The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1894-11-06
Following is the Populist State
platform. Read it carefully to-
day before casting your ballots.
1t is good reading

1t is good reading
The following platform was adopted by the
| Peoples Party convention convened In Boise
City, August l, 1894
The Peoples party Of the State of Idaho in
convention assembled hereby adopts the fol-
lowing resolutions as expressive OF its conyic-
| tions:
First-We endorse the national platform OF
the Peoples party, adopted at Omaha, July 4,
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. II believes in 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 fights among which life. liberty and
pursuit OF happiness" II declares that human
rights are more precious than vested wrongs
and that all public wrongs shall be made 10
y1eld TO the demands of equal justice express
ed through the peaceable and orderly use OF
the ballot. We know that through the ballot
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
| snall enIrust us with the reins of state govern
ment we will see to it that public order is pre-
tine people
Tnird-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 statesmansnio
hes In making good laws far more than In en-
forcing oad ones. We therefore, demand such
legislation, both state and national, as win
from ell unjus1 discrimination by law
FourGn-Realizing tnat the financial question
IS one OF prominent Importance 10 our people,
we reiterate our demands for the free and un-
limited coinage of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio OF l6 10 l.
Fifth-Tnat 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, we therefore, pledge
the Peoples parry to the passage, at the earl
lest opportunity, OF a law protecting the people
against unreasonable charges for the use of
water, and also creating water districts I'd the
arid regions OF the state, and comforting upon
such districts the power to construct bitches
and canals for irrigaLing purposes; and also
provicIlg for the condemnation and purchase
by such districts of existing bitches and canals
constructed for the sale, rental or distribution
OF wafer for agricultural uses. That sucn Law
should authorize, under proper safeguards,
such water districts TO issue bonds TO construct
or purchase such bitches or canals. which
bonds snail be a charge upon districts only.
That the charges for the use of water Should
be no higher that sufficient to pay for the cose
OF maintenance and repair of such bitches ana
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 compa ~
TO force upon its employees contracts in tle
form of oaths and containing provisions wnicn
il submitted to, would in the end reduce sucn
employees 10 the condition OF Industrial slaves
we, therefore, demand state Legislation tnat
void but also 1nfiict upon the officers and agents
OF any corporation soliciting demanding OF
enforcing such contracts in Idaho such punish
ment as will enectually teach them that nett h
er chattel nor industrial slavery will be toier-
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 superintendents.
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 effectually prevent such
Seventh-We demand state legislation by
which the offices of state mining inspector and
state boiler inspector shall be filled 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 a fell
ony, and, in case of a corporation the infiction
OF the additional penalty Of the surrender OF
n the charter.
e try of deficiency judgment Of mortgages on real
n property, and that the time for redeeming such
property from forced sales under foreclosure
a or execution be extended from six months to
two years.
1 Tenth-We are opposed to the further sale OF
N the school lands of the state and demand that
in lieu of such sales, such lands shall be leased
n to actual occupants and thereby create a per-
petual school fund without danger from loss.
Eleventh-In view of the criminal conducG 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 sucf
an extension of the exemption law of the STATE
as will save the homes of the people and assure
to our wives and children reasonable provis
ion against poverty. We pledge our legislator.
to revise the homestead law so that all actua
homesteads will be exempt from forced sale OF
execution without the necessity of declara
ton.
Tweltth-We favor the submission to tn,
IL people constitutional amendment conferrin;
II upon the legislature the power to fix salaries
- OF county officers at any figure between TIT
: maximum and minimum now established in thu
J. constitution, and demand that, when IL can o
X done, the legislature shall reduce such sala
ries to a figure commensurate with the poverS,
OF the people. We also recommend state legis
Y la5ion which shall require, under such regula
/ tions as may be liked by law, that all fees an'
IL commissions shall be paid to the county treas
h urer only and prohibited to be paid or received
- by any other county officer
u Tnifteenth-We reiterate the demands of tn
Peoples party representatives in our last stat
legislature for the elimination from our con
stitution of what is known as the test oath an
pledge our party to place before the voters Q
the state at the earliest opportunity a consti
tusional amendment to that effect.
Fourteenuh-We demand that an amendmen
T to the constitution providing for equal suffrag
L be submitted by the legislature to the lega
/, voters of the state.
- Fiteenth-We demand the passage of a me-
(, and just apportionment bill giving fair repre-
u sen.ation TO all parts of the state.
rb SiS6eenth-We endorse the reform known q
~ Seventeenth-The office of governor of a stat
70 concerning, as 1t does upon the incumbeI
many facilities for gratifying an Unsuitable an
u bition, this convention, therefore,
c. RsSotUes That the nominee to that of1o
. shall be ineligible to the office of United State
senator and, II elected shall not be eligible fo
my other office during his term.
Eignteentn-From the very nature OF the
constitutions, popular governments must nee
essarily be carried on through the agency
political parties. Party platforms cnus b'
come the basis of all legislative and aGmlni:
,, traIive measures and their wilful violation
IL civil treason against republican institution
40 Tue faiunful keeping OF party pledges by vho:
~ entrusted with power is the highest polite;
~ and moral duty due from public oiflcer 10 tt
~ people. We believe the time has come when
q should also be made legal duty. And, Their
fore lavor state legislation which, while guar
~, ing ene public officers in the state againsG fal
AZ accusations and malicious prosecutions, vi
no vel provide q legal method through the cour
10 by which the gross violation By any oiiicer
a tie pledges made by him through the par
III, platform upon which he was elected, may
nd punished by his prompt dismissal from oifce
w w we also lavor the passage of y state law Wait
no shall disQdaiify any person holding an ofi
from being delegate 10 any party conventio
l-a Ninteenth-We denounce the profuse expe
NC iture of money heretofore pracdced ny bo.n
~ tue ola parties in tnis state in the conouct