The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-01-22
A PROPOSED PLATFORM

A PROPOSED PLATFORM
And Some Items offered in Proof That the
People Could Win Upon Such Platform.
In view of the fact that many are
now trying their hands at formulating
platforms for the great fight of '92, and
the further fact that have been often
requested by letter to define my posi-
ton on this, that and the other issue. l
hereby forward you draft of plat
form upon which / believe union Of
all the forces OF industry and produc-
ton may be united. The following is
the platform:
l (a) The right to make and issue money is a
sovereign power to be maintained by the people
for the common benefit: hence we demand the
abolition of the national banks, and as q substi-
tute for national bank notes We demand that
legal tender treasury bills be issued in such vol
ume as may be demanded, not to exceed the
present assessed value of improved. productive
real estate, such to be legal tender in payment
OF all debts, public and private, and such bills
when demanded by the people to be issued to
them at "a tie of tax not to exceed two per cent
per annum upon improved, productive real es-
tate, in sums not to exceed the present assessed
value OF such real estate.
o. We further demand the establishment OF
United States postal banks in the cities and
principal towns, which said banks shall be
banks of deposit, exchange and discount, and
loan money at two per cent interest upon per-
sonal security and upon storage receipts for
nonp erishable products, issued from bonded
warehouses and elevators by state inspectors.
Co We further demand that the treasury
bills heretofore specified shall be not promises
TO pdy but promises to 7'ccetre, and shall read as
follows: 1.-THE people of the United States, sever
in payment OF all debts, public and private, and in
exchange for labor and all products" and shall
be fundabe in United States savings deposit
certificates of convenient denominations inter-
convertible at the pleasure of the government
or holder, and drawing rate of interest not to
exceed one per cent. per annum.
td) We demand the free and unlimited coin
age of silver, upon equal terms with gold, and
that silver coin be made full legal tender, in
any amount, for all bts,-publc and private.
,. We declare that occupancy and use should
be prerequisites to any legal title to the owner
ship or possession of land and we demand the
passage of laws prohibiting alien ownership of
land, and that congress take prompt action to
devise some plan to obtain all lands now owned
by alien and foreign syndicates, and that all
lands held by railroads and other corporations
and invidualS in excess of such as is actually
used and needed by them be reclaimed and held
for actual settlers only To this end we favor
IDc levy OF d TAX upon unOCCupicu anu unuScU
land, equal in amount to the legal current rate
of interest upon the actual cash value Of the
land.
B. We demand such immediate and explicit
legislation as shah protect the farmer from the
extortionate rapacity of his creditors, the nefa-
rious practices of grain gamblers and specula-
tors and the grievous losses caused by what
are known as "car famines.'
4. Believing the doctrine of equal rights to all
and special privileges to none we demand that
taxation national, state or municipal, shall not
be used to build up one interest at the expense
of another.
s. We demand that all revenues, national,
state county, shall be limited to the necessary
expenses Of the government, economically and
honestly administered.
6. We demand a just and equitable system Of
graduated and cumulative taxation upon in
comes, and also upon all income producing prop
erty We demand graduated estate and in
heritance tax.
Z. We demand the most rigid, honest and Just
national control and supervision of the means Of
public communication and transportation, to
the end that cost Of transportation be limited to
legitimate operating expenses and a low rate Of
interest upon actual cost of construction and
equipment, and if this control and supervision
does not remove.the abuses now existing, we de-
mand the government ownership of such means
Of communication and transportation.
s. We demand the election of president, vice
president and United States senators by direct
vote of the people, and the establishment of the
initiative and referendum
O. We hold that no citizen of the United States
should be deprived of the electoral franchise on
account of sex.
10. That as eight hours constitute legal day IS
work for government employees in mechanical
departments, we believe this principle should
be further extended so as to apply to all corpor-
atoms and firms employing labor in the different
states of the union.
II. We denounce the employment of married
women and children as substitutes for their
husbands and fathers, and We demand equal re-
Enumeration, for equal labor performed, regard
less of the sex of the laborer. We further de-
mand that the employment of minors under the
age of fifteen years shall be strictly prohibited.
II. The labor Of convicted criminals should
not be utilized to lower the wages of and drive
out of employment the honest labor of the coun-
try. We demand that the several states shall ada
manufacturing establishments to their peniten-
tiarieS, and employ their convictS therein in in
dustries requiring the least machinery; the
goods manufactured to be sold at the regular
market price. We recommend that the profits
accruing from each convict's labor be disposed
Of first, by being given to the convct's depend
ent relatives, to the end that innocent women
and children may not be reduced to poverty and
crime through the actions for which they were
in no wise responsible: second, if no dependent
relatives exist to be held in trust for the con-
vct at the expiration of his term of imprison-
ment
b. We deny that any corporation has the right
to hire, or keep for hire, armed men to perform
lawless deeds in pretended support of the law
of which they are not officers We demand the
passage of laws that will make it the sole func-
ton and prerogative of the legal officers of the
various cities, counties and states to enforce the
laws and protect property.
IA. We demand such legislation as shall give
to the trade marks and labels of organized la
Dor the same protection now given to all kinds
that adequate penalties be imposed for any
forgery Of or infringement upon the same.
Is. We favor the government ownership of all
means of transportation and communication:
and, in general, when in the course of business
consultations in the form of trusts or private
SyndicateS, it becomes evident that any branch
of commerce is used for the profit of few men
at the expense of the general public, we believe
that the people should assume control of such
commerce through their national, state and
municipal administrations We therefore favor
municipal ownership and management by the
people, of the franchises now universally held
by corporations for the operation of water and
gas works, electric lighting, street car lines
telegraph and telephone service, and opening by
titles or towns of public coal yards to furnish
oal and fuel at cost.
We oppose the granting of municipal fran
chiSeS to private cOrpOrationS for terms of