The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-03-10

\ " great labor con-
United States
and the world, representing all the di-
visions of urban and rural organized
industry assembled in the National
| Congress, invoking upon its action the
! blessing aud protection of Almighty
! God, puts forth to and for the pro-
! ducts of the nation this declaration of
union and independence. The con-
ditions which surround US best justify
our cooperation. We meet in the
midst of a nation brought to a verge
of moral, political and material ruin.
Corruption dominates the ballot box.
Legislature and Congress, and touches
even the ermine of the bench. People
are demoralized. Many of the States
have been compelled to isolate voters
at the polling places in order to pre-
vent universal intimidation or bribery;
newspapers are subsidized or muzZled
public opinion silenced; business pros
trated; our homes covered with mort
cages; labor impoverished and land
concentrating in the hands of capital
lists. Urban workmen are denied the
right of Reorganization for self protection,
imported pauperized labor beats down
their wages; a hireling standing army
unobjected to by our laws is estab-
lished to shoot them down, and they
are rapidly degenerating to European
conditions Fruits of the toll Of mil
lions are bodily stolen to build up col
lossal fortunes, unprecedented in the
history of the world, while their pos
SCISSORS despise the republic and en-
danger the liberty Of the people
through National power to create
money appropriated to enrich bond
: holders; silver which has been accept
l ed as coin since the dawn of history
, has been demonitizcd to add to the
purchasing power of gold by decreas-
l ing the value of all forms of property
= as we'll as human labor and supply
of currency Is purposely abridged te
> fatten usurers. bankrupt enterprise and
8 enslave industry. Vast conspiracy
: against mankind has been organized
on two continents and is taking pos
L session of the world if not met anc
7 overthrown at once. 1t means soCla
!, convulsons, destruction of civilization
or establishment of absolute despotlsm
/ This crisis of human affairs intelligcn
working people and producers of th'
United States have come together II
the name of peace, order and soclet,
to defend liberty, prosperity and JUS
Is tice. We declare our union and IN
dependence and assert them througl
political organization which represent
our principles. We charge that tn
controlling influence dominating tn
old political parties have allowed ex
isting dreadful conditions to develol
without serious effort to restrain O
prevent them; neither do they now in
tend to accomplish reform. The
= have agreed together to ignore in tn
coming Crmpaign, every issue but one
They propose to drown the outcrlcs
a plundered people with an uproar
ms sham battle over the tariff, SO that tn
corporations, national banks, ring
trusts, .'wa.ered Stocks" demonetlza
ton of silver and oppression as usurer
may all be lost sight of. They pre-
pose to sacrifice our homes and Chi
dren upon the altar of mammon, t
destroy hopes, in order to secure frol
d multitudes great Lords of plunde
~ We assert that political organization
representing political principles, herel
5 stated, is necessary to redress SrlevaI
" Ces of which we complain. Assem-
u bled on the anniversary of the brit
"a of the illustrious man who had fed Il
,o first great revolution on this COntlnel
" against oppression was filled with sci
y timents which actuated that gran
IL generation. We seek to restore II
is government Of the republic to II
hands of the 'plain people Wi
y whom it originated; our doors a
s. open to all points of the compass,
IT. ask all honest men to join with ar
help us in order to restrain the exto
tons of aggregated capital; to drl
= changers out Of the temple;
=. form a perfect union; establish lustl
= and insure domestic tranquility; pr
=. vide for the common defence; pr
, mote the general welfare and secll
po the blessings of liberty for ourselv
"a and our posterlty.
We do ordain and establish the ft
lowing platform of principles
#. I. We declare the union of lab
forces of the United States this day a
complshed, permanent and perpetu
~ May its spirit enter into all the heal
~. for the salvation of the Republic al
- the uplifting Of mankind.
.I5 4I, 2. Wealth belongs to him who CT
ated it. Every dollar taken from
+ dustry without an equivalent is robt
". ry. If any will not work neither sh
I'll I he eat. The interests of rural and
lea ban labor is the same, and their en-
Iar. In mics are identical.
,nts :. We demand national currency
'r'' safe, sound and flexible, issued by t