People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-08-24
READ THIS AGAIN.
POPULISM MEANS THE CAUSE OF THE
OF THE COMMON PEOPLE.
PEOPLES PARTY PLATFORM ADOPTED AT THE
nAL LuL ED.- .,.-L.a.. 4

PkOPLE PARTY PLATFORM. ADOPTED AT THE
OMAHA CONVENTION JULY 4, lS9.
First-That lie union Of the labor forces OF
the United States. this day COMMUNICATED
shall be perma nen' and perpetual. Nav its
spirit enter into q hearts for the salvation
OF the Republic ana the uplifting OF man
SecOnd-Wealth belongs 10 him who creates
IT, and every dollar taken from industry
without an equivalent j. robbery. III any
will not work neither shall lie eat" The in
terestS OF rural and civic labor are the same.
their enemies are Identical.
Third--We believe that the time has come
when the railroad corporations must either
own the people or the people the corpora
lions, and should the government enter up
on the work OF owning and managing any or
all railroads we should favor an amendment
to the Constitution by which all persons en-
gagged in the government service shall be
placed under civil service regulation OF
the most rigid character so as TO prevent the
increase OF the power Of the national admin
istration by the use of such additional gov
eminent employees.
We demand a national currency-safe
sound and flexible. issued by the general
government, and full legal tender for ali
debts, public and private, and that without
the use OF banking corporations: Just,
equitable and efficient means OF distribution
direct TO the people at a tax not to exceed .
per cent, per annum, TO be provided as set
forth In the sub-treasury plan OF the Farm
ers Alliance or some better system; also by
payments in discharge OF its obligations for
public Improvements.
We demand the free and unlimited coinage
OF silver and gold at the present legal ratio
Of Is tO1.
We demand the amount OF the circulating
medium be speedily increased 10 not less
than $50 per capita.
We demand graduating income tax.
We believe that the moneys OF the country
should be kept as much as possible In the
hands OF the people, and hence we demand
that all national and state revenues shall be
limited to the necessary expenses OF the gov
eminent, economically and honestly admin
istered.
We demand that postal savings banks be
established by the government for the safe
deposit OF the earnings OF the people and TO
facilitate exchange.
Transportation being a means OF exchange
and a public necessity. the government
should own and operate the railroads IN the
interest OF the people.
The telegraph and telephone. like the post
Office system, being necessity for transmits
sion OF news, should be owned and operated
by the government In the interest OF the
people.
The land, including all the natural sources
OF wealth, is the heritage OF all the people
and should not be mOnopOlized for specula-
tive purposes, and alien ownership OF land
should be prohibited. All lands now held by
the railroads and other corporations In eX-
cess OF their actual needs. and all lands
now owned by aliens should be reclaimed by
the government and held for actual settlers
only.
STATE PLATFORM.
We, the representatives OF the PEOPLES
party OF the state Of Kansas In convention
assembled, do hereby reaffirm our allegiance
to the principles enunciated in the Omaha
platform, and point to the record Of our rep
resentatives In congress as an evidence Of
OF their loyalty to that platform. We meet
at this time under conditions which see
every prophecy made at that time fulfilled
and every Indictment which was made there.
In against the Republican and Democratic
parties proven.
Our sympathies go out TO the unemployed.
homeless and landless people OF the country
who have been brought to their present con-
diti0n in great measure through the VIC
iOus un-Amerlcan financial policy Of this gov
eminent; and we hold sacred the declaration
OF Independence that all men are created
equal; they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unallenable rights; that among
these are life, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness.
We most heartily commend our present
state officials for their wise and economic
administration Of state affairs. that has
saved to the taxpayers thousands OF dollars,
and the POpulist legislators for their efforts
to enact into Law, every demand Of the state
platform adopted at Wichita In 1892
MO Dana nd tho fraa coil 90 ~ al nor q ha
ratio Of l6 to /, and denounce any party that
Is so completely under the control OF the gold
bugs that 1t dare not take stand for this
all-impOrtant question, which means so
much TO the wage-earners and prOducersOf
our country.
We reiterate our opposition to all banks OF
Issue whether national or state. and de-
mand the establishment OF postal savings
banks by the national government for the
protection Of small depOsitOrs, and call at
tentiOn to the widespread distress caused by
the large number OF bank failures during the
past year, whereby thousands Of depositOrs
suffered the loss OF all their savings, as evil
dence Of this demand.
We condemn the unwise and cruel policy
OF all the governing parties in this nation
whose legislation has favored capital and OD-
pressed labor and we hereby declare our
sympathy with all tOilers In their efforts to
improve their conditions, and demand such
legislation as will result In removing some
OF the burdens OF toll by shortening the
hours OF labor without lessening their daily
wage.
We demand national and state boards OF
arbitration TO settle anc adjust the differ
ences between the employers and employees;
and we further demand that where the prop
erty OF a corporation has been placed In the
hands OF a receiver. the wages OF the en-
ployes shall be a first lien on its earnings
and effects; and we den0unce the appoint
ment OF officials or parties interested as re-
celyers Of any corporation.
we demand service pension, graduated
so that the man who carried the musket shall
be entitled TO the same consideration as the
man who wore the epaulet; and said law TO
be so framed that 1t will place II forever be
y0nd the power OF any official who Is I'M
friendly toward the union soldiers and sail
Ors to change, suspend, or In any way de-
prive the soldier OF his just dues which this
government owes him for defending with his
LIE our country and flag.
We favor state irrigation department, To
investigate methods and water supplies and
encourage more extended irrigation.
We demand a freight law based on the line
OF the maximum-rate bill passed by the sem
ate and afterwards defeated by the Repub-
llcan house, and quote, In proof OF the need
OF such law. the plank Of the Republican
platform adopted in their state convention
In lSg2, which We adopt and make a part OF
this demand. tO-wit:
I'VE insist that the great transportation
companies which derive their corporate ex-
istence from Kansas laws and their financial
existence from Kansas trade and commerce
owe TO the people OF Kansas fair. equitable
and honest treatment In the matter OF freight
rates; and we are opposed to the inequitable
and oppressive discrimination In the adjust
ment OF such rates by said corporations.
whereby the merchants, shippers and con-
sumers OF other states are enriched at the
expense and to the injury Of the people OF
Kansas; and we demand Of the next leglsla-
ture the utmost diligence In enacting ApprO-
pirate legislation providing therefor. to the
end that the agricultural, mercantile and
other interests OF the state OF Kansas shall
be placed on footing OF equality 50 far as