The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-10-18

built upon the love o. 6he whole people
for each other and for the nation: that
IL cannot be pinned together by bav-
onets. that the civil war is over and
that every passion and resentment
which grew out of it must die with it.
and that we must be In fact, as we are
in name one united brotherhood
of freedom. Our country finds
itself confronted by conditions
for which there is no precedent
In the history of the world. Our an
nual agricultural productions amount
to billions of dollars in value, which
must within a few weeks or months be
exchanged for billions of dollars of
commodities consumed in their pro-
duction; the existing currency supply
Is wholly inadequate to make this OF
change. The results are falling prices,
the formation of combines and rings,
the impoverishment of the producing
class. We pledge ourselves that If
given power we will labor to correct
these evils by wise and reasonable
legislation in accordance with the terms
of our platform
We believe that the powers of gov
ernment-in other WOrQs, of the peO-
ple-should be expanded Gas in the case
| of the postal service) as rapidly and as
far as the good sense of an intelligent
people and the teachings of experience
shall Justify to the end that oppression,
injustice and poverty shall eventually
cease in tue land.
While our sympathies as a party of
reform are naturally upon the side of
every proposition which will tend to
make men intelligent, virtuous and
temperate, we nevertheless regard
these questions-imp )rtant as they are
AS secondary to the great issues now
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 first
help us to determine whether we are
to have a Republic to administer, be
fore we differ as to the condition upon
which it is to be administered, believ-
ing that the forces of reform this day
organized will never cease to move for
ward until every wrong is righted and
equal rights and equal privileges estab-
lished for all the lei and women of
this country; we declare, therefore.
UNION OF THE PEOPLE.
First-That the union of the labor
forces of the United States, this day
consumated, shall be permanent and
NCI pOUud1s ndy 4U6 6p4AAV O4bC4 A4HO
all hearts for the salvation of the Re
public and the uplifting of mankind.
Second-Wealth belongs to him who
creates it, and every dollar taken from
industry without an equivalent is rob
berry. IF any will not work, neither
shall he eat" The interests of rural
and civic labor are the same; their
enemies are identical.
Third-We beIive that the time has
come when the railroad corporations
must either own the people or the PEG
pie must own the railroads, and should
the government enter upon the work
of owning and managing all railroads,
we should favor an amendment to the
Constitution by which all persons en-
gagged in the government service shall
be placed under a civil service regaIaI
ton of the most rigid character, so as
to prevent the increase of the power of
the national administration by the use
of such additional government en-
ployees.
PLATFORM.
We demand a 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
COLpO1OUlO1S q .JuSU, OQuAudDI0 dlu
efficient means of distribution direct to
the people at a tax not to exceed 2 per
cent. per annum, to be provided as set
forth in the Sub-Treasury plan of the
Farmers Alliance, or a better system;
also by payments 10 discharge of its
obligations for public improvements.
We demand free and unlimited coin
age of silver and gold at the present
legal ratio of 16 to I,
We demand that the amount of the
circulating medium be speedily in
creased tonot less than $50 per capita.
We demand a graduated income tax.
We believe that the money of
the country should be kept as much as
possible in the hands of the people, |
and hence we demand that all state
and national revenues shall be limited
to the necessary expenses of the gov
eminent economically and honestly ad-
ministered.
We demand that postal savings
banks be established by the govern
ment for the safe deposit of the earn
lngs OF the people and to facilitate ex
change.
CONTROL OF TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation being a means Of ex
change and a public necessity, the
government should own and operate.
the railroads in the interest Of the
people.
The telegraph and telephone, like the
postofice system, being q necessity fer
the transmission of news, should be
owned and operated by the government
in the interest of the people.
RECLAIMING THE LAND.
The land. including all the natural
resources of wealth, IS the heritage
of all the people and should not be
~n0nnli for onoO,1IoAiuo rYTpDOcoc