St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-08
HERE THEY STAND.
Platform Of the Alliance Party
With No Subtreasury Plank.

The Alliance party of Minnesota, in con-
vention assembled. reaffirms its faith in the
platform Of 1899. These principles, gave, us
the unparalleled success of that year, and. to
discard or substitute ill-advised measures in
their place weakens our cause and ealienates
our people. We, therefore declare our faith
in the following propositions: m,4S-
First-We affirm our hostility to every spe-
cies of class legislation, and demand that
such as now exists shall be swept from the
statutes. Equal justice to every citizen and
special privileges to none hoyIld control the
letter and spirit of all legislation.
Second-We denounce the present cum
ningly devised scheme of a protective tariff
as the most vicious form of class legislation.
with sole purpose in its use to build up
some one interest at the expense of all the
others: and therefore. we insist ON a radical
reduction of tariff taxation.
Third-We demand a gradual increase of
the national money for the people to the
minimum of $50 per capita: and. as part Of
this increase, we favor the issuance of legal
tender treasury notes i'll sufficient volume to
transact the growing business of this coun-
trS on cash basis, without damage or ad-
vantage 10 any class; such notes to be legal
tender i'll payment of all debts. and to be
paid out by the government for all purposes
and to all classes of the people; and we in
sist that silver shall have all the rights in
coinage and the qualities Of legal tender
which gold possesses as our fathers did be-
fore us.
Fourth-The wheat question is the para
mount issue in the state, and by its import
ance oyershadowing all other interests. We
call especial attention to the minority report
made by E. j. Moore, of the committee ap-
pointed by the last legislature to investigate
the public elevators of this state. The evil
dence is sufficient to convince unprejudiced
minds that the price OF wheat is arbitrarily
fixed each day and sent to producing points
throughout the Northwest: also that this
powerful combination embraces this entire
continent reaching to Liverpool and from
thence to continental Europe; TO meet this
gigantic trust, the efforts of individual enter
prise are futile All the natural laws of sup
ply and demand are ignored. Therefore we
invoke the power of the state and
ask our next Legislature to make
of elevators at deep water on Lake Superior
where grain can be stored unmiXed at q
nominal cost, by individual producers.
awaiting sale and shipment to the markets of
the world. We call attention to the report of
the chief inspector. which shows that over
$50, 900 of a surplus has accumulated from
the weighing and inspection of grain. We
ask that this fund be applied to this purpose
We also ask that whatever change is made in
the grain laws, that the inspecting and
Weighing of grain by the state shall not be
extended to the country stations. 1t is of the
utmost importance to the wheat producers of
this state that all persons have equal facili-
ties for reaching the tracks of railroads
at country stations. and that q law
be passed, making it the duty abso-
lutte of every railway corporation,
company or association now or at any future
time operating a railroad or acting as conf
mon carrier to furnish side track facilities
for erection of private elevators or ware
houses of a capacity of not less than 5000
bushels each, for the storage of grain await
ing shipment. on such line of railway, and to
permit and allow such elevators to be erected
and controlled by any person, association or
corporation desiring to erect, maintain, con-
troll and operate the same for said purposes,
and further, making i. the duty of such rail-
way to receive, transport and carry over its
lines promptly all grain offered for ship
ment in car lots without previous storage and
as offered
Fifth-We insist that all forms of discrim-
ination by railroad corporations, including
free passes, transit rates. and terminal
charges, shall cease; and we demand such
schedule of charges as shall be based on
actual cost, with necessary expenses and
not on watered stock; aud we believe that
both the state and nation should control
such corporations with renewed vigor and.
force.
Sixth-We demand radical reform in the
present unequal system OF taxation: that
hidden property be made to pay equal taxes
with visible property: that mortgage indebt71
edness be deducted from the tax on realty :,
that an equitable system of graduated tax
reslduary tax upon great estates.
Seventh-We favor material reduction of
interest, and demand that severe penalties
be attached to the practice of usury
Eighth-We ask of congress the passage of
laws prohibiting the alien ownership Of
lands, and. if possible, to reclaim all so held
by alien and foreign syndicates. and all held
by railroad corporations in excess of that
absolutely necessary, and these and all other
lands be held for actual settlers only, and we
favor protection to our forests.
Ninth--We believe that the government
should own and operate the telegraph and
telephone lines as part of the postal system
Tenth-We favor laws for the suppression
Of option gambling and the abolition of all
forms of trusts and combines.
Eleventh-We demand the repeal of all
laws which place capital above labor; and
we favor an equitable lien law, better con-
vict labor law, factory inspection law, an
employers liability act, the prohibiting the
employment of children under fifteen years
of age, free text books for public schools,
and the eight-hour work day on all national.
state or municipal work.
Notwithstanding life as more sacred
than property. We hold that neither corpora