The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-05-21

beginning of our political history, COM
batted the schemes of the eastern money
power Gas outlined by Alexander Hamilton
and who predicted the ruin which would
fall upon this country, when concentrated
wealth should dictate its legislation
1--WE believe, as Jefferson did, that all
men are created equal, with natural right
to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
and that every government which ignores
this truth is fundamentally wrong and c2.
pressve. We believe, as he did, in equal
and exact justice to all men, in the subor-
dination of the military to the civil author
tiles; in the diffusion of knowledge; in the
honest payment of all debts and the sacred
preservation Of the public faith: III the free
dom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom
of the press and the freedom of person; in
the arrangement of all abuses at the bar of
public opinion; in the encouragement of ag
riculture and of commerce, it's hand maiden;
in the preservation of the reserved rights
of the states as the surest bulwark against
anti-republcan tendency. We oppose, as he
did. the creation Of a costly standing army
and navy and an eXtravagant and useless
diplomatic service.
I'VE oppose, as he did, the perpetuation
of the public debt and the policy of issuing
non-taxable Understanding bonds. whereby
a large portion of the concentrated wealth
Of the land reaps a harvest from the
taxes of the unprivileged.
eve oppose as he did the national banks
as being of deadly hostility to the spirit
of republican institutions We are
amazed that the business men of the coun-
try are so willing to bear the yoke OF d
system which gives government money to
1000 national banks at 81 on the hundred,
while the millions of merchants, manu-
facturers, farmers and producers generally
must pay those bankers from S. to $40 on
the hundred. We oppose, as Jefferson did,
the eXtraVagant expenditure of the pubic
declare
in our history have the poor been so
heavily taxed or their taxes more shame
fully wasted.
1--WE believe, as he did, in the free and I'M
limited coinage of silver and the issue.
of treasury notes to increase the volume of
currency when the necessities of business
demands more money. Like him, we be-
lieve in d progressive income tax to dis
courage the extensive concentration of
wealth and to compel our selfish million
aires to contribute to the support of the
government, which protects them. Like
him, We believe that the life of this
public depends upon the purity of elections
and in obedience to the will of the ajority.
These the principles of jefferson, who
called himself republican in the days
when that name had not become odious.
These are the principles of Jackson who
called himself republican in the days
when that name had not yet been worn by
those who dsgraced it.
ITO these grand principles we have al
ways adhered, and do now adhere, and we
believe that they are absolutely essential
if we to hope for good government
again We know OF nothing which more
clearly proves the general decentralization
of politics than the fact that votes are
now controlled and offices filled by men
who openly, defiantly and constantly
violate every principle of old-time democra-
Cy and rapudiate every truth which our
liberty and prosperity of our people.
1--WE hereby renew unqualified err
dorsement of the national platform of the
peoples party and we favor in the state of
Georgia, the following reform:
Il. The abolition of the present convict
lease system, which prostitutes to the
greed of private avarce the states sover-
eigE right to punish her citizens for viO-
lation of law. We believe the state herself
should keep possession of her prisoners
and should employ them upon the public
roads and not allow them brought in COM
petition with honest free labor.
2. We favor the furnishing of primary
school books by the state to avoid the
burdens put upon our people by the frequent
changes of textbooks. We also favor the
payment of the teachers monthly.
"3. We favor the enactment of an upper
Verted Australian ballot law to be so franz
ed as to allow illiterate or blind voters tc-
receive aid in the preparation of their
ballots, when they desire, from the mani
ayers of election
Il. We emphaticalIv condemn the prac-
tice of late becoming so prevalent of pub
lie officers accepting free passes from rail
road corporations We intend this condem-
nation to apply to the executive, legislative
and judicial branches of our national and
state government.
- Believing, as we do that these eter-
1I.iDcin1eS 10
eminent and to the preservation of our
republican institutions; and, believing that
a supreme necessity now exists for a deter
mined and organized struggle against the
corrupt despotism and centralized wealth,
hereby pledge ourselves anew to this
sacred task, and we invite the earnest
cooperation of all good citizens, irrcspec-
tive OF party and upon these united efforts
in behalf OF the cause of constitutional
liberty we reverenuy invoke the blessing of
Almighty God. c. II. ELLINGTON,
Chairman Platform Committee"
Some Platform RESOLUTIONS.
The following sensational resolutions fol-
lowed the platform in the same report:
Resolved, That we, the peoples party
OF Georgia, in solemn convention assem-
bled, do hereby unequivocally denonce
the party at present in control Of our ma
tional affairs, for that in addition TO the
impOtent and inlbecile policy which has been
pNISued curing thte present session OF con-
SresS concerning every question which has
been before that body for consideration and
disposition they have passed such laws on
the one hand and failed TO pass such laws on
the other hand as have accomplished the
GROWING outrage OF the century in the
final completion of the crime of 1873, where
by silver has fallen from its high estate
as a money metal and is now haWked about
the markets of the world u mere COM
modify.
Resolved, That we arraign the present
administration for increasing the public
debt by the issuing of $50,000,G 600 gold bonds
III time OF profound peace without author
ity Of law and for refusing to use the mil
lions of silver stored in the vaults of the
treasury 10 meet the pressing needs of
the government.
"Resolved That We condemn the policy