Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-09-13

The platform of the Peoples party as
adopted by the State convention at
Union Park on Monday, the 3D. inst,
was given out last week. 1t is called a
"Statement of wrongs and declaration
of principles" The full text Of the
platform follows:
In severing our relations with the old
parties to which we have heretofore been
attached. it is proper that we should give
our reasons therefor. We therefore de-
clare and charge:
l. That they have corrupted the voters
in every direction for years past, and pur-
chased victory with money, and now look
= for success by the use of the same foul
means.
2. They have stifled and are rapidly ex-
tinguishing patriotism in the hearts of
our people by excluding from office the
honest and competent men of modest for
tune to make place for those whose prin-
cipal merit is their ability aud willingness
to make large contributions to buy votes.
3. They pass bad and defeat good laws
at the bidding of monopolies, trusts, syn
dictates and railroad corporations.
SCORING THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
4. The Senate OF the United States, once
the pride Of the country, and one OF the
most dignitied, patriotic, able and re-
spected legislative bodies in the world, is
attorneys of railroads, trusts and other
corporations, who receive more pay from
their clients than their salaries as senators,
and serve them better; and so notorious
has this become that the body itself has
become a stencil in the nostrils of honest
men, who turn away with loathnS and
disgust. The House of Representatives,
while not so lost to decency and respect, is
tainted with the same leaven; aud upon
The garments of some of its mem bers may
also be found the Shiny trace of corrup-
lion.
5. Even the judiciary, at one time above
suspicion, and supposed to be unstained
by tine foul touch of the corrupt money
power, is being filled with railroad and
trust attorneys, whose chief recommends
hon has been that they represented these
great money interests, and some of whose
decisions have shocked the conscience and
Judgment of honest men by their manifest
Partially, injustice and usurpation.
coXEY HAS FRIENDS,
g. Not only have legislation and ap,
pointments to office been secured as the
reward for pecuniary contributions to
political corruption funds, but the laws
themselves are administered i'll the interest
Of the rich and powerful, and are stretched
and twisted to punish the weak and humble
for real or fancied wrongs. As proof Of
this charge we instance the absolute refusal
of the Secretary of the Treasury to pur-
chase and coin silver bullion before the
repeal of the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act, although required by statute
law to do so; and OF the Attorney General
10 enforce the law against trusts on the
Dne hand, and on the other the prosecution
conviction and imprisonment Of CoXey
and his friends upon the frivolous and
absurd charge that they were 'treading OF
The grass"
CORRUPT PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS.
T. But all this is not to be wondered al
when we remember that the Presidential
nominations themselves have for year.
been secured by the corrupt use of money
and especially SO the last ones at Chicago
AMI Minneapolis, where the agents of thu
New York syndicates were as well-knowr
10 the members of the respective conyen
lions as the railroad and postotfices were
to the business men of these cities.
:. Many more instances OF corrupt prac
tees might be given, such as the appoint
ment OF John Wanamaker by Presden
Harrison, and Of j. J. Van Allen by Presi
dent Cleveland for their liberal coutribu
lions to the corruption funds of their re
spective parties, both alike disgraceful
but it is unnecessary. Ii what we hay
adduced is not convincing, nc amount o
argument or evidence woald be- and tn
1oubters would not believe though on
rose from the dead.
UNJUST AND OPPRESSIVE LAWS.
8. AS natural result, and directly flow
ing from such unGlean fountains, hav
come to us unjust and oppressive law:
with such poverty, misery, crime, despai
and death US our country never saw betor,
and would not see now but for them. An
we aver as q fact, and challenge suGCessfr
contradiction, that for the last quarter o
a century no effective law has been passe
by the general government, having as il
aim and object the welfare of the peOpl
at large, while hundreds have been ,asse
at the dictatiOn and in the interest Of ric
and powerful corporations, syndCates un
trusts. We will mention two or three
way of illustration,
THE PACIFIC RoNDs.
Instead of keeping our public lands +,
actual settlers, us should lie our polic
Congress gave them to the Pacific raj
roads. Nor did they stop with that, b.
also gave them bonds to build the road
and now tax the people 10 pay the intert
on the bonds; and even pay the roads i
carrying the mails and soldiers III Ii
United States, but refuse to CollGc. VIII
the roads owe the people or even allow u
claim to be offset against another.
DEMONSTRATION OF SILVER.
Secretly, without warming and in t
dark, as HE assassin Stabs his victim
lore robbing him, it struck down a
lemouetized half the metal money of t
country; and has ever since refused to
store it; thereby reducing the price
every cultivated product that rich a
generous earth yields, and every artiO
made by the hand Of man, rs we'll as 1
value OF the land itself and the labor
the hand that tills it; bringing more pc
srty and misery upon our people than
ihc wars, pestilence and famine whi
nave ever afflicted us,
PAYMENT OF INTEREST IN GOLD.
At the demand OF foreign and domes
bondholders the President of the nil
States and bis Secretary of the ireasuI
against the prOtestatluns Of d taX-rldd
and impoverished people, and at the sac
ace of their interests have paid tn
ponds and the interest thereon in 60
when on their face they were payable
sither gold Or sitv9% and in order to do
nave sold new bonds, and then taxed
people TO pay the interest on both old d
new.
USE OF FEDERAL TROOPS.
1t has endorsed and sanctioned the
of the army Ut the Guitei States d
oolice force in several If the states.
lnly without being invited To Do 50 by
States but in the lauG Of earnest and {
hhatiC protestauuns Of the executive
these States that the presence OF
Federal troops was neither needed
desired.
PRETENDED TARIFF REFORM.
In q prgteAue4 reform Of the tariff
trusts have got AL they asked and
afmers and workjnguen nave lost /
ii what they had. The poor mans ST
mas bee@ taxed in order Il give the ST.
trust many millions i'll advance and nj
more annually in pa7puLuity.
but ulne would lall Us TO enumerate
icts Of injustice perfetr4Ued by a Repu
i 1.ttrH 4.tLs
asst = Years. We nave waited and no
md prayed for relief, but all our pray