Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-07-21
THE PLATFORM

Resolutions Passed by the Dakota
Farmers Alliance.
The following is q full list Of the reso-
lutions passed at the meeting of the
Farmers Alliance at Aberdeen last week:
WHEREAS, 1t is a matter of prime i'm
portance that the next legislature of this
territory should be controlled by men
who are thoroughly in sympathy with
the alliance movement, its aims and pur-
poses, anG
WHEREAS, In the past the farmers
have left the management of political
affairs almost entirely in the hands of
professional politicians, ard
WHEREAS, They have generally ignor.
ed the wishes and interests of the agri-
cultural classes, leglslating in their own
interests, until the burdens upon the
agricultural interests have become to
grleyons to be borne, the profits of labor
are ABSORBED by the manipulation of
m~onopolies. already gorged to plethora
from the unjust extortlons wrung from
the farmers through the machinery OF
such legislation; and
WHEREAS, Our only hope of relief
from these evils is by securing members
OF the next legislature, who by ties of
personal interests are in full sympathy
with our movement; therefore be it
RtS0tDed, As the sense of this conven-
tion that every member of the alliance
and all practical, operative farmers,
mechanics and laboring men should
consider it their duty to attend the
primaries in their districts, and use all
their influence to put in nomination men
who represent our views, and also to
pledge every nominee upon the follow
ing points:
l. 10 favor a territorial commission
elected by the people.
2. To favor giving to the railroad
commission full power to fix maximum
rates of fare and f~reights, provided that
such rates be not reduced below O point
to yield a reasonable dividend on actual
investment in such roads when rates
are equitably divided over the full
length of said road.
3. To favor taxing all corporate
property in this territory at the same
rates that farm property is taxed.
A. 10 favor taxing all mortgages
recorded in this territory, and exempt
ing so much of the mortgage property
from taxation as shall-e1nal in value
the mortgage.
B.. 10 favor revising the insurance
laws SO that our citizens may be fully
protected from the practices of dlshon-
est insurance agents.
o. To favor prohibiting the collec.
ton OF attorneys fees upon any notes
or mortgages.
7. To favor fixing the maximum
rate of interest at 10 per cent, and nc
agent to be allowed more than 2 pei
cent for negotiating, and to make it Q
misdemeanor punishable by fine and
imprisonment to violate these provls.
ions, and proof OF usury to be a bar tc
the collection Of any of the debt oil
interest:
Resolued. That any person nomlna
ted for legislative Office who shall re-
fuse to subscribe to these pledges is un-
worthy of the suffrages of any members
of this order of the laboring and pro.
ducing classes of this territory,
Res0lUed, That we will not consent
to any motion looking toward the re-
peal or lowering of our present exemp
ton laws.
ResoIoed, That we are in favor Of
such legislation as will secure us 0
free market for our produce.
Resotved, That we favor the passag.
PhoiioApfhS, unuoI PoHo-ty "
tine and forfeiture OF Office, the accept
ance by members of our legislature anC
state and county officers and of members
OF judiciary, of passes over railroads.
ResOlced. That we request our dele
gates in congress to urge the passage
of the StandIsh bill, unanimously rec
commended by our last legislature, TO,
the protection of our tim Der and min
eral lands.