The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1894-08-14

Peoples Party convention convened in Boise
City, August l, 1894 +:
convention assembled hereby adopts the fol-
lowing resolutions as expressive OF It's convic-
lions:
Ffrst-we endorse the national platform OF
1892
Second-The Peoples party is party of law
and order. Its mission Is to restore, as far as
law can AFFECT 1t, equality OF opportunity In the
race for life. 1t believes Ia the sentiment ex-
pressed In the Declaration OF Independence
that "all men are by nature created equal and
endowed by their Creator with certain inalien-
able rights among which are life. liberty and
pursuit OF happiness" 1t declares that human
BE To-
yield to the demands OF equal justice express
ed through the peaceable and orderly use OF
the ballot. We know that through the baiiot
only can the people become powerful. We
therefore condemn all acts OF lawlessness or
violence by whomsoever committed and pledge
ourselves to the people OF the state that II they
shall entrust US with the reins of state govern
ment we will see to IL that public order Is pre-
served and peace and tranquility assured to
the people.
Third-We declare that the enforcement OF
law, no matter how important II may be, Is
only the beginning, not the end OF good govern
ment. We believe that the true craftsmanship
lies In making good laws far more than In en-
forcing bad ones We therefore, demand such
legislation, both state and national as will
crush all monopolies and relieve the people
Fourth-Realizing that the financial question
is one of prominent Importance to our people,
we reiterate our demands for the free and un-
emit legal ratio OF 10 to l.
Fifth-That the future welfare of our state
depends very largely upon Its legislation on the
subject OF the appropriation and use OF water
for purposes Of Irrigation, we therefore, pledge
the Peoples party to the passage, at the earl
lest opportunity OF q law protecting the people
against unreasonable charges for the use OF
water creating districts
arid regions OF the state, and comforting upon
such districts the power to construct bitches
and canals for irrigating purposes; and also
providing for the condemnation and purchase
by such districts of existing bitches and canals
constructed for the SALE rental or distribution
of water for agricultural uses. That such law
should authorize, under proper safeguards,
such water districts to issue bonds to construct
or purchase such bitches or canals which
bonds shall be charge upon districts only.
That the charges for the use of water should
be no higher that 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 bonds 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 Pacific 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 such
| employees TO the condition OF industrial slaves,
| we, therefore, demand state legislation that
will not only declare all such contracts null and
void but also nttict upon the officers and agents
OF any corporation soliciting, demanding or
| enforcing such contracts In Idaho such punish
ment as will effectually teach them that neith :
er 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 In stores and
| boarding houses, either by themselves directly
or through their officers and superintendent,
and making 1t obligatory upon their employees
to trade and deal In their stores or board In
their boarding houses, and we demand such
| Legislation as will efrectually prevent such
| practices.
seventh--We demand state legislation by
which the offices OF state mining inspector and
state boiler inspector shall be filed by persons
| elected by the qualified voters of the state in
stead OF, as now, appointed by the governor.
| Eighth-We denounce the practice by per-
| sons and corporations Of black listing laborers
| on account of their connection with organized
| labor. We demand such state legislation on
| this subject as will make such practice o fell
ony, and, In case OF corporation, the infection
| OF the additional penalty OF the surrender OF
| the charter.
Ninth--We demand o law prohibiting the en-
| try OF deficiency judgment Of mortgages on real
property, and that the time for redeeming such
| property from forced sales under foreclosure
or execution be extended from six months to
| two years.
Tenth-We are opposed to the further sale OF
the school lands of the state and demand that
In lieu OF such sales such lands shall be leased
to actual occupants and thereby create per-
petual school fund without danger from loss.
Eleventh-In view Of the criminal conduct Of
both old parties In granting to corporations
monopoly Of the peoples money by which the
| property OF the industrial classes is being
rapidly absorbed by the usurers we favor such
| an extension of the exemption law of the state
as will save the homes of the people and assure
10 our wives and children reasonable provis
lon against poverty, We pledge our Legislators
10 revise the homestead law so that all actua
homesteads win be exempt from forced sale or
execution without the necessity of q declara.
ton.
Twelfth-We favor the submission to the
people constitutional amendment conferrinf
upon the legislature the power to fix salaries
OF county officers at any figure between the
maximum and minimum now established In the
constitution, and demand that, when 1t can bt
done the legislature shall reduce such sala
ries to figure commensurate with the poverty
OF the people. We also recommend state legis
iation which shall require, under such regula.
commissions shall be paid to the county treas
urer only and prohibited to be paid or received
by any other county ofhcer.
| Thirteenth--We reiterate the demands of the
Peoples party representatives in our last state
Legislature for the elimination from our con.
stitution OF what is known as the test oath ant
pledge our party to place before the voters o.
the state at the earliest opportunity a consti
tutional amendment to that effect.
Fourteenth-We demand that an amendment
10 the constitution providing for equal suffrage
be submitted by the legislature to the lega
voters OF the state.
Fifteenth-We demand the passage of new
anu just superintendent Dill giving fair repre-
sentation to all parts OF the state
Sixteenth-We endorse the reform known as
the initiative and referendum.
Seventeenth-The office of governor OF state
comforting, as 1t does, upon the incumbent
many facilities for gratifying an Unsuitable am.
oition, this convention, therefore,
Resotoes, That the nominee to that office
shall De ineligible to the office of United States
senator and II elected, shall not be eligible for
any other ONCE during his term.
Elgnteenth-from the very nature OF theii
constitutions, popular governments must nee
essarily be carried on through the agency OF
political parties. Party platforms thus be.
come the basis of oil legislative and admins.
trative measures, and their wilful violation is
civil treason against republican institutions
The faithful keeping OF party pledges by those
entrusted with power Is the highest political
and moral duty due from public oficer to the
people. We believe the time has come when Il
should also be made q legal duty. And there.
lore FAVOR state legislation which, while guard
| ing the public officers in the state against false
accusations and malicious prosecutions will
yet provide legal method through the courts
by which the gross violation by any oficer OF
the pledges made by him through the party
platform upon which he was elected NAV be
punished by his prompt dismissal from office
we also favor the passage of state law Which
snail disqualify any person holding an ONCE
from being delegate to any party convention
Int INT h Ia. d., ~