The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-06
'ome when the railroad corporations

come when the railroad corporations
will either own the people or the peo-
pie must own the railroads; and should
the government enter upon the work
OF owning and managing the railroads,
we should favor an amendment to the
constitution by which all persons en-
gagged in the government service shall
be protected by civil service regu-
lations Of the most rigid character, so
as to prevent the increase of the DOW
er of the national administration by
the use OF such additional government
employees.
FINANCE.
We demand a national currency,
safe, sound, and flexible; issued by the
general government only; full legal
tender for all debts public and private;
and that without the use of banking
corporations; just equitable and eff
Gent means OF distribution direct to
the people, at tax not to exceed 2per
cent per annum, to be provided as set
forth In the sub-treasury plan Of the
Farmers Alliance, or some better sys-
TEN; also by payments in discharge Of
Its obligations for public improve
mentS.
We demand free and unlimited coin.
age Of silver and gold at the present
legal ratio of Is to l.
We demand that the amount of cir
culating medium be speedily increased
to not less than $50 per capita.
We demand graduated income
tax.
We believe that the money Of the
country should be kept, as much as
possible, in the hands of the people;
and hence we demand that all state
and national revenues shall be limited
to the necessary expenses of the gov
Irnment, economically and honestly
administered.
We demand that postal savings
banks be established by the govern
ment for the safe deposit of the earn
lngs OF the people, and the facilita-
tion Of exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation being means of ex-
change and public necessity, the gov
eminent should own and operate the
railroads in the interest of the people.
The telegraph and telephone, like
the postOffice system, being necessity
for the transmission of news, should
be owned and perated by the govern
ment in the interests of the people.
The land, including all natural
sources OF wealth, is the heritage of
the people, and should not be mon
Opolized for speculative purposes; and
alien ownership of land should be pro-
hibited. All land now held by rail-
roads and other corporations in excess
Of their actual needs, and all lands
now owned by aliens, should be re-
claimed by the government and held
for actual settlers only.
RESOLUTIONS.
The following resolutions were Of
fered independent of the platform,
and were adopted, as expressive of the
sentiment Of the conventions:
Resolved, That we demand free
ballot and fair count in all elections,
and pledge ourselves to secure it to
every legal voter without federal in
tervention, through the adoption by
the states of the unperverted Aus
tralian secret ballot system.
Resolved, That the revenue derived
from a graduated income tax should
be applied to the reduction of the bur-
dens of taxation now levied upon the
domestic Industries Of this country
Resolved, That we pledge our sup
port to fair and liberal pensions to ex-
Union soldiers and sailors.
Resolved. That we condemn the fall
lacy Of protecting American labor un-
der the present system, which opens
our ports to the pauper and criminal
classes Of the world, and crowds out
our wage-earners; and we denounce
the present Ineffective law against
contract labor, and demand the fur
Their restriction of undesirable immi-
grafton.
Resolved, That we cordially sympa-
thize with the efforts of organized
wOrkingmen to shorten the hours of Ia
Dor and demand rigid enforcementof
the existing eight-hOur law on govern
ment work, and ask that a penalty
clause be added to said law.
Resolved, That we regard the main
tenance Of large standing army of
mercenaries, known as the Pinkerton
system, as menace to our liberties,
and we demand it's abolition, and we
condemn the recent invasion of the
Territory Of Wyoming by the hired as
sassins Of Plutocracy, assisted by Fed.
eral officers.
Resolved, That we commend to the
thoughtful consideration of the people
and the reform press, the legislative
system known as the Initiative aud
pNE~-endpH.
Resolved, That we favor a constitu.
tional provision limiting the Office of
president and vice president to one
term, and providing for the election
of the senators by direct vote of tho
people.
Resolved, That we oppose any sub.
sidy or national aid to any private cor.
pOration for any purpose.
II. e: TAUBENECK, Chairman, Mar.
shall, Ill.
J. H. TURNER, Secretary, Georgia.
LAWRENCE MCFARLAND, Secretary.
New York.
N: G. RANKIN, Treasurer, Terrs
Haute, Ind:
REFORM BOOKS.