Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-22
THE Peoples Party of the United
States of America"

The third party has been christened"
as JoHs Nj. Boris said upon one occasion,
and its name is :" the Peoples Party of the
United States Of America" There is much
in q name. and there IA not much in name.
The third party which from 1854 10 1856
threatened to become one Of the two great
parties of this country called itself 1.-The
American Party" When parties have bad
their day they disappear. This is what the
Republican party. which has had its dav,
may now be about to do. Certainly this is
what il ought to do. II has outliyed its
usefulness. and can give no good reason
why il should longer "cumber the ground"
But we cannot admit that the same remark
is true Of the old Democratic party, which
stands for the rights of the States for per-
sonal liberty 10 the citizen; for strict
construction of the Federal Constitution;
for equal rights to all and special privileges
TO none for good government in the town.
ship. in the city. in the county, in the
State and in the nation; for the union of
the States for the sake of the States rather
than for the sake of the Union; and, in q
word. for principles which can never be-
come sntiquated 80 long as the United
States shall continue to be tho land of the
free.
The platform of the Peoples Party of the
United States of America appeared in full
in our issue of yesterday, as did also our
comments upon the two most important
planks of that platform. As there were no
men Of national reputation for statesman
ship present in the Cincinnati convention,
il was not to be expected that that
body would formulate an unobjectIonable
creed. 1t was no easy task that the "Peo
pies Party" had before it. We are rather
gratifed at what it omitted to do than dis
turbed in mind by what it did do. Let us
glance over the new creed of LAY repre-
sentative men--delegates to the conference
or convention.
As 10 the two planks we commented
upon yesterday-namely, the demand for
the free and unlimited coinage Of silver
and for fat greenbacks (these are our own
words)-we will not say much to-day.
The Democratic party as party is in favor
OF putting silver upon an equality with
gold, but not in favor of fat greenbacks
The resolution as to the alien ownership
of land touches an old subject. Such laws
once obtained in all, or nearly all, the
States.
We all believe in theresolUtion declaring
for equal rights to all and special priyi-
leges to none, as we all believe that the
nations revenue should be limited to the
necessary expenses of an economical gov
eminent.
A graduated income tax would soon be-
come exceedingly popular with the masses,
but not with the payers of the same, If a
good law providing for such tax could be
framed. Perjury unlimited Is what its OPP
ponents say would result from such a tax
which nevertheless has numerous advo-
Gates within the Democratic party. No
income less than $4,000 would be taxed
In Virginia there are only few thou
sand persons who return an income above
$4,000. Consequently the tax would not be
felt by many voters.
The railroad resolution the Democratic
party will not object to. The people of
Virginia are abreast with the Cincinnati
convention on this subject.
We are rather Indifferent than otherwise
as to whether the President, Vice-Presi-
dent, and United States senators shall be
elected by the people or not. There are
good arguments on both sides; but the af-
firmative is more consistent with our pro-
fessed belief in the capacity Of the people
70 govern themselves.
The old-soldier demagogism appears in
every national convention. Though the
Government, aided by the Confederate sol
diers, is now paying the old soldiers of the
Union army one hundred and fifty millions
Of dollars year these latter are not salts
fed. They want TO have bestowed upon
them as gift the difference between gold
and the value Of the greenbacks they re-
ceived for their services in the field. A re-
solution to this effect was unanimously
adopted in the Cincinnati convention, not
withstanding the presence in that body Of
q number Of Confederates.
The prohibition question and the anti
trust resolution were side-tracked. The
convention was not as needless of its acts
as many people had supposed it would
prove TO be.
So much tor the Cincinnati convention
and its creed. As to its prospects of sue
cess OF general recognition We may have
something TO say hereafter.