Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-07-14
OMAHA PLATFORM.
We, the People. Make a New
Declaration.
The Nation Brought to the Verge of
Moral, Political and Material Ruin
corruption Dominates-TheP eo-
pie Are Demoralized by Bribery.

Assembled on the 10th anniversary Of the De-
elaration OF Independene, the peoples party Of
America, in first national convention. invoking
upon their action the blessing of Almighty God,
puts forth in the name and on behalf Of the peo-
pie Of this country, the following preamble and
declaration of principles: The conditions which
surround Us best justify our cooperation, we
meet in the midst OF a nation brought to tho
verge Of moral, political and material ruin: cor
rupt1On dominates the ballot boz, legislatures
and congress and touches even the ermiEs OF
the bench. The people are demoralized; most
voters at polling places 70 prevent universal in
t1nIdatt on or bribery. Newspapers largely
| subsidized muzzled; public opinion silenced;
business prostratedi our homes covered with
mortgages; labor impoverished and lands con-
cen5ratng IN the hands OF capitalists Urban
workmen are denied the right OF organization
Tor selt-protectlon5 imported, pauperized labor
beats down their wages; hireling, standing
army, unrecognlzed by our laws, Is established
| TO shoot them down and they are rapidly degen-
Grating into European condlttonsi the fruits of
the toll OF millions are bodily stolen to build up
colossal fortunes for the few, unprecedC nted IN
/ the history of mankind, and the possesso-s OF
/ these IN turn deEpise the republic and endangeI
| liberty; from the same prolific womb of govern
/ mental injustice, we bree1 two great ciasses-
/ tramps and millionaires; the national power 70
create money is appropriated to enrich bond.
holcensi the vast public debt, payable In legal
/ tender currency, has been funded into gold
/ bearing bonds, thereby add ng millions TO the
| accepted as coin since the dawn of history has
| been demOnetized TO add 70 the purchasing
| power of gold by decreasing the Valus OF all
! forms Of property well as human labor, and
| tbs supply OF currency Is purposely abridged 70
! tatten usurerE, bankrupt enterprise and enslaTe
industry; a vast conspiracy against mankind
| has been organized on the two continents and is
rapidly taking possession OF the world II not
ribls social cORVulsion, the destruction OF capt.
| notism: we have witnessed for moe than a
quarter of a century the struggles Of the two
While FrioToIs wrongs have teen inflicted upon
] he zFffa FfnrF L. 81
trolling influences dominating both these par
ties have permitted the existing dreadful con
ditiOns to develop without serious effort to pre-
vent or restrain themi neither do they now
promise us any substantial retormi they
coming campaign every issue but one
obey propose TO drown the outeries OF
the plundered people with the uproar of a sham
battle over tariff, that capital corporations,
national banks, trusts, watered stocks demon
etiEation of silver and the oppression OF Insurers
may be all lost sight OF they propose 70 sGicEl
fee our hoInesi lives and children on the altar
10 secure corruption funds from millionaire
Assembled on the anniversary of the birthday
of the nation, and filed with the spirit Of tho
grand generation who established our independ
eiice, We seek to restore the government OF tho
republic TO our hands, the plain people," with
which class II origlnatedi We assert our pqI-
poses to be identical with the purposes OF tna
national constitution; TO form more perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for common defense, promote
general welfare and secure the blessings OF lib
sTty for ourselves and our posSerltyi We declare
that this republic can only endure as free gov
eminent while built upon the love OF the whole
people for each other and for the nation that
1t cannot be pinned together By the bayoneti
the the civil war is over, and that every passion
and resentment which grew out OF II must do
with it, and that We must, IN fact as We are In
name, become a united brotherhood Of free
men our country finds itself confronted By con
ditions for which there is no precedent IN this
world; our annual agricultural productions
amount 10 billions of dollars IN value, which
must, in a few weeks or months be exchanged
for billions of dollars worth Of commodities
IF other productions that the currency supply
wholly 1QaQeUuaCe 10 make THIS exchange
and the results falling on OF prices, tho
formation of combines and rings, and the i'm
pOFerishment of the producing class We pledge
ourselves that, If given the power, We VIII Labor
10 correct these evils BY wise and reasonable
legislation, in accordance with the terms Of ouI
platform; we believe that the powers OF gov,
eminent, IN other words OF the people, should
rapidly and as far as the good sense OF an intel
lgent people and the teachings OF experiences
shall justify, TO the end that oppression, mus
tice and poverty shall eventually cease In this
landi while our sympathies, az the party OF re-
form, are naturally upon the side of every pIop-
osition which will tend 10 make men Intelligent,
virtuous and temperate, we nevertheless regard
OhdaTs TO tile great issues now dressing for so
luton, and upon Which not only our individual
prosperity, but the Very existence OF our free IL
stitutiOrs depend; and We ask all men first "a
help US 10 determine whether we are TO have the
republic 70 administer before We differ as 70
the conditions upon which il is TO be admins.
tered; believing that the forces of reform this
day organized will never cease 10 move forward
until every wrong Is remedled and lawful rights
and equal privileges securely established for all
men and women In this country we declare
FirstIThat the union of the labor forces Of
the United States, this day consummated, shall
De peTmanenf and perpetual; may its spirit
CONS Into all hearts for the salvation of man
5eeond-Wealth belongs to him who creates il,
and every dollar taken from industry without
sq HLsle ssl FooPeHy II any Sii IL not t work
and CIVIC laborer are the samei their enemies
Third-we believe that the time has come
when RAILROAD corporations Will either own the
people or the people must own the railroads,
and should the go sernment enter uDon the work
Of owning and managing any all railroads,
Ne should favor an amendment 20 the constitu-
uon by WHICH all persons engaged IN government
service shall DO placed under civil service regu-
lattons IS as to prevent an incteass of the power
81 the national administration BY the use Of
such additional government employees
Fourth-We demand national currency; safe,
tneht only, a legal tender for all debts, public
and private, and that without the use Of bank
ing corporations, a just, equitable, efficient
means OF distribution direct to the people; tax
not To exceed per cent per annum 10 be pro-
tie farmers alliance, or better system; also
by payments in the discharge of its obligations
for public improvements. (A) We demand the
free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at
the legal ratio of 10 to l.. We demand that the |
amount of circulating medium be spsedily in |
creased 10 not less than $50 psr capita. We de |
dia1d graduated Income tax We believe that |
La money 81 the country should be kept az much |
a possible Id the hands of the people, and hence
we demand that all state and national revenues |
shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the
government, economically ana honestly admin |
istered. (E) We demand that postal savings |
banks be established by the government for the |
safe deposit of the earnings OF the people 70 /
facilitate exchange.
Transportation.-Trans being q |
method of exchange and public necessity. the /
government should own and operate the rail- /
roads in the interest of the people. al The |
telegraph and telephone, like the pOstotfice sys-
tenn, being necessity for the transportation of /
news, should be owned and operated by the !
goVernm snt in the interest of the people
Land.-Land, including ali natural sources of /
wealth, is the Heritage of the people, and should
not be mohopoliZed for speculative purposes, |
and the alien Ownership of land sh0uld be pro- |
hibited. All land now held by railroad and 9TH /
corporations, in excess Of their actual needs, /
and all lands now owned BY aliens, should be re- /
claimed by the government and held for actual 4
settlers.