Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-05-23
ANEWPARTY FORMED
The Cincinnati Convention Votes
to Enter the Political Arena.
THE PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES.

1t Demands Fiat Money, Unlimited
Silver Coinage, the Graduated In
come Tax, Governmental Control
of Communication and Transport
alton, the Eight Hour Day and
Election of President, Vice Presi-
dent and Senators by Popular Vote.
CINCINNATI. May 21.-The industrial
convention was called to order at 10
o'clock yesterday morning. Thirty-tour
states and territories were represented
by 1,417 delegates. Kansas had al,
Ohio 317, Indiana 154, Illinois So, Ken
lucky SO, Nebraska "a, Texas 90, Min
nesota 80, Wisconsin 81, Missouri 70.
United States Senator PETER was in
troduced as permanent chairman after
Mrs. Helen Gouger, of Indiana, had
pleaded for prohibition plank in the
platform. Senator PETER said the as
senblage was one of the most important
ever convened on American soil, and
that the people were upon the eve of an
epoch more important to their interests
than probably any that had ever con-
fronted them.
The Platform Presented.
At the afternoon session the report of
the committee on platform was pre-
scented by Ignatius Donnelly and read by
Robert Schilling. 1t opened with
lengthy statement of the political and
social grievances and evils that had rem
dered Independent political action not
only desirable but necessary The re-
port was as follows:
Your committee on resolutions begs leave to
submit the following:
That in view of the great social, industrial
and economical revolution now upon the civil
lied world, and the new and living issues con-
fronting the American people, we believe that
the time has arrived for Capitalization on
political reform in our country and the form
alton of what should be known as the Peoples
party of the United States of America.
Fiat Money.
That we most heartily endorse the demands
of the platform as adopted at st. Louis, Mo-,
in 1889; Ocala, Fla, in 1890, and Omaha, Neb.,
in 1891 by the industrial organizations there
represented summarized as follows; The right
TO make and issue money is a sovereign power
to be maintained by the people for the COM
mon benefit. Hence we demand the abolition
of national banks as banks of issue, and as
substitute for national bank notes we demand
sufficient volume to transact the business of
| the country on a cash basis without damage
or especial advantage to any class or calling;
| such notes to be legal tender in payment of all
| debts, public and private, and such notes
| when demanded by the people shall be loaned
| to them at not more than per cent. per an
| mum upon non-imperishable products as indi-
/ Gated in the sub-treasury plan, and also upon
! real estate, with proper limitation upon the
| quantity of land and amount of money"
| We demand the free and unlimited coinage
| of silver.
Against Alien Landlords.
| We demand the passage of laws prohibiting
| alien ownership of land, and that congress
| take prompt action to devise some plan to OBJ
! tain all lands now owned by alien and foreign
| syndicates, and that all land held by rail-
roads 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.
| Believing the doctrine of equal rights TO all
| and special privilege to none, we demand that
taxation, national, state municipal, shall
| not be used to build up one interest or class at
| the expense of another.
We demand that all revenues, national,
state or county, shall be limited to the neees-
sary expenses of the government, economically
and honestly administered.
A Graduated Income Tax.
We demand just and equitable system of
| graduated tax ON income
We demand the most rigid. honest and Just
| national control and supervision of means of
| public communication and transportation,
| and if this control and supervision does not
remove the abuses now existing we demand
| government ownership of the means of COM
munication and transportation.
We demand the election of president, vice
| president and United States senators by a di-
| rect vote of the people.
! We TrnP united action of all pfpprpS-iya 1r-
CARNATIONS in attending the conference called
| for Feb %, 1892, by six of the leading reform
organizations.
That national central committe be ap-
| pointed by this conference to be composed of
| a chairman, to be elected by this body, and of
| three members from each state to be repre-
sented, TO be named by each state delegation.
That the central committee shall represent
| this body, attend the national conference on
| Feb. %, 1892, and if possible unite with that
/ and all other reform organizations there as
sembled.
/ If satisfactory arrangement can be
effected this committee shall call a national
convention not later than June |, 1892, for the
| purpose Of nominating candidates for presi-
! dent and vice president.
That the members of the central committee
for each state where there is no independent
| political party shall conduct an active system
of political sgitation in their respective states.
The Resolutions.
Resolved, That the question of universal suf
! frage be recommended to the favorable COR
sideration of the various states and territories.
Resolved. That while the party in power in
/ 1889 pledged the faith of the nation to pay
debt in coin that had been contracted on de
! preciated currency basis, and payable in cur
rency, thus adding nearly 81, 000000,0O0 to the
| burdens OF the people, which meant gold for
! the bondholders and deprecated currency
/ for the soldier, and holding that the men who
ilo1 tl,gip 70 tI,a1 20 ,e
| ton should have been paid in money as good
| as that paid to bondholders, we demand the
| issue of legal tender notes in sufficient guam
| tity.
Resolved, That as eight hours constitute
days work for government employees in
| mechanical departments we believe this should
! be farther extended, so as to apply to all cor
! porations employing labor in the different
| states of che Union.
/ Resolved, That the attorney general submit
/ the act of March 2, 1889, providing for the
| opening of Oklahoma to homestead settle
ment, to the supreme court at the earliest pos
! sible moment, that the unhappy settlers of
| that afflicted territory may understand the
lawful and constitutional meaning of said act,
/ and thus put a stop to so much litigation and
| expense.
Great enthusiasm was manifested
when the first resolution, naming the
new movement the Peoples Party of the
| United States, was read, the victorious
| element indulging in several rounds of
applause. At the conclusion of the
reading Schilling made an energetic ar
gument in favor of adopting the plat
I form us prepared, and appealed to the
delegates to abstain from adding any
pet theories TO the document,
The Blue and the Gray Clasp Hands.
T. II. Davis, an ex-Confederate Of
ficer, urged the adoption of the resolu-
tons. Gen John Wadsworth, Of Fort
| MaYnn Ind followed in hhn ga1na