Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-07-31
CALIFORNIA; PLATFORM.
Declaration of Principles Adopted by th
Prohibitionists at the Recent Convention

Prohibitionists at the Recent Convention.
In the apl Illing magnitude of its finan-
cial waste, in its production of misery,
penury, want, disease, vice and crime
under the form and sanction of law, the
liquor traffic has no equal.
First-Therefore we demand that the
manufacture, sale, expectation, importa-
ton and transportation Of all intoxicat-
ing liquors as q beverage be forever pro-
hibited by state and national legislation.
Second-We favor an educational quail
i6cation for voters and declare that wo-
men should be admitted to suffrage ON
an equality with men, subject only to
the same limitations which apply to men.
Third-We declare that all money
should be issued by the government di-
rectly to the people without the inter-
vention of any private individual or cor
poration, sufficient in amount, not ex-
ceeding $50 per capita, to transact all the
business of the country, and to be full
legal tender for all debts, both public
and private. To this end we favor the
free and unlimited coinage of silver, the
product of the mines of the United
States, at the present ratio.
Fourth-We declare ourselves in favor
of placing the national, state and local
governments directly in the hands Of the
people and to this end favo or the election
of president, vice president and senator's
by direct vote of the people, and also the
adoption of the methods of legislation
known as the initiative and referendum
as far as practicable; also proportional
representation. The government owes
| to the people an economical and speedy
method for the transmission Of intelli-
gence and the exchange of products and
a place for the safe deposit of their earn.
ings, and to this end we favor the own
ership and control of railroads, tele-
graphs, telephones and the establish
ment of postal savings banks by the gov
ernment, all to be administered under a
strict civil service system.
Fifth-The land is the inheritance of
the people, and the holding of large bod
les by individuals or corporations is det-
rimental to the highest prosperity of
the people. We therefore favor grad
uated land tax and such other legisla-
ton as will limit the amount to be held
by any individual or corporation, and all
unearned land grants now in the hands
of the railroad corporations shall be for
/ feited.
! Sixth-The public schools should be
absolutely free and unsectarian, the Eng
lish language to be the only one used,
and system of industrial training to
be adopted as far as practicable. No
public funds should under any pretense
be appropriated for sectarian schools.
Seventh-We declare for the preserva-
ton of one day in seven as day of rest
as civil institution, without expressing
or interfering with any who observe any
other day of the week as such a day of
rest.
Eighth-Foreign immigration has be-
come burden upon industry, one of the
factors in depressing wages and causing
discomfort. Wherefore we declare in
favor of immigration laws SO framed as
/ to exclude the pauper, criminal, insane
and anarchist classes. The time of resi-
dence for naturalization should be ex-
tended to 10 years, and no naturalized
person should be allowed to vote until
five years after he becomes citizen.
Ninth-We favor the construction,
ownership and management of the Mic
aragua canal by the general government
in the interest Of the people.
Tenth-As it is a political impossible
ty to place the business interests of our
country on firm, reliable and steady
basis while our tariff laws are subject to
constant changes by the dominant par
ties and while it is a subject of constant
partisan dispute, we demand that the
tariff question be taken out of the realm
of party politics and placed in the hands
of anonpartisan tariff commission, where
it can be regulated to afford ample pro-
lection for the need of all industries and
to provide sufficient revenue for the sup
port of the federal government.