Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-09-07
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
Full Text of the Preamble and ResoI1-
tlOns Adopted BY the Peoples Party
Convention at Omaha
Following is the correct platform as

Assembled upon the 10th anniversar OF
the declaration Of independence, the people s
party OF America In their FIRST national
convention invoking upon their action the
blessing Of Almighty God puts forth in the
name and on behalf OF the people of this coun-
try the following preamble and declaration of
principles:
The conditions which surround us best Justify
our cooperation; we meet In the midst OF ma
ton brought to the verge OF moral, political and
material ruin. Corruption dominates the bal
lot box, the legislatures, the congress, and
touches even the ermine Of the bench. The
people are demOraliZed; most OF the states have
been compelled to isolate the voters at the
polling places to prevent universal init mi
,dation or bribery The newspapers are largely
subsidized muzzled; public opinion 81
fenced; business Frustrated; our homes COW
cred with mortgages; labor impoverished, and
the land concentrated in the hands Of capital
lists. The urban workmen are denied the right
OF organization for self-protectton; imported
pauperized labor beats down their wages;
hreling standing army, unrecognized by our
laws, Is established 10 shoot them down and
they will rapidly degenerate into European
conditions The fruits OF the toll Of mil lions
are boldly stolen TO build up colossal fortunes
unprecedented in the history OF mankind and
the possessors OF these in turn despise the re-
public and endanger liberty From the
same prolific womb of governmental in
justice breed the two great classes
tramps and millionaires The national power
20 create money is appropriated 70 enrich bond
holders vast public debt payab. n legal ten
der currency has been funded into gold bearing
bonds thereby adding millions TO the burdens
OF the people
Silver, which has been accepted as a
coin since the dawn OF history, has
been demonetiZed TO add TO the purchasing
power OF gold by decreasing the value OF all
forms OF property a. well as human labor, and
the supply OF currency is purposely abridged
10 fatten usurers bankrupt enterprise and en-
slave industry. vast conspiracy against man
kind has been organized on two continents and is
rapidly taking possession OF the world II not
mot and overthrown at once II forebodes terri
bic social convulsion the destruction OF civiliZa-
ton, or the establishment Of absolute des-
potism
We have witnessed for more than q quarter
Of n century the struggles OF the two great
poliuca. parties for power and plumber, while
Rrievous wrongs have been inflicted upon a suf-
fering people. We charge that the controlling
influences dominating both these parties have
permitted the existing dreadful conditions to
develop without serious efforts TO prevent or re-
strain them Neither do they now prom
ise any substantial reform They have
agreed together TO ignore, in the coming
campaign, every issue but one. They propose
TO drown the outcries of plundered people with
the uproar OF Al sham battle over the tarin, 50
that capitalists. corporations, national banks,
rings, trusts watered stock characterization
OF silver and the expressions OF the usurers may
Oil be lost sight Of They proposed TO sacrifice
our homes, lives and children on the altar OF
mammon; 70 destroy the multitude in order TO
secure corruption funds from the millionaires
Assembled on the anniversary OF the birth
day Of the nation and filled with the spirit of
the grand generation who established our indie
pendence, seek our independence We seek
10 restore the government Of the republic TO
the hands OF 1.-The plain people" with whose
class IL originated.
We assert our purposes 70 be identical
with the purposes OF the national consti-
tution ITO form more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense, promote the
general welfare and secure the blessings Of
liberty for ourselves and our posterity."
We declare that this republic can only en-
dure as free government while built upon
the love OF the whole people for each other and
for the nation; that II cannot be pinned to-
gether by bayonets that the civil war is over
and that every passion and resentment which
grew out OF II must die with it, and that we
must be in fact as we are In name one united
brotherhood OF freemen.
Our country finds itself confronted by condi-
lions for which there is no precedent in
the history OF the world. Our annual
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 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 impoverish-
ment OF the producing class. We pledge
ourselves that II given power we will labor
10 correct these evils by wise and reasonable
legislation in accordance with the terms OF our
platform. We believe that the powers Of govern
ment-in other words, of the people-should be
expanded (ns In the case of the postal service)
as rapidly and as far the good sense OF an in
telligent people and the teaching Of experience
shall Justify the end that oppression, injustice
and poverty shall eventually cease in the land.
While our sympathies as party OF reform are
naturally upon the side OF every proposition
which will tend TO make men intelligent virtu-
Gus and temperate, we nevertheless regard
these questions, important as they are, as
secondary to the great issues now press-
for solution and upon which not only o. as
vidual prosperity, but the very ,iu a,
free institutions aepeno' lad we ask all
men TO first help us ~ dstorr,;no a1A on
wo to have p republc 70 adn1ir,S.a. 'i nc,
fore we diner Is TO the conditions unon which
II Is 70 be administrators; believing that the
forces OF reform this day organized will
never cease 70 move forward until every wrong
Is remedied and equal rights and equal prvii-
leges securely established for all the men and
women OF the country
THE PLATFORM
We declare therefore:
First-That the union of the labor forces OF
the United States this day contaminated shall
be permanent and perpetual May its spirit
enter into ell hearts for the salvation OF the
republic and the uplifting Of mankind
Second-Wealth belongs TO him who creates
II, and every dollar taken from industry with
out an equivalent is robbery. 'If any will
not work neither shall he eat" The interests
OF rural and civic labor are the same; their emf
mics are identical
Third-We believe that the time has come
when the railroad corporations must either
own the people or the people must own the rail-
roads-and should the government enter
upon the work OF owning and managing any
or oil railroads. we should favor an amend.
ment to the constitution by which all persons
engaged in the government service shall be
placed under civil service regulation of the
most rigid character, so as to prevent the in
crease OF the power OF the national sdministra-
ton by the use OF such additional government
employees.
We demand that national currency, safe
sound and flexible, issued by the general gov.
eminent only, full legal tender for all debts
public and private, and that without the use of
banking corpora lions, n just, equitable and
efficient means of distribution direct TO the
people, al n tax not to exceed two per cent per
anuum, be proviped, as set forth in the sub
treasury plan Of the Farmers Alliance or some
better system; $50 by payments in discharge
OF its obligations for public improvements.
We demand free and unlimited coinage Of
silver and gold at the present legal ratio OF Is
toll
We demand that the amount OF circulating
medium be speedily increased to not less than
ESQ per capita.
we demand 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 degnand that
ali state and national revenue shalt be limited
TO the necessary expenses OF the government
economically and honestly administered
We demand that postal savings banks be
established by the government Tor the safe de
posit OF the earnings OF the people and to
facilitate exchange.
Transportation being means Of exchange
and public necessity, the government should
own and operate the railroads In the interest o.
the people
The telegraph md telephone. hke the post OF
nee system, being necessity for transmission
Of news, should be owned and operated by the
government in the interest Of the people.
The land, including All the natural resource