The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-04
ST. LOUIS CONVENTION
A Grand Contamination Of the Aspera.
lions Of Reform Forces for Quar-.
ter Of q Century.
Held In the Commercial Center Of the
United states--a Platform Adopted
and q Convention Called.

The St. Louis convention held last
week, was q mammoth affair. Thir-
teen different industrial organizations
were represented by nearly 700 dele
gates. Every state in the union was
represented, and the placards in the
body of the hall indicated their seats.
From Florida to Oregon, from Maine
to Texas, the delegates assembled to
Join hands from ocean to ocean, and
from the great lakes to the Gulf Of
Mexico. in the grand forward move
ment of the united industrial reform
movement of the ages.
The Importance of this movement
can scarcely be estimated. 1t is a
peaceable, popular, patriotic. political
revolution, which is bound to sweep
the country.
1t was called on Washington's birth
day. Its principles are those of the
Declaration of Independence, ampli-
fed and enlarged to meet present con.
ditions. Its colors are the stars and
stripes; its anthems are national pat
riotic airs, such as columbia, the Jem
of the Ocean, the Home of the Brave
and the Free" 1.-THE shrine of each
patriots devotion; the world offers
homage to thee" Its motto, equal
and exact justice to ALL"
The platform was adopte! unaDi-
mously without single bolt, unless
the action of the prohibitionists may
be considered such.
The following is the entire text of
the committees report on platform,
read by full-voiced Ignatius Donnelly.
A RECITAL OF FRIGHTFUL WOES.
This, the first great labor conference Of
the United States and of the world, repre-
senting all divisions of urban and rural or
| ganized industry, assembled In national
congress, invoking upon its action the
blessing and protection of Almighty God,
puts forth, to and for the producers Of the
| nation, this declaration Of union and inde-
| pendence. ~ ~.
The condition which surround thus best
| Justify our cooperation. We meet In the
midst Of nation brought to the verge Of
moral, political and material ruin. Corrup-
ton dominates the ballot box, the legisla-
lures. the congress and touches even the
ermine of the bench. The people are de-
moralized. Many Of the states have been
| compelled to isolate the voters at the polling
| places, In order to prevent universal intimi-
| datiOn or bribery. The newspapers are
| subsidized or muzzled, public opinion
silenced, business Frustrated, our homes
covered with mortgages, labor impOver-
ished, and the land concentrated In the
hands of capitalists. The urb IN wOrkmen
are denied the right Of organization for self
protection, imported pauperlzed labor beats
down their wages, hireling standing army,
uErecognized by our laws, is established to
shoot them down, and they are rapidly de"
generating to European conditions. The
fruits Of the toll OF millions are boldly stolen
to build up colossal fortunes, unprecedented
In the history OF the world, while their pos
SCISSORS despite the republic and endanger
liberty. From the same prolific womb OF
the governmental injustice we breed the
great classes-paupers and milliOnaires. The
national power to create money Is appropri-
ated to enrich bondholders; silver, which
has been accepted rs coin since the dawn Of
history, has been dcmonitized to add TO the
purchasing power of gold by decreasing the
value of all forms Of property, as we'll as
human labor; and the supply Of currency Is
purposely abridged to fattpn usurers, bank
rupt enterprise and enslave industry. A
vast conspiracy against mankind has been
organized on two continents and Is taking
possession Of the world. II not met and
0verthrown at once. 1t forbodes terrible
social commissions, the destruction Of civil
ization or the establishment Of an absolute
deSpotism.