Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-05-29
Platform of People,s Party.

The following is the full text of the
platform principles adopted by the Gin
clnnati convention for the so-called peo-
ple's party:
Your committee on resolutions beg
leave to submit the following:
|. That in view of The great social, In
dustrial and economical revolution now
dawnng on the civilized world and the
new and living issues confronting the
American people We believe that the time
has arrived for a capitalization OF the
nolitical reform forces of our country and
the formation of what should be known
as the peoples party of the United States
of America.
9. That we most heartily endorse the
demands of the platforms as adopted at
st. Louis, Mo-, in 1889; Ocala. Fla, in
1890, and Omaha, Neb., in 1891, by in
dustral organizations there represented,
summarized as follows:
a. The right to make and Issue money
is sovereign power 10 be maintained by
the people for the common benefit. Hence
We demand the abolition of national
hanks as banks of issue, and as q substl-
tute for national bank notes we demand
that legal tender treasury notes be issued
i'm sufficient volume to transact the bus
mess of the country on cash basis with
ont damage or especial advantage to any
class or calling, such notes to be legal
tender in payment of all debts, public
and private. and snch notes, when de
handed by the people, shall be loaned to
them at not more than 2 per cent. per an
mum upon n-perishable products, as in
dictated in the sub-treasurJ plan, and also
upon real estate, with proper limitation
upon the quantity OF land and amount of
money.
b. We demand the free and unlimited
coinage of silver.
c. We demand the passage of laws
prohibiting alien ownership of land, and
that congress take prompt action to de-
wise some plan TO obtain all lands now
owned by alien and foreign syndicates,
and that all Land held by railroads and
other corporations in excess of such as is
actually used and needed by them be re.
claimed by the government, and held for
actual settlers only.
d. Believing the doctrine of equal
rights to all and special privileges to none,
we demand that taxation, national, state
or municipal-shall not be used to build
up one interest OF class at the expense Of
another.
G. We demand that all revenue-na-
tonal, state, or countY-shall be limited
to the necessary expenses Of the govern
ment, economically aud honestly admins
tered.
T. We demand Just and equitable
system of graduated tax on income.
q. We deuand the most rigid, honest,
and Just national control and SUI eIvlsion
of the means of public communication
and transportation, aud If this control
and supervision does not remove the
abuses now existing we demand the gov
eminent ownership of such means of con-
munication and transportation.
h. We demand the election of Dresi
dent, vlce-president, aud United States
senators by direct vote of the people.
3. That we urge united action of all
progressive organizations in attending
the conference called for February %,
1892, by six of the leading reform organi
cations.
4. That national central committee
be appointed by this conference to be
composed of chairman, to be elected
by this body, and of three members from
each state represented, to be named by
each state delegation.
). That this Genital committee shall
represent this body, attend the national
conference on February p, 1892, and, if
possible, unlte with that and all other re-
form organizations there assembled. II
no satisfactory arrangements can be af-
ha1l ~ ii a natinDol
convention not later than June l, lc92,
tor the purpose of nominating candidates
for president aud vice-president
6. That tbs members of the central
committee for each state where there is
no independent political organization,
conduct an active system of political agi-
tation in their respective states.
Resolred, That the question of univer-
sal suffrage be recommended to the favor
able consideration of the various states
and territories.
Resolred, That while the party in pow
er in 1879 pledged the faith of the nation
to pay debt iE coin that had been con-
tracted on a deprecated currency basis
and payable in cnrrehcy, thus adding
nearly $1,000 100000 to the burdens of
the people, which meant gold for the
bondholders aud deprecated Currency for
the soldier, and holding that the men who
imperilcd their lives to save the life of a
nation should have been paid in money
as good as that paid to the bondhOders-
We demand the Issue of legal tender treas
ury notes in sufficient amount to make
the pay OF the soldiers equal to par with
coin or snch other legislation as shall do
equal and exact justice to the union SOL
diers of this country.
Res0lred, That as eight hours consti-
tute a legal days work for government
employees in mechanical departments we
believe this principle should be further
extended so as to apply TO all corporations
employing labor in the different states of
the union.
Resolrcd, That this conference condemns
in unmeasured terms the action of the
directors of the Worlds Columbian Ex-
position on May 10. in refusing the MINI
mum tate of wages asked for by the labor
organizations of Chicago.
Re'olred, That the attorney general of
the United States should make immediate
provision to submit the act of March 2,
1889, providing for the opening of Okla
hOma to homestead settlement to the
United States supreme court, so that the
expensive and dilatory litigation now
pending there be ended
The following resolution introduced by
Mason A. Green, of Massachusetts,, in
behalf of the notIonalists, was referred to
the various reform bodies for their COZ
sideration:
Rcsolred, That, when in the course Of
business consultations in the form of
trusts and private syndcates, 1t becomes
evident that any branch of commerce is
used for the behoof and profit of few
men, at the expense of the general public,
we believe hat tho people should assume
charge of such commerce, through their
national, state, or municipal ..admlnistra-
ton.
CINCINNATI. May 2l.-The executive
committee of the new peoples party OF
the United States of America met and
elected Robert Schllngs, of Milwaukee,
secretary. and NJ. C. Rankin, of Terre
Haute, treasurer. The meeting was pre-
sided over by Chairman Taubeneck.