Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-05-28
WEST RANDOLPH VT. MAY 20. 1891

as to organize party with a platform
that would be acceptable to all. Th'
leading question to begin with was con
corning the formation of third party
Some were in favor of moving directly
towards this end. Others thought il
best to defer action. The time for inn
mediate action, however, seemed to be
ripe, and matters were hurried right
along. Ignatius Donnelly, chairman
of the committee on resolutions came
to the front and declared that the COM
'mittee on resolutions was a unit in ia
vor of third party organization, and
he gave way to the secretary who pro-
ceeded to read platform and resolu-
tions. An attempt was made to adopt
them without debate, but too many of
the members had come to make speech
es and they could not be suppressed.
There were some wild scenes of enthu-
siasm, some attempts made to intro
duce other matters than those in the
platform, and then it was adopted with
only three dissenting votes. After a
brief recess national committee of
three members from each state was
provided tor though not entirely filed.
III. +. Taunebeck of Illinois was made
chairman of this committee. The plat
form designates the new party as the
peoples party of the United States of
America. 1t heartily endorses the de-
mands of platforms issued by industri-
al organizations at St. Louis, 1889, at
Ocala, Fla, 1890, and at Omaha, in
1891, in which these are the prominent
features The abolition of national
banks as national banks of issue, and
as substitute for national bank notes
the issue of legal tender treasury notes
in sufficient volume to transact the bus
mess of the country on a cash basis,
such notes when demanded by the peo-
pie to be loaned to. them at not more
than per cent a year upon non-imper-
shable products aud also upon real es-
ate under proper limitations. Free
and unlimited coinage of silver is de-
Laws are demanded prohib-
ting alien ownership of land and the
levising of some means by Congress
or the reclamation of lands now own
ID by alien and foreign syndicates, and
III lands held by railroads and other cor
in excess of their needs. that
uch lands may be open to actual set
lers. Taxation shall not be an instru-
nent to favor any class interest. All
evenues shall be limited to the necessa-
Y expenses OF government, honestly
md economically administered. A
ust and equitable graduated tax on in
ONE. The government control if not
be government ownership of railroads.
The election OF president, ,vice-president
nd senators directly by the people. In
ddition to these features of the several
latforms referred to, it is urged that
here be united action of allprogressive
rganizations in attending conference
allied to meet in Washington, Feb. %,
s92 by six of the leading reform or
anizations. The remaining features
f the platform pertain chiefly to organ
cation. A few resolutions were pass
d in which we see feeling of bitter
ess towards capital cropping out on
he side of labor. There are some
nings evident: There are some who
re dissatisfied with existing party or
anizations. This is always the case.
he problem i, how to fuse all these
isaffected elements. We gather from
le platform and resolutions either that
lere are a goodly number of politic-
ms who can hope for nothing in exist
lg party organizations and hope to ,
ain some political preferment by nur-
lring disafected elements, or else it is
d expression of the old feeling OF envy {
hich the poor are always supposed to !
el towards the rich. 1t may be a +.
ood thing TO hasten reform in existing c
arties by building over against them, I
II there must be some wisdom mani
ST in the structure. Reforms are al
avs needed in politics, but it is nee
,sary to discriminate between sim /
e change and reform. 1t may be (