Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-05

purposely abridged 10 father asuTpers,
bankrupt enterprise and enslaye indus
uy- A vast conspiracy against man
kind has organized on Two continents,
and il 10 rapldly taxing possesslon
of the world. Ii ncl met and
oveTihIown at once Il forepodes
terrible social conyulssons, the destrue-
Ton OF civilization or the establishment
of an absolute despotism. we nave
witnessed for more than quarter et =
century the struggles OF the two great
p iIticsl parties Tor power aud plumber,
while grieyous wrongs have been In
Iileted upon the suffering people. We
charge tina. the controlling influences
dominating both these parties have
permitted the existing dresdfui condl-
tons TO develop without serious effort
To prevent or refrain them. Neither
do they now promise us any substantial
reform. They have agreed together 10
ignore IN the canning campaigE every
issue hat enc They propose 10 drown
the outcries OF q numbered people
with the uproar or sham 'battle
on the tariff. that capitalists. national
banks, corporations. ring trusts, wa
tered stocks, the demonetization OF sill
Yer and the expressions of the usur-
pers may all be lost sight of. They
propose to sacrifice oul homes, lives
and children upon the altar of MANI
mon. to destroy the multitude in order
to secure corruption funds from the
millionaires. Assembled on the ami
versary OF our national birthday and
filled with the spirit Of the grand gen.
GRAFTON which established our indepen-
dence, we seek Independence, we seek
to restore the government of the re-
public to the hands Of sthe plain peo-
ple," with which class il originated.
We assert our purposes TO be identical
with the purposes Of the national con-
stitution to form more per-
feet union, establish Justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the welfare
and secure the blessings of liberty for
ourselves and our posterity. We de-
clare that TINS republic can only en-
dure as tree government while built
upon the love of the whole people for
each other anu for the nation; that it
cannot be joined together by bayonets;
that the civil war IS over and that
every passion and resentment which
grew out of 1t must die with it, aud
tnat We must be in fact, as We are by
name, one brotherhood of free men.
Our country finds itself confronted by
conditions for which there Is no prece-
dent in the history of the world;
our annual agricultural production
amounts fO billions of dollars in value,
which must, within weeks or months,
be exchanged for billions of dollars of
commodities consumed in their
production. The existing currency
supply is wholly Inadequate to make
this exchange: the results are falling
prices, the formation of combines and
rings and the impover:shment of the
gwen power. We viii seek to correct
these evils by reasonable legisiation IN
accordance with the terms of our plat
form. We believe that the powers of
government, in other words, of the
people shall be expanded-as increase
OF the postal service--as rapidly and as
far as the good sense Of the intelligent
people and the teachings of experience
shall justify, to the end that atOppression,
injustice and poverty shall eventually
cease in the land. While our sym
pathies as q party of reform are
every proposition which will
temperate, We, nevertheless. regard
these questions as important, but they
are secondary to the great issues
which are pressing for solution and
upon which not only our individual
prosperity, but the very existence OF
free institutions depend, and we ask all
men to help us determine whether We
are to have q republic to administer
A.t A<,~ a. Il,
upon which it is to he administered.
Believing that the forces of reform
this day set in motion will never cease
to move If followed until every wrong
is remedied and equal rights and edu-
cation, equal privileges securely estab-
llshed for all men and women of this
country.
We declare, therefore:
]. That the union OF labor forces of
the United States this day consum-
mated shall be permanent and per-
petual. May its spirit enter into all
hearts for the salvation of the republic
and the uplifting of mankind.
2. Wealth belongs to him who cre-
ates it, and every dollar taken from in
dustry without an equivalent is rob-
berry. If any will not work, neither
ehali he eat. Tne interests of the
rural and civic laborer are the same,
their enemies are identical.
3. We believe the time has come
when the railway corporations must
either own the people or the people the
| corporations and should the govern
ment enter upon the work of owning
and managing any or all railroads We
should favor an amendment to the con.
stltution that employees upon such
roads shall for the time being forego
the exercises of their right of outrage
IN accordance with the precedent estab-
| lished by the constitution of the United
States for the inhabitants of the Dis.
trict of Columbia.
Wealth belongs TO him who creates it,
and every dollar taken from industry
without an equivalent 10 robbery. We
demand national currency safe. sound
aud fexih,c, issucd ty the general goy-
ernmen. only; full legal tender for
ell debts, pubisc and private, AMI that
without the use of banking corpora.
tons; Just, equitable and efiicicn,
| means Of distribution direct to the pco-
| pie at a tax not to excsed 2 per cent
| per annum TO he provided as set forth
IN the sub-treasury plank of the Farm.
er's Alliance or some better system; also
| by payments in discharge of its obIlga-
ton for pubic Improvements. We de-
mand the free and unlimited coinage
of silver and gold at the present legal
ratio of l6 to l. We demand that the
amount of the circulating medium be
speedily increased to not les
| than $50 per capita We de-
| mand graduated income tax.
We heiieve that the moneys of the
| country shouid be kent A much A. poa-