Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1892-08-11
injustice and poverty shall eventually cease In

injustice and poverty shall eventually cease In
the land.
While our sympathies as party of reform
are naturally upon the side of every PROPOSE
tion which will tend to make men intelligent.
virtuous and temperate, we nevertheless re-
gard these questions-important as they are
as secondary to the great issues now pressing
for solution, and upon which not only our in
dividual property but the very existence of
free institutions depend; and we ask all men
to first help us to determine whether we are TO
have a republic to administer before we differ
as to the conditions upon which it is to be all
ministered, believing that the forces of reform
this day organized will never cease to move
forward until every wrong is remedied and
equal rights and equal privileges securely es-
tablished for all the men and women of this
country.
We declare, therefore
That the union of the labor forces of the
United States this day contaminated shall
be permanent and perpetual-may its spirit
enter into all hearts, salvation of the republic
and the uplifting Of mankind.
Wealth belongs to him who creates it, and
every dola taken from industry without an
equivalent is robbery. IF any man will not
work neither shall he eat" The interests OF
rural and civic labor are the same; their enc
mics are identical.
We believe that the time has come when
the railroad corporations will either own the
people or the people must own the railroads,
and should the government enter upon the
work of owning and managing any and all
railroads we should favor an amendment to
the constitution by which all persons en-
gagged in the government service shall be
placed under civil service regulation OF the
most rigid character, SO as to prevent the in
crease of the power of the national admins
tration by the use of such additional govern.
ment employees.
We demand national currency, safe, sound
and flexible, issued by the general government
only, a full legal tender for all debts, public
and private, and that without the use of bank
ing corporations, a just, equitable and efficient
means of distribution, direct to the people, at
a tax not to exceed per cent. per annum, to
be provided. as set forth in the subtreasury
plan of the Farmers Alliance, or some better
SYSTEM also by payments in discharge of its
obligations for public improvements.
We demand the free and unlimited coinage
of silver and gold at the present legal ratio OF
l6 to1.
We demand that the amount of the circulat-
ing medium be speedily increased to not less
than fifty dollars per capita.
We demand graduated income tax.
We believe that the moneys Of the country
should be kept as much as possible in the
hands of the people, and hence we demand
that all national and state revenues shall be
limited to the necessary expenses, economically
and honestly administered.
We demand that postal savings banks be es
tabished by the government for the safe de
post of the earnings of the people and to facili
tate exchange.
Transportation being means of exchange
and public necessity, the government should
own and operate the railroads in the interest
of the people.
The telegram and telephone, like the post.
office system, being a necessity for the trans.
mission of news, should be owned and operated
by The government in the interest of the people
The land, including all the natural sources
of wealth, is the heritage of all the people, and
should not he inonopolized for speculative pur-
poses, and alien ownership Of land should be
prohibited. All lands now held by railroads
and other corporations in excess of their actual
needs and all lands owned by aliens should be
reclaimed by the government and held fol-
actual settlers only.