The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1894-11-20
POPULIST PLATFORM.

4 City, August !. 1891
The Peoples party of the State Of Idaho in
convention assembled hereby adopts the fol-
lowing resolutions as expressive OF its convic-
lions:
First--We endorse the national platform Of
the Peoples party, adopted at Omaha, July 4,
1892.
Second-The Peoples party is party OF Jaw
I and order. Its mission Is 10 restore, as far as
law can affect IL, equally OF opportunity in the
/ race for life. IL believes il the sentimelt OK
pressed In the declaration OF Independence
that ''all men are by nature created equal anu
endowed by tncir Creator with certain inaliea-
able rights among which are life. liberty and
pursuit OF happiness" 1T declares that human
rights are more precious than vested wrongs,
and that ali pubic wrOlgs shall be made 10
yield to the demands OF equal justice express
ed through the Yeaceable and orderly use of
the ballot We know that through the ballot
only can the people become powerful. We
therefore condemn all acts Of lawlessaess or
| violence by whomsoever committed and pledge
ourselves 20 the people of the state that il they
shall cntTus. Us with the reins OF state govern
/ meat we will see to IL tnat public order is pre-
served ana peace and tranquility assnred to
the people
'Thlrd-We declare that the enforcement of
law, no matter how important it may be, is
only the beginning. not the end OF good govern
ment. We believe that the true statesmanship
lies IN making good laws far more tnad Ia en-
forcing bad ones. We therefore. dem and such
legislation, both state and national, as will
crush all monopolies and relieve the people
from all unjust discrimination Dy law.
Notwithstanding that the financial question
is one of prominent importance to our people,
we relLGrdle our ueLQaluS Tor the Tree ana
limited coinage OF silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio OF l6 to +.
Fiftn--That the future welfare Of our state
depends very largely upon its legislation on the
subject OF the appropriation ana use OF water
for purposes OF irrigation, therefore pledge
the Peoples party 10 the passage at the earl
lest opportunity, OF a law protecting the i'eople
against unreasonable charges for the Use of
water. and also creating water districts IN the
arid regions OF the state, and co1ferring upon
such districts the power TO construct bitches
ald canals for irrigating purposes; ana also
providing for the condemnation and purchase
by sucn districts OF existing ditcnes ald canals
constructed Tor the sd.e. rental or distribution
Ur water for agric JltCral uses. That such law
should authorize. under proper safeguards
such water districts to issue bonds 10 construct
or purth base sucn bitches or canals, which
bonds Shall be a charge upon districts only.
That the charges for the use of water should
be no higher tnat sufficient to pay for the cost
of maintenance and repair of such bitches and
canals. and create sinking fund to pay the in
terest on such boadS are paid. the use of water
should be free. except the necessary charge
for the maintenance and repair OF such bitches
or canals.
Sixth-We denounce the effort now being
made by the Northern Pacihc railroad company
to force upon its employees contracts in the
form OF oaths and containing provisions which.
II submitted to. would in the end reduce sucn
employees to the CONDITION OF Industrial slaves
we. therefore. demand state legislation that
will not only declare all such contracts null and
void bat also iadict upon the officers and agents
Of any corporation soliciting. demanding or
enforcing suen contracts in Idaho such punish
err chattel nor industrial slavery will be toler-
ated in this state. We further denounce the
} practice of mining corporations and companies
in running or being Interested ia stores and
boarding houses. either by themselves directly
or through their officers and superintendent
and making ii obligatory upon tueir employees
to trade ana deal III their stores board in
their boarding houses. and We demand such
Legislation as NIL efectualiy prevent such
practices.
Seven.h-We demand state legislation by
, which the ofnces o. sia.e lnlning Inspector anG
: state bol-er Inspector snail be med by persons
elected by the qua-lliet voters VI Inc s5ase In
stead OF. as noN. appointed By the governor.
