People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-16


ings OF liberty for ourselves and our pos
terity. We declare that this republic can
only endure as free government while
built upon the owe of the whole people for
each other, and for the nation that It can
not be pinned together by bayonets; but
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.
Our country finds itself confronted by
conditions for which there are no prece-
dents in the history of the world. Our
annual agricultural productions amount TO
billions of dollars in value, which must
within few weeks or months, be exchang-
ed for billions of dollars of the commodi-
ties consumed in their production.
The currency supply is wholly made
Quate TO make the exchange. The results
are falling prices; formation OF combines
and rings; and the impoverishnsnt 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 be-
heve that the powers of government-in
other words Of the people-should be ex-
banded as 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 OPP
preston, injustice and poverty shall event.
ually cease in the land. While our SYM
pathies, as 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 uestions-importan as they are
as secondary to the great issues now press
ing for solution and upon which not only
our individual prosperity but the very exist
ence of free Institutions depend, and we
ask all men to first help US to determine
whether we are to have q republic to adj
minister, before we differ as to the condf-
tons upon which it is to be administered,
believing 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 securely
established for all men and women Of this
country.
We declare, therefore:
/. That the union of the Labor forces OF
the Uniled States this day contaminated
shall be permanent and perpetual. May
It's spirit enter into all hearts for the saliva
ton OF the republic and the uplifting OF
mankind.
2. Wealth belongs TO him who creates it,
and every dollar taken from industry with
out an equivalent is robbery. "If any viii
not work, neither shall no eat" The in
terests of rural and civic labor are the
same; their enemies are Identical.
8. We believe that the time has come
when railroad corporations will either OWE
the people or the people must own the rail-
roads: and should the government enter
upon the work ofowning and managing all
railroads, we should favor an aInendment
to che constitution by which all persons
engaged in the government service shall be
placed under a civil service regulation OF
the most rigid character, so as to prevent
an increase of the power of the national
administration by the use of such addition
al Government EMPLOYEES.
We demand national currency, safe
sound and flexible, issued by the general
government only, q full legal tender for all
debts, public and private, and that with
out the use Of banking corporations; a just,
equitabl and efficient means OF d1str4bu-
zion direct to the people at q tax not to ex-
coed per cent per annum be provided as
set forth in the sub-treasury plan Of tho
Farmers Alliance, or some better system;
also by payment in discharge OF its OBJ
legations for public improvements.
. we demand the free and unlimited COIN
age Of silver and gold at the present legal
ratio of 16 to /.
We demand that the amount OF the c1r-
culating medium DO speedily increased to
not less than fifty dollars per capita.
We demand graduated income tax.
We believe that the money Of the coun-
try should be keptas 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
tina government economically and honestly
administered.
We demand that postal savings banks Do
established by the government for the safe
deposit of the earnings OF the people ana
to facilitate exchange.
Transportation being means OF ex-
change and public necessity, the govern
ment should own and operate the railroads
in the interest CT the people. The to1e-
graph and the telephone, Ike the postal
system, being q necessity fo1 the trans
mission of news, should be owned and OPP.
Grated by the government IN the lnCeresS Oh
the people.
The land, including all the natural
sources of wealth. is the heritage OF all the
neoDle and should not be monopoh2ed to1
sueculatiye purposes, and alien ownership
Of land should be prohibited. All LANDS
now held by railroads and other corpora
tions in excess Of their actual needs anu
ali lands now owned by aliens should be
reclaimed nv the government and held FOL
actual settlers only.
SUPPLEMENTAL RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas, other questions have been present
ed for our consideration, we hereby submit
the following. not as part OF the platform OF
the Peoples Party, but as resolutions express
sive of the sentimf Mt OF this convention.
First-ResOlved, That we demand free bal
ourselves to secure it to every legal voter
without federal intervention through the
adoption by the States OF the unperverted
Australian or secret ballot system.
SecOnd-Res0lved, That the revenue derived
from graduated income tax should be applied
to the reduction of the burden of taxation now
| resting upon the domestic industries OF this
Third-Resolved, That we pledge our sup
port to fair and liberal pensions to ex-Union
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. That we condemn the
fallacy Of protecting American labor under
the present system, which opens our ports to
the pauper and criminal classes of the world
and crowds out our wage eaFners; and We de-
nOunce the present ineffective laws against
contract labor, and demand the further re-
strictiOn of undesirable immigration.
Flfth-ResOlved, That we cordially sympa-
thize with the efforts Of orga lied working
men to shorten the hours of labor, and demand
q rigid enforcement of the existing e1ght-h0ur
law on government work, and ask that PEN
atty clause be added to the said law.
SiXth-ResOlVed, That we regard the main
tenance of large standing army OF meroena-
ries. known as the PinkertOn system, as q men,
ace to our liberties, and we demand its abOH-
ton: and we condemn the recent invasion OF
the territory OF Wyoming; by the hlred assa q
sins Of plut0cracy. assisted by federal officials
Seventh-ResOlved. That we commend to the
favorable cons. Iteration of the people and the
reform press the legislative system known as
the initiative and referendum.
Eignt-ReSOlved, THAT we favor q constitn-
tional provision limiting the Office of President
for the election Of Senator's of the United
States by direct vote of the people.
Ninth-ResolVed. That we oppose any sub
sidy or national aid to an private corporation
''The Peoples Party at the outset to secure
permanent control Of the party organization of
the people unaffected by the interests of those
in public service does hereby in national con-
yentiOu assembled at Omaha on the 4th of
July. 1892, establish this ordinance as funda-
mental law of party organization, viz: No per-
tho off If {3+