Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-07-25
THE PLATFORM.

We, the representatives Of the peoples party q
the state OF Kansas In convention assembled, do
hereby reafhrm our allegiance to the principles
enunciated In the Omaha PLATFORM and point to the
records Of our representatives in Congress as an
evidence Of their loyalty to that platform We meet
at this time under conditions which see every
prophecy then made fulfilled and every indictments
which was made therein against the republican and
democratic parties proven.
Our sympathies go ont to the unemployed, home
less and landless people of the country who have
been brought to their present condition In q great
measure through the vicious, American financial
policy of this government; and we hold sacred the
declaration of independence THAT all men are Gre
sted equal; they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights that among these life,
| liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"
We most heartily commend our present state ON
cas for their wise and economical administration OF
state affairs that has saved to the taxpayers thou
sands of dollars and the popuis legislators for their
efforts to enact into law every demand of the state
platform adopted at Wichita in 1892.
We demand the free coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to l, and denounce any party that 80 com-
pletey under the control of the gold bugs that 10
dare not take a stand for the people this a-im-
portant question, which means much to the wage
earners and producers of our country
We reiterate our opposition to all banks of issue,
| whether national state, and demand the estab-
lishment Of postal savings banks by the national
government for the protection of small depositors
and call attention to the widespread distress caused
by the large number of bank failures during the
past year. whereby thousands of depositOrs suffered
the loss of all their savings, as evidence of the
necessity of this demand.
That we unalterably opposed to the issue Of
government interest bonds nd
instead full legaltender treasury notes and in the
payment of the current expenses of the govern
ment there shall be discrimination made BE-
tween such notes and gold or silver.
We demand national and state arbitration to settle
and adjust the differences between the employers
and employees; and we further demand, that where
the property of a corporation has been placed in
the hands of receiver, the wages of the employees
shall be first lien its earnings and effects; and
we denounce the appointment of officials parties
interested receivers of any corporation.
We demand a service pension, graduated that
the who carried the musket shall be entitled to
the same consideration the man who wore the
epaulets, and said law to be so framed that It Will
place it forever beyond the power of any official who
is unfriendly toward the union soldier to change,
suspend, in any way deprive the soldier of his
just dues which this government owes him for de-
We favor Q state irrigation department, to nvestt
gate methods and water supply and encourage more
extended irrigation.
We demand a freight-rate law based on the line Of
the ma1lmuIn-rate bill passed by the senate and
populist house. and afterwards defeated by the
publican house, and quote, in proof Of the need Of
such law, the plank of the republican platform
adopted at their state convention in 1897, which
we adopt and make a part of this demand, to wit:
I've insist that the great transportation COM
panies which derive their corporate existence from
Kansas laws and their financial existence from Kan
trade and commerce owe to the people Of Kansas
fair, equitable and honest treatment In the mEttsg
of freight rstesI and we opposed to the inequ-
table and oppressive discrimination In the cd
tustment of such rates by said corporations,
whereby the merchants, shippers and consumers
of other states enriched at the expense
and to the injury of the people af Kan
and we demand of the next Legislature the NJ
most diligence In enacting appropriate legislston
providing therefor 10 the end that the agricultural
mercantile and other interests of Kansas shall b
placed on q footing Of equality so far a. freight
rates concerned with the like Interests Of sd-
joining statee."
Believing that all power IL vested In shs people
and that all laws of vital importance should be int
| ated and approved or disapproyed By them, We In
dorse the initiative and referendum system
In support of these principles, invite the
operation of the loyal liberty loving people Of al
parties.
The peoples party came Into existence and won
its glorious victories the fundamental principles
of equal rights to all and special privileges to mona,
| therefore, We favor the pending constitutional
amendment, but We do not regard Il - Q tsat ok
| party feslsy.