People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-14


ia, July BOTH, 1892.
We endorse and reaffirm the preamble,
resolutions and platform adopted by the
Peoples Party in national convention as
sembled at Omaha, July 4, 1899. We
indOrse the ticket nominated and
pledge the party when it shall come
into power in the State to frame and
administer the laws in the spirit of
the Omaha platform, which is equal
Justice TO all, and special privileges to
none.
2. We condemn the convict lease sys-
tenn.
3. We demand rigid economy in all
public matters and mist on every pos
sible reduction of taxation during the
present impoverished condition of the
people.
And we call public attention to the
fact that the producing interest in both
city and country is bearing more than its
fair share of taxation.
NATIONAL PLATFORM, ADOPTED A
OMAHA, JULY 4TH, 1899.
Assembled upon the one hundred and six
teenth anniversary of the declaration of indie
pendence, the Peoples Party of America, in
their first national convention, invoking upon
their action the blessing of the Almighty God,
put forth in the name of the people of this
country, the following preamble and declara-
ton of principles;
The conditions which surround us besn
JusCTy our cooperation; we meeS in the
midst of nation brought to the verge of
moral, political and material ruin. Corrup-
ton dominates the ballot box, legislatures,
and f0nohea avaJ1 the arTvoiu0 of
the bench.
The people are demoralized; most of the
states have been compelled to isolate voters
at polling places to prevent universal in
timidahon or bribery. Newspapers are
largely subsidized or muzzled; public
opinion silenced; business Frustrated; our
homes covered with mortgages; labor i'm
poverished and the land concentrating in
the hands OF capitalists. The urban work
men are denied the right OF organization for
seh-protectiOn; imported pauperized labor
beats down their wages; a hlreGng standing
army, unrecognized by our laws, is estab-
hshed to shoot them down, and they are
rapidly degenerating into European condi-
tons. The fruits of the toll of millions are
boldly stolen TO build up colossal fortunes
for a few unprecedented in the history Of
mankind; and the possessors OF these in
turn despise the republic and endanger
liberty. From the same prolific womb Of
governmental injustice, we breed two great
Classes-tramps and millionaires. National
mower to create money is appropriated to
enrich bondholderG; a vast public debt pay
able in legal tender currency has been
funded into gold bearing bonds, thereby
adding millions to the burdens of the peO-
pie. Silver, which has been accepted as
coin since the dawn of history, has been
demonetized to add to the purchasing pow
er of gold by decreasing the value OF all
forms of property as well as human labor,
i 49, - Se o1v
abridged so fatten usurers, bankrupt enter
prise and onslave industry. A vast con-
spiracy against mankind has been organized
on tho two continents and it is rapidly
taking possession of the world. II not met
and overthrown at once itforebodes terri bic
social commissions, the destruction of civil
ization or the establishment of an absolute
despotism.
We have witnessed for more than aquar-
ter of century the struggles Of two great
political parties for power and plumber,
while grievous wrongs have been inflicted
upon the suffering people. We charge
that the controlling influence dominating
both these parties has permitted the exist
ing dreadful conditions to develop without
serious effort to prevent or restrain them.
Neither do they now promise US any SUBJ
stantial reform. They have agreed togeth-
er to ignore in the coming campaign every
issue but one. They propose to drown out
the cries of the plundered people with the
uproar of a sham battle over the tariff, SO
that capitalists, corporations, national
banks, rings, trusts, Watered stock, de-
monetization of silver and the oppression
of the usurers may all be lost sight of.
They propose TO sacrifice our homes, lives
and children on the altar of mammon; to
destroy the multitude in order to secure
corruption funds from millionaires.
= Assem- bled on the anniversary OF the
birthday of the nation and filled with the
spirit of the grand general-in-chief who es-
tablished our independence, we seek TO re-
store the government of the republic to the
bands of 1.-THE plain people" with whose
class it originated.