The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-05-22
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
ADOPTED BY THE CONVENTION
AT OMAHA, NEB., JULY 4, 1892.


Assembled upon the one hundred and
sixteenth anniversary of the Declaration
Of Independence, the Peoples Party of
America in ther first national convention.
invoking upon their action the blessings
OF Almighty God, puts forth in the name,
and on behalf of the people of the country.
the following preamble and declaration Of
The conditions which surround us best
justify our cooperation: we meet in the
midst of a nation brought to the verge Of
moral ruin. Corruption dominates the
ballot box. the legislatures, the Congress,
And touches hes even an, the ermine on the
most of the states have been compelled
to isolate the voters at the polling places
to Wevent universal intimidation or bril-
berry. The newspapers are largely sub
sidized or muzzled; public opinion silenced ;
business prostrated; our homes covered
and the lana IN fhe hand.
are denied the right Of organization ' FOR
Dor beats down their wages; hireling
army, unrecognized by our laws. is estab-
lished to- shoot them down; and they are
ditions The fruits of the tolls of mill
ions are bodily stolen to build up colossal
fortunes fortune for few uqprecedented in the
Of these in turn despise the republic and
endanger liberty. From the same pro-
breed fhe two vi
millionaires.
The national power to create money is
currency. has been funded into gold
bearing bonds. thereby adding millions
to the burden of the people.
Silver, which has been accepted as coin
since the dawn of history. has been de-
monetzed to add to the purchasing power
erty, as well as human labor, and the sup
ply of currency is purposely abridged to
f faxa and en-
against mankind has been organized on
two continents. and it is rapidly taking
overthrow at once it forebodes terrible
social commissions, the destruction of civ
ilization or the establishment of an alb
more than a quarter of century the
struggles of the two great political parties
for power and plumber, while grievous
fering people. We charge that the con-
trolling influences dominating both these
parties have permitted the existing dread
full conditions to develope, without seri-
Gus effort to prevent or restrain them.
Neither do they now promise us any SUBJ
stantial reform 1tpn They have agreed to-
every issue but one. They propose to
drown the outcries of plundered people
tariff so that capitalists, corporations
national banks, rings, trusts, the demone-
tization of silver, and the expressions Of
They propose to sacrifice our homes
lives and children on the alter of Mammoth
to destroy the multitude in order to secure
corruption funds for the millonaires. As
sembled on the anniversary of the birthday
of the nation. and filled with the spirit
Of the grand generation of men, who estab-
lished our independence, we seek to re-
store, the government of the republic to
the hands I3 Of the plain people" with
purposes to be identical with the purpose
of the national constitution form a
more perfect union, establish justice, in
common defense, promote the general well
fare, and secure the blessing of liberty
for ourselves and our posterity;'
We declare that this republic can only
endure as free government while built
upon the love of the whole people for each
other and for the nation that it cannot be
pinned together by bayonets, that the civil
war is over and that every passion and re-
sentiment which grew out of it must die
we are e. in nm name one united brother h
Our country finds itself confronted by con-
ditions for which there is no precedent in
the history of the world. Our annual ag-
ricultural products amount to billions Of
dollars in value. which must within 9. few
weeks or months be exchanged for billions
their production; the existing currency
supply is wholly inadequate to make this
exc The ~ results are falling prices
the impoverishment of the producing
class. We pledge ourselves that if given
by wise and reasonable legislation, in
accordance with our platform.
We believe that the powers Of govern
be expanded las in the case of the postal
service) as rapidly and as far as the
teachings of experience shall justify; to
the end that oppression, injustice and pow
erty shall eventually cease in the land.
While our sympathies as party of re-
proposition which will tend to make men
intelligent. virtuous and temperate, we
portant they areas secondary to the
great issues now pressing for solution;
and upon which not only our individual
prosperity, but the very existence of free
institutions depends; and we ask all men
to first help us determine whether we are
to have a republic to administer, before
we differ as to the conditions upon which
1t is to be administered believing that the
forces of reform this day organized will
wrong is righted and equal privileges estab-
lished for all the men and women of this
country.
We declare, therefore.
UNION OF THE PEOPLE.
First-That the union of the labor forces
of the United States this day contaminated
shall be permanent and perpetual; may it's
ton of the republic and the uplifting of
mankind.
second-Wealth belongs to him who Gre
ates it; and every dollar taken from in
dustry, without an equivalent, is robbery.
eff any man will not work, neither shall
ne eat. Inc 1utcTcStS OIL rural anu CIVIC
labor. are the same; their enemies are
Identical.
Third-we believe that the time has
come when the railroad corporations will
either own the people or the people must
own the railroads; and should the govern
ment enter upon the work of owning and
managing the railroads, we should favor
an amendment to the constitution by
which all persons engaged in the govern
ment service shall be protected by civil
service regulations of the most rigid char
acter, so as to prevent the increase of the
power of the national administration by
the use of such additional government en-
plOyeS.
FINANCE.
We demand national currency, safe,
sound and flexible; issued by the gen.
eral government only; q full legal tender
for all debts public and private; and that
without the use Of banking corporations, a
Just, equitable and efficient means of distri-
button direct to the people, at tax not to
exceed 2 per cent per annum to be pro-
vided as set forth in the sub-treasury plan
of the Farmers Alliance. or some better
system; also by payments in discharge of
its obligations for public improvements.
We demand free and unlimited coinage
of silver and gold at the present legal ratio
of 16 to /.
We demand that the amount of circulat-
ing medium be speedily increased to not
less than $50 per capita.
We demand a graduated income tax.
We believe that the money of the coun-
try should be kept, much as possible, in
tho hands of the DeOD1e. and hence we