The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-09-11
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
ADOPTED BY THE CONVENTION
AT OMAHA. NEB., JULY 4, 1892.

Assembled upon