The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1894-02-02
PEOPLES. PARTY PLATFORM.
Tho Preamble.

Tho Preamble.
Assembled upon the one hundred and
sixteenth anniversary of the Declaration Of
Independence, the Peoples party Of Amer
ica, IN their first national c0nveD ton, in.
voking upon their action the blessing OF
Almighty God, puts forth, IN the name and
on behalf of the people Of this country, the
following preamble and declaration OF prin-
eiples:
The conditions which surround rs best
Justify our cooperation. We meet In the
midst Of nation brought TO the verge of
moral, poli,lcal and material ruin. Cor
suption dominates the ballot-box, the legis-
lstures, the congress, and touches evsu the
srmine Of the bench. The people are de-
compelled to isolate the voters a. the poll
Ing places 10 prevent universal intimida-
ton or bribery.
The newspapers are largely subsidized or
muzzed; public opinion silenced; business
prus; rated; our homes covered with mort
gag .; labor impoverished, and The land
concentrating IN the hands OF capitalists
The urban werkmen are denied The right
Of organ ization Tor self-protection; I'm.
ported pauperized labor beats down their
wages: . hlreling standing army, unrecng.
nized by our laws, is established to shoot
III, M down. and they are rapidly deRener-
a,lns inlo European c0ndi,i,ns. The fruits
build up colossal fortunes for few, un-
precrdented In the his DRY Of mank nd and
The poysessors of these, in turn, desplse
the republic and ehdanRer liberty. From
the same prolific womb OF governmental in.
1uYrice We breed two great classes-iramps
and mllionaires.
TIE national power 10 create money IL
appropriated TO enr oh bondholders; vast
public debt. payable n legal tender cur.
rency has Teen funded into gold bearing
bonds, Hereby adding millions to the bur-
dens Of the people.
Silver, which has been accepted ~ coin
since he dawn of his DRY, has been demon.
gold, by decreasing the value Of all forms
Of property - we'll a. human labor. and
the supply Of currency 10 purpesely
aorldRed TO fatten usure, :, bankrupt en- er-
prise and, enslave industry. A vast cOn-
Sp,racy avaias mankind has been organ
ICED on two continents and is rapidly TAX.
Ing possession of the world. Ii not met
AID oyerthrown 1T once, It forebodes terri.
BILE social CONFUSION, the destruction Of
capt. ali1ation. or the establishment of an
absolute despOtism. We have witnessed
for more than = quarter OF q century The
struggles Of the TWO great political parties
for power, while grevous wrongs have
O00Q lOulCtCu upOu tuO OuuCA1uk i0OViSs a
We charge that the controlling influ-
ences DONNA Ing both these parties have
per mitted the existing or, adful eond t,ons
10 develop WI hOut serious effort 10 prevent
or restrain them. Neither do they VOW
promise as any subs anilal reform. They
have agreed together to ignore in the com
ing campaign every issue but one. They
people with the uprcar OF sham battle
over tho tari6, 20 that capital. corporations,
M. iOnai baDks, trusts, watered stock, The
Decentralization # silver and the Opprass-
ing Of the usurors may be lost sight OF.
They propose to sacrifice our homos, lives
les roy tho multitude in order to sscure
corruption from the mil'ionaireA
Assembled on the snn.versary of the
birthday Of the nation, Aid filled with the
spirit Of the grand generation who estab-
lished our Independence, We seek to re-
store the government OF the republ to the
sss %ssp s.srs our Tn Sar
poses 10 b Identical with the purposes Of
the national cons tuition; 10 form q more
perfect upion. establish justice, insure do
nestio tranquility. provide for the com.
mon defense, promote general welfare and
secure the blessings OF liberty for our.
eoIves and our p0sterity.
We declare that this republic can only
endure - . free government while built
upon he love of the whole people for each
otheY and for the nation; that 1t cannot be
pinned together by the bayonst; that the
eiyiI war II over and that every passion
and resentment which grew out Of 1t must
lie With.,t and that We must In fact a. We
are In name, 30 one united brotherhood Of
ereemen.
Our country finds itself confronted BY
conditions for which there 10 no preceden
In this world; our annual agricultural pro-
auctions amount to billions Of dollars in
value, which must within few weeks OF
months be exchanged for billions IT dollars
Of commodities consumed in their produc.
ton; the existing currency supply 10
wholly inadequate to make this exchange;
the results are failing Prices. the formation
of combines and rings, the Impeachment
ID tia nrndncin0 clasa Wa n;Adxa our.