The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-01-09
THE POPULIST PLATFORM.
THEIR POLICY DEFINED.
Work Of the National Committee at st.
Louis.

The work Of the conference Of tho national
committee Of the Peoples party at st. Louis,
with the leading members OF tho rank and
fle came 10 ftuition when that committee
submitted 10 the conference rs the result Of
us consideration Of the discussions Of the
conference an address to the party and to
The people.
Tho national committee OF the Peoples
party sends greeting to Its con stituency
throughout the United States. The rapid in.
crease OF our vote In every part OF the union
md the startling events Of the past two ycars
wildly justify both the existence Of and
necessity Tor the Peoples party. The conten.
tion OF the party that one OF the great needs
OF this country has been aud Is an enlarged
volume Of circulating medium Is now prac.
tically conceded by all parties and by the
government The gold power aud banking
interests are insisting through the president
and his secretary that the enlarged issue Of
our money supply shall be given exclusive
ly into the hands OF banks; that the silver
shall be excluded, all treasury notes retained
and that gold alone shall be u legal tender,
thus making the monetary question an Issue
which must be met at once.
Within the present year the corporations.
grown arrogant because Of the vast poses
sions o. wealth and the exercise Of unconsti.
tutional powers, have made war upon the
people mud induced the federal courts to ex.
ercise In their interest unusual aud nrbitary
powers, induced the invasion OF the states by
federal troops without the request OF either
the executive Of said states or the legislatures
thereof and are at this time, through re-
creant administration and truculent congress
attempting TO cloihe the railroad corpora
tions by means Of n pooling BILL with power
to further and more Systematically rob, op.
press and plunder tho people: aud having
already deprived the people Of access to the
silver mines OF the country ns an independent
source Of money supply. are now, In the in-
terest OF a banking oblgarchy, endeavoring
to deprive them Of tho right to have their
government in the exercise Of its constitu.
tional power, issuc the money OF the nation
and control its volume. In the opinion OF
your committee. these events are startling,
eubversive Of the liberties OF the citizen and
destructive OF business and social security
and ndhcTiny to the Omaha platform In all
Its integrity, your committee insists upon the
restoration of the coinage of gold ana silver
as IL existed prior to 1Si3-at the rate OF l6 TO
without regard to the action Of any other
nation, and that all paper money shall be is
sued 10y the general government without the
Intervention Of banks Of issue, the same to be
full legal tender.
We also declare our implaciablc hostility to
the further issue OF intercst-bearing bonds.
We denounce the pooling bill as move to-
ward completing the monopoly OF transpor-
lation, and demand tbat instead congress
proceed to bring the railroads under govern
ment ownership. The power given congress
by the constitution, 'to provide for the call.
ing forth Of the militia to execute the laws oi
the union, TO suppress Instructions, to re-
pei invasions," does not warrant the govy m
ment In making use Of standing army in
aiding monopolies In tho oppression ot the
public and their employees. When free men
unsheath tho sword II should be to strike
for liberty, not for despotism nor to uphold
privileged monopolies In the oppression ol
the poor
We ask the people to forget nll past
political differences und unite with US In the
common purpose to rescue the government
from the control Of monopolists aud concen
tratcd wealth, to limit the powers OF perpet'
uation by curtailing their privileges and &c
secure the rights OF free speech, free press
and trial by jury. All rules, regulations and
Judicial dicta in dcrogation Of either OF which
are arbitrary unconstitutional and not TO b'
tolerated by free people.
We recommend the immediate organiza
tion OF IN educational campaign by The
national stnte and local committees