The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-04-14

ooehollVI W Wv oos IoWuCIly Sdiu LIaI
the roll ought to be called and illegal
repl escnlatlons thrown out. At this
junCtrlrc the committee on platform
came in and the call of the roll was
postponed. AS matter of fact, the
roll was never called, and there is no
Official record Of the membership.
Now as to the report of Com mittee
on Platform. l was sitting on the Sec
ond Tier Of seats in front, near the desk.
Perfect silence rei2ned in the hall, and
l hearG distlnctIy every word that was
spoken. The first part, consisting of
the prenmhle, or address, was read by
Donnelly, and was received with the
Widest enthusiasm. He then an
nonnced that Charm 10 Cavanaugh
would read the platform. The Presi.
dent requested that there be no ap-
plausc before the entire platform was
read, which request was complied with.
Chairman Cavapaugh then read the
platform, as follows:
In order to restrain the extortions of
aggregated capital to drive money
changers out of the temple; ito form a
more perfect Union, establish Justice in =
sure domestic tranquility, provide for
The common defence, promote the gen.
eral welfare and secdre the blessings of
liberty Tor ourselves and posterity," we
do ordain and establish the following
platform, or principles:
l. We declare the union of the labor
forces OF the United States this day ac-
complished, permanent and perpetual.
May its spirit enter Into all hearts for
the salvation OF the Republic and the
uplifting Of mandkind.
2. Wealth belongs to him who creates
it. Every dollar taken from industry
Without an equivalent is robbery. IF
any will not work neither shall he eat
The interests of rural AMI urban labor
are the same; their enemies are Identic-
al.
3. 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 banking cor.
porations just, equitable and efficient
means OF distribution direct to the peo-
pie shall be established, at a tax not to
exceed two per cent, as set forth in the
sub treasury plan of the Farmers Alli-
ance, or some better system. Also by
payments IN discharge OF its obligations
III pou)llC improvements.
4. We demand free and unlimited
coinage of silver.
5. We demand that the amonnt of
circulating medium be speedily increased
TO not less than $50 per capita.
=. We demand graduated income
| tax.
I. We believe that the money of the
country should be kept as much as posi-
bic in the hands of the people, and
hence we demand that all national and
state revenues shall be limited to me-
cessary expenses of the government,
economically and honestly administered.
8. We demand that postal saving
banks be established by the government
for the safe deposit of tho earnings OF
the people and to facilltata exchange.
9. The land, including all the natural
sources Of wealth, is the heritage of all
the people and should not be monopo-
Lied for speculative purposes, 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 now Owne l,by
aliens, should be reclaimed by the gov
crnmcnt and held for actual settlers
only.
10. Transportation being means of
exchange and public necessity, the
government should own and operate the
railroads in the interest of the people.
IL. The Telegraph and telephone, like
the postofllce sys tenn. being necessity
tor transmission Of news, should be
owned and operated by the government
in the interest Of the people.
10 Wa Ioo,opI tbot H.
issue legal tender notes and pay the
Union soldiers the difference between
The price of the deprecated money in
which they were paid and gold.
AS soon as the platIosm was read there
were numerous motions that it be adopt
ed as a whole. l got up and retired
from the hall to the lobby in the rear.
The representative Of The New York
Herald followed mo out and asked me if
L had bOltcd the conference. told him
L had, and asked HIM to bear witness to
the fact, as some liar might say I was
there and was bound by the action. l
stated to him the following as my rea.
sons for leaving:
First They sought In tho preamble
to commit the Alliance to q particular
political party in defiance Of its organic
law.
Second-That no Southern man
could stand on the platform reported
because
The South is already taxed 10 death to
pay Federal PENSIONS, and now they
propose TO break the camel's back by
pillng up untold millions of back pen
sions.
Again, we could not swallow the
socialist land plank which said that land
should not be held by any one for spec.
ulative purposes.
Again, at the bidding of the Ropubli-
can contingent they had thrown out the
tarlil question, and had cut out the
Oca Ia plank that lone industry should
not be taxed to build up another" and
demanding q reduction in the !ariff. In
the north they will swear the tariff is
not tax, and that the government is
not now receiving any more revenue
than is necessary TO meet its expenses.
This was tho, fine hand of the knights
OF Labor.
They refuse to condemn the Mckinley
law and the "fOrce bill.D This ia sun