The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-12-25
STATE PLATFORM OF THE PEo-
PIES PARTY.
Adopted In State State Convention,
August I, 1894

august i 1904
ResolUed 1. That the Peoples party
of North Carolina in convention as
sembled, reafirm the principles of the
Peoples party. both State and Nation
al. and especially the reforms therein
set forth.
2 The free and unlimited coinage of
both silver and gold at the time hon
ored ratio of 16 to1 We denounce the
Democratic party for repeating uncon
ditionally the only law On our statute
books authorizing the coinage of silver.
We believe the restoration of silver to
it's proper place as a money metal will
not only open up cur now idle mines,
tend to create prosperity where depres-
sion and financial ruin, like grim spec
tres, grope about, but will also increase
our trade with Mexico, S )uth American
Republics, China and other countries,
giving us many advantages that we do
not now enjoy. We denounce both
the Republican and Democratic admin
istrations for refusing to use silver dol
lars as well as gold dollars in liquida-
ton of the national obligations, and
the redemption of the g~reenbacks and
silver certificates when the discretion
to do so rested with the administra-
ton.
8. The abolition of national banks,
and the substitution of legal tender
treasury notes, to supplement the use
of gold and silver money, issued in
sufficient volume to do the business of
the country on a cash system, regulat
ing the amount needed on a per capita
basis as the business interests of the
country expand, and that all money
issued by the government shall be legal
tender in payment of all debts, both
public and private.
4 We denounce both the Republican
and Democratic parties for contracting
the currency of the country while pop
ulation and business increases, an0 also
for the further crime of issuing inter
est bearing bonds in times of peace, to
be a perpetual debt upon the people
and a constant drain upon every pro
ductive industry to pay the interest
thereon. WefavOr the issuing of
money to give a new impetus to every
honest industry, instead of issuing in
terest bearing bonds, which not only
makes money scarcer, stagnates trade
and paralyzes every industrial enter
prise, but which also lepgthens the
greedy fingers of the heartless Shy
locks so that they can reach into the
pockets of the next generation and rob
them of their wealth as soon as earned.
We denouuce a policy which fosters
no industry so much as it does that of
the mortgage and sheriff.
5 We denOunce the Mckinley tariff
bill and the pending DemCcra i; tariff
bill as unjust to the consumers of the
country, and leading to the formation
OF trusts, Combines and monopolies
which have. oppressed the people, and
especially do we denonce the unneces
sary and b~urdensome increase in the
tax on sugar and other n~ecessaries of
life, 50 largely used by the poorer por
ton of our people, while the taxes have
been lowered on some of the luxuries
Of the rich, which should bear the
heaviest burden. We especially de
nounce the pending tariff bill as a COW
ardIy makeshift for tariff reform. 1t
not only substitutes Democratic pro
lection for Republican protection on
certain manufactured articles, but also
strives to discriminate against the pro
ducers of wealth by putting the raw
materials which their labor produces
up n the free list while it forces them
and every citizen to pay a high tax on
the manufactured article The revenue
of the government can and should be
raised without such unjust and in
creased discrimination.
6. We favor a graduate tax on in
comes that willtax all incomes. prlva' @
or corporate, of So. 900 one per cent,
and on all larger incomes a proportion
ate increase so that the wealthy will
bear their share of the expenses of the
governmental proportion to their abil
ity to pay. If such a:.law was in force,
and properly executed, we believe that
sufficient res enue would be raised from
that source to enable us to reduce the
burdens on those in moderate circum-
stances, now so heavily taxed, at least
one half.
z. We favor the enactment of such
laws by Congress as shall effectually
prevent the dealing in futures of al
agricultural and mechanical produc
tions- We do not haliava that b bill