The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-07-29
PEOPLES PARTY PLATFORM.
A Declaration of Principles Differing
From All Other Parties.

"The conditions which surround us best
Justify our cooperation; we meet i'm the
midst Of nation brought to the verge Of
moral, political and material ruin. Corrup-
tion dominates the ballot box, the legisla.
lures, the congresses, and touches even the
ermine Of the bsncb. The people are demor.
allied Most Of the States have teen com.
PEELED to protect voters at the polling place
to prevent universal intimidation or bribery.
The newspa ers are largely subsidized or
muzzled, public opinion is silenced, business
u s6SF & mmefp6SSeas6ea and % he
band Is Concentrating in the hands Of capital
lists Urban workmen are denied the right
OF organizs tion for self protection. Import
ed pauperized labor beats down their wages.
hireling standing army, unrecognized by
our laws, is established to shoot them down,
and they are rapidly degenerating into Eu-
ropean conditions. The fruits of the toll Of
millions are boldly stolen to build up for
few colossal fortunes unprecedented in the
history of mankind; and the possessors Of
these in turn despise the republic and endan.
ger liberty. From the same prolific womb OF
governmental injustice we breed the two
great classes-tramps and millionaires
VAST CONSPIRACY.
appropriated to enrich bondholders. a vast
public debt, payable in legal tender cur
rency, has been funded into gold bearing
bonds, thereby adding millions to the bur.
dens of the people. Silver, which has been
accepted as coin since the dawn OF history
has been demonetized to add to the purchas.
ing power OF gold bv decreasing the value OF
all forms of property, as we'll as human Ia.
Dor, and the supply of currency is purposely
abrid Sed to fatten usu,ers. bankrupt enter
prise, and enslave industry. A vast con.
spiracy against mankind has been organized
on two continents, and it is rapidly taking
possession Of the world. II not met and
.overthrown it forebodes terrible social con
vulsions, the destruction Of civilization, or
the establishment of absolute despotism.
The OLD PARTIES RESPONSIBLE.
'Wehave witnessed for more than a quarter
OF century the struggles Of the two great
political parties for power and punder,
the suffering people. We charge thet the
ccntroll ng influences dominating both these
parties have permitted the existing dreadful
conditions to develop without effort to pre-
vent or restrain them Neither do they now
promise US any substantial re orm. They
have agreed together to ignore in tn. coming
campaign every issue but one. They prop },
to drown the outcries Of plundered peoi lie
with the uproar eff sham b tile over the
tariff, so that capitalists, corporations, na.
tional banks, rings, trusts, watered stock, the
demonstration Of silver and the expressions
of the u>urers may all be lost sight Of
They propose to sacrifice our homes. lives
and children on the altar of mammo n; to de
N-IliihD 1'arttY rGRf1Ja.ssj:~
Assembled on the anniversary Of tn
oirthday of the nation and fllsd with tn
spirit of the grand chief who established ouI
independence we seek to restore the govern
ment af the Republic to the hands of tho
plain people, with which class it originated
We assert our purposes to be iden' ical With
the purposes of the national constitution"
form a more perfect union and establish jus
tice, insure domestic tranqu lity, provide fni
the common defence pronlote the genera
welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
for ourselves and our posterity. We te, isre
that this republic can only endure a free
government while built upon the love of the
whole people fer each other and for the ma
| tion; that it cannot be pihned together 10y
| bayonets; that the civil war is over, and the
passion and resentment which grew out of il
must die with it, and that must be il
| fact as We are in name, one united brother
hood.
| CONDITIONS UNPRECEDENTED
| "Our country finds itself confrc, ted b,
Conditions for which there ia no precedent il
| the history of the w rid. Our annual ssri
| cultural pro iuctions amount to billions o
dollsrs i'm value, which must within fey
weeks or months be exchonged for billions o
| dollars in commodities consumed in thei
production. The existing cu' rency supply 1
wholly inadequate to make This exchange
The results are falling prices. the formation
of combines and rings, the in povershmen
of the producing class. We pledge cuIselve
| that ii given power We will labor to c1rTec
| these evils by wise and reas enable legislation
IN accordance with the terms Of our platform
GOVERNMENTAL POWERS SHOULD BEEXrANp
1--WE believe that the powers of govern
ment-in ether words, of the people-shcul
be expanded las in the case of the postal sci
| -inal llxro mi far ha nod pps
of an intelligent people and the teac ings {
Providence shall Justify, to the end that OF
preston, injustice and poverty shall event,
ally cease in the land. While our symp
thes as party o. reform are naturally upc
the side or every proposition which Will ter
to make men intelligent, Nirtuous ani ten
ptrate, we nevsI 'heess regard these Que
tions-important as they are as secondai
to the great is<u now pressing for solutlo
and up u which not only our individu
Irosl Gritty, but the very existence of free i
stitutions depend and we ask all men
first help us to determine whether we are
have republic to administer before we di
fer as TO the conditions on which it is to
administered
TIE PLATFORM PROPER
Believing that the forces of reform tn
day organized will never cease to move fol
wsrd until every wrong is righted, and equ
right, and equal privileges are Sc 'urely esta
country we declare, therefore
First Thst the union of the labor fore
Of the United States this day consummatt
shall be permanent and perpetual. May /
spirit enter into ell hearts for the salvatic
of the republic and ala in the uplifting
mankind
''St end. Wealth belongs to him wi
creates it, and every d"l al taken from il
dustiy without an equivalent is robber
If any will not work neither shall he ca
The interests of rural and civic labor are d
sam tn. ir enemies are identical.
"Tnird We believe that the time b
come when the railroad corporations W
either own the peop or the people must ov
the railroads, and should The goyernme
enter Oh the work of owning and managii
all railroads we should favor an amendme
to the Const tuition by which all persons e
ged in the service should be p aced und
civil.ssrvice regulations Of the most rig
character, so as to prevent the incre Sc
the power Of the national administration b
the use OF such additional government en-
ployees.
TEE MONEY PLANK.
Fourth. We demand a national cure c
safe, sound, and flexible, issued by the gener
government only, full legal-tender for 9
debts, public aud pri, ate, and that witho
the use Of banking corporations, a just, eqr
table and efficient means of Distribute