their dearest
rights, privileges and interests they
deem it proper to make public dec
laration oi the causes which lead them
10 sever their connections with the old
parties. Our sad experience has prov
Ell that the old parties (Republican
and Democratic) do not represent the
people nor legislate in their interests,
but vie with each other in their sub
serviency to the behests OF capital and
corporate monopolies, which, if not
checked, will soon lead the masses OF
the people to poverty and degradation
if not to absolute slavery. Of the
many acts Of mal-legislation enacted
by the old parties-at the demands Of
wealth and corporations-which are
inimical to the public welfare and the
interests of the people, few only can
be enumerated here at this time.
The Chinese treaty-negotiated and
ratified, that capitalists and corpora
tors might send their agents to China
for commercial purposes to increase
their accumulations of wealth, and for
which privilege was conceded to the
Mongolian empire the right to flood
our country with hords OF heather
slares with which to supplant free
American labor, so that here also,
those corporations might increase their
own wealth at the expense Of the work
ing classes.
Our national domain-the public
lands of the United States-the God
given heritage of the people, Of which
they have been most shamefully plum
dered and robbed, this great heritage
Of permanent resources has been tax
en- from them and turned over in vast
acres to corporations, syndicstes and
individuals to the very great extent Of
many millions Of acres, even foreign
syndicates and aristocrats (aliens to
our country and our people) own and
hold within the United States to-day
upwards OF twenty millions Of acres.
The legislation that has thus despoiled
the people of their national heritage
is outrageous and criminal.
To build railroads, corporations have
been subsidized at the public expense,
i'll many instances to more than enough
to cover total cost, and by their fran
chises the population of vast acres of
our country have been subjected to
their crushing exactions, thus placing
the people at their mercy without any
restraint or means of redress.
Our circulating medium, our none
tary system Gf We have any is under
the control of capitalistic syndicates
at whose command four to five mil
lions OF the peoples money are lying
idle i'll the vaults OF the public treas
ury, while the people have to pay in
terest on bonds that should be re-
deemed and the money placed in cir
culation. 1t may be seen that this
would not suit the capitalist, as if
money was abundant the lender could
not exact as high interest from the
borrower, hence money must be kept
scarce.
| -hS"'A'b pauhe iiOiu SONCl AAlClAl JULIUS
on deposit as their capital in security
for notes issued as money. The peo-
pie Pay interest on the capital OF the
banks, they pay interest also at high
est local rates On the issue Of the banks,
while hundreds Of millions OF their
own money are lying idle In the treas
ury. And again. both capital and is
sue Of the banks are held exempt from
any and all local taxation.
In connection with these causes OF
grievances above stated, many Others
might be enumerated, and the question
pertinently asked: Does our national
Congress legislate in the interests Of the
people, or is it subseryient to the de
mands Of capitalists d? To this the
answer must be that the representa-.