The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-09-09

Lt-utEL SUSEI iHSni tS--h>4''NN- S'@-''~-s
The following declaration of prin-
cipos and platform were adopted In
National Convention at Omaha July 4th
Assembled upon the one hundred
and sixteenth anniversary of the Dec
Iaration 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 country, the following
preamble and declaration of principles:
The conditions which surround US
best justify our cooperation. We meet
in the midst of nation brought to the
verge of political and material ruin !;
corruption dominates the ballot box,
the Legislatures, the Congress, and
touches even the ermine of the bench.
The people are demcralized; most of
the States have been compelled to iso-
late the voters at the polling places to
prevent universal intimidation or brib-
cry The newspapers are subsidized or
muzzled public opinion silenced, bus
mess prostrated our homes covered
with mortgages, labor impoverished,
and the land concentrating in the hands
OF the capitalists. The urban workmen
are denied the rights Of organization
for self protection imported, pauper-
lied labor beats down their wages a
hireling standing army, unrecognized
by our laws, is established to shoot
them down, and they are rapidly de-
generating into European conditions.
The fruits of the toll Of millions are
boldly stolen to build up colossal for
tunes for 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 the two great classes-tramp
and millionaires. The national power
to create money is appropriated to en-
rich bond holders a vast public debt,
payable in legal tender currency, has
been funded into gold bearing bonds,
thereby adding millions to the burdens
of the people.
Silver which has been used as coin
since the dawn of history, has been
dcmonetzed to add to the purchasing
power Of gold by decreasing the value
of all forms Of property as well as Of
human labor, and the supply of cur
rency is purposely abridged to fatten
usurers, bankrupt enterprise and enslave
industry. A vast conspiracy against
mankind has been organized on two
continents, and is rapidly taking pos
session of the world. If not met and
overthrown at once it forebodes terrible
social convulsions, the destruction oi
civilization or the establishment of an
absolute despotsm.
Ne have witnessed for more than a
quarter of a century the struggles Of
the two great political parties for power
and plunder, while grievous wrongs
have been inflicted on the suffering
people. We charge that the controll-
ing influences dominating both these
parties have permitted the existing
dreadful conditions to develop without
serious effort to prevent or restrain
them. Neither do they promise any
substantial reform. They have agreed
together TO ignore, in the coming cam
paign, every issue but one. They
propose to drown the outcries of {
plundered people with the uproar of &
sham battle oyer the tariff, so that cap
italists, corporations, national banks
trusts, watered stocks, the demonetiza
tion of silver and the oppression of the
usurers may all be lost sight of They
propose to sacrifice our homes, live
and children on the altar of Mammon
to destroy the multitude in order t,
secure corruption funds from tn,
millionaires.
Assembled on the anniversary of tn,
birth of the nation, aud filled with tb,
spirit of the grand generation VIII,
established our independence, we seel
to restore the government Of the Re-
public to the hands of the "plain peo-
ple," with whose class it originated
We assert our purpose to be identica
with the purpose of the national con-
stitution; To form a more pertec
union, establish justice, insure domes-
tic tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare
and secure the blessing of liberty fo
ourselves and our prosperity,
We declare that this republic cal
only endure as free government Will
built upon the love of the whole peo.
pie for each other and for the nation
that it cannot be pinned together b.
bayonets that the civil war is oye'
and that every passion and resentmen
which grew out of it must die with il
and that We must be in fact, as we ar
10 name, one united brotherhood @