Eighth-Nu Ceaulnee the I-aedee By per
sons and corporations of black- HsiaE Ii.bOrers
on account OF t.4cir connection with organized
labor. We demand 5ch state legislation o.
this subject Is wi. .llake Sucii a-s1 tiCe feI-
oly. ald III case Of Il cor lOratiOA. lne infection
j OF the adtitioAai peAalty OF the surrender u
+ the charter
Ninth-We de man5 q law prohibiting the en-
q try of deficiency Judgment OF morIgages on real
; property anu that the time Tor redeelning SuCl
properly from forced safes under foreclosure
or execution DC Extended from SIX months 10
Z Teath-We are opposed to the further sale OF
: The school lands OF the state ana demand that
N in lieu OF such sales such lands shall be leasee
e 20 actual occupants and thereby create per
d Jetual school tund without danger from loss.
h Eleventh-In view Of the criminal conduct o
4 both OLD parties in granting TO corporations
; monopoly of the peop.e's money by which thf
I property Of the Industrial classes is oeln.
rapidly absorbed by the usurers We favor sucl
d al extension of the exemption law of the stat
is will save the homes OF the people and assur'
IS 10 our wives and children reasonable proyis
ion against poverty. We pledge our legis- ator
10 revise the homestead law so that all actua
Q homesteaus will be exempt from forced sale OF
= execution without the necessity Of u dee-ara
N ton.
y Twelfth-We favor the submission to th
If people constitutional amendment cOnferriD
l. upon the legislature the power to TX salarie
n OF county officers at any figure between tn
5 maximum and minimum now established in tn
5, constitution aad demand that, whea 1t can 3
g done. the legislature shall reduce such sala
or ries to figure commensurate with the povert
10 OF the people. We also recommend state ieg1s
Il lation which shall require. under such regula
liz lions as may be liked by law. that all fees an
he commissions shall be paid to the county treas
q urer only and prohibited to be paid or receive
by any other county officer.
a. Thirteenth-We reiterate the demands of th
D., People, party representatives in our last stat
in legislature for the elimination from our cor
of Stitution of what is known as the test oath an
lie pledge our party to place before the voters {
be the state at the earliest opportunity const
of tutional amendment to that effect.
n Fourteenth-We demand that an alnendmei
nd to the constitution providing for equal SUifrai
ed be submitted by the legislature to the leg;
voters OF the state.
Fifteenth--We demand the passage Of a ne
and just apportionIaent oill giving lair rcpr'
sanitation 10 al parts OF the Htaie
- Sixteenth-Ve endorse the reform known
the initiative and referendum
Seventeenth-lhe office OF governor of Il sta
conferriag, rs IL ooeS, upon the lncumoel
many facilities ior gratifying an Unsuitable an
bition, this convention, therefore,
+ Res0tCes. mat the nominee 10 that off
shall be ineligible to the office of United Stat
/ senator and, II e.ected, Shnu not be eligible /,
> any other Office during his term.
at Eighteenth--t'rom the very nature OF the
- constitutions, popular governments must ne
u eSSarily be carried on turOagn the agency
20 political parties. Party Platforms thus b
come the oasis of all legislative and admin
III trative measures. and tneir wiltul violation
-, civil treason algalast republican, institution
Il The faithful keeping Of party pledges by tho
nd entrusted with power is the EignCSt polite
and moral duty due from pubic officer TO Z
he people. We believe the time mas come when
,,e should also be made Iegal duty. and. theI
20 fore favor state legislation which. while guar
ing the pubic officers iii tue state against fal
T., accusations and malicious prosecutions,
q. vet provide legal method through the coul
:. by which the gross violation by any officer
the pledges made by him through the pII
:. platform upon which he was elected. may
punished by his prompt dis niSSal from ONCE
we also favor the passage Of 4 state Jaw wnl
:. shall disqualify any person holding an on
from being a delegate to any party conventiS
- Ninteenth-We uenOunce the protuSe expt
iture OF money heretofore prdetlced by botn
the Old parties in this state in the conduct
:. political campaigaS. SucA practice is ccrrt
: within Itself. deEauches the political conSclel
- OF the voters. gives to the wealth an undue