People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-07-15
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
Full Text of the Preamble and Resolu-
tons Adopted BY the Peoples Party
Convention at Omaha.


Assembled upon the 10th anniversary Of
the declaration Of independence, the peoples
party Of America in their first national
convention invoking upon their action the
blessing OF Almighty God, puts forth in the
name and on behalf Of the people Of this coun-
try the following preamble and declaration OF
principles:
The conditions which surround US best justify
our cooperation; we meet in the midst Of ma
ton brought TO the verge Of moral, political and
material ruin. Corruption dominates the bal
lot box, the legislatures, the congress, and
touches even the ermine Of the bench The
people are demoralized; most Of the states have
been compelled 10 isolate the voters al the
polling places TO prevent universal init mi
dalton or bribery The newspapers are largely
subsidized or muzzled; public opinion ST.
fenced; business Frustrated; our homes COW
cred with mortgages; labor impoverished and
the land concentrated In the hands Of capital
lists. The urban worlImen are denied the right
Of organization for self-protection; imported
pauperized labor beats down their wages: a
hireling standing army, unrecognized by our
laws, is established 10 shoot them down and
they will rapidly degenerate into European
conditions The fruits OF the toll OF millions
are boldly stolen TO build up colossal fortunes
unprecedented in the history Of mankind and
the possessors Of these in turn despise the re-
public and endanger liberty From the
same prolific womb Of governmental in
justice we breed the two great classes
tramps and millionaires The national power
TO create money is appropriated 10 enrich bond
holders vast public debt payable in legal ten.
der currency has been funded into gold bearing
bonds, thereby adding millions to the burdens
Of the people.
Silver, which has been accepted as a
coin since the dawn Of history, has
been demonetized TO add TO the purchasing
power of gold by decreasing the value OF all
forms Of property as well as human labor, and
the supply OF currency is purposely abridged
TO fatten usurers, bankrupt enterprise and en-.
slave industry. A vast conspiracy against man
kind has been organized on two continents and is
rapidly taking possession OF the world II not
met and overthrow at once II forebodes terri
bic social CONFUSION. the destruction Of cviliZa-
ton or the establishment Of an absolute des-
potism
We have witnessed for more than q quarter
Of a century the struggles Of the two great
political parties for power and plumber, while
grievous wrongs have been inflicted upon a suf-
/ fering people. We charge that the controlling
influences dominating both these parties have
/ permitted the existing dreadful conditions "a
develop without serious efforts 10 prevent or re-
strain them. Neither do they now prom.
| Use US any substantial reform. They have
| agreed together TO ignore, in the coming
| campaign, every issue but one. They propose
/ TO drown the outcries ola plundered people with
| the uproar Of a sham battle over the tariff, SO
/ that capitalists corporations, national banks,
rings, trusts, watered stock, decentralization
Of silver and the expressions Of the usurers may
all be lost sight Of They proposed to sacrifice
our homes, lives and children on the altar Of
mammOn; TO destroy the multitude in order e
secure corruption funds from the millionaires.
Assembled on the anniversary Of the birth
day Of the nation and filled with the spirit Of
the grand generation who established our indie
pendence We seek our independence. We seel
to restore the government Of the republic Il
the hands Of 1.-THE plain people with whose
class 1t originated.
/ We assert our purposes TO be identica
with the purposes Of the national consti
tuition: ITO form more perfect union
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility
provide for the common defense, promote thu
general welfare and secure the blessings o
liberty for ourselves and our Dosterity."
We declare that this republic can only on
dure as a free government while built upol
the love of the whole people for each other ant
for the nation; that it cannot be pinned TO
gether By bayonets; that the civil war is ovel
and that every passion and resentment whicl
grew out Of II must die with it, and that WI
must be in fact as we are in name one united
brotherhood Of freemen.
Our country finds itself confronted by condi
tons for which there is no precedent II
the history Of the world. Our annua
agricultural productions amount to billions o
dollars in value which must within few weeks
or months be exchanged for billions Of dollar
Of commodities consumed in their production
The existing currency supply is who'll,
inadequate to make this exchange. Tn,
results are falling prices the formation o
combines and rings and the impoverish
ment OF the producing class. We pledg,
ourselves that II given power, we will labO
10 correct these evils by wise and REASONABLE
legislation In accordance with the terms Of GU
platform. We believe that the powers Of govern
ment-in other words, OF the people should b
expanded las in the case Of the postal service
as rapidly and as far as the good sense Of an in
telligent people and the teaching OF experienc
shall justify TO the end that oppression, injustice
and poverty shall eventually cease in the lane
While our sympathies as party Of reform ar
naturally upon the side OF every proposition
which will tend to make men intelligent Writ
Gus and temperate, we nevertheless regar
these questions, important as they are. a
secondary to the great issues now pressin
for solution and upon which not only our ind
vidual prosperity, but the very existence {
free institutions depend, and we ask a
men TO first help US 10 Determine whethC
we are TO have q republic 10 administer b,
fore we differ as 10 the conditions upon whic
II Is to be administered; believing that II
forces Of reform this day organized wi
never cease 10 move forward until every wron
is remedied and equal rights and equal prvi
leges securely established for all the men an
women OF the country.
THE PLATFORM
Ne declare, therefore:
F1rst-That the union OF the LABOR forces
the United States this day consummated, shs
, Ne permanent and perpetual May its spir
, enter into all hearts for the salvation OF Il
republic and the uplifting Of mankind.
Second-Wealth belongs TO him who Great
It, and every dollar taken from industry wit
out an equivalent is robbery. IF any W
not work neither shall he eat" The interes
|, OF rural and civic labor are the same; their Ell
! mics are identical
Third-We believe that the time has con
, when the railroad corporatons must eth
own the people or the people must own the ra
roads-and should the government ent
, upon the work Of owning and managing al
. or all railroads, we should favor an amen
. ment to the constitution by which all perso
engaged in the government service shall
. placed under civil service regulation Of I
: most rigid character. so as to prevent the
: crease Of the power Of the national administl
!. ton by the use Of such additional governme
!, employees
|, We demand that national currency sa
|, sound and flexible, issued by the general &c
= eminent only, full legal tender for all deb
: public and private, and that without the use
. banking corporations, just equitable a
: efficient means Of distribution direct 10 I
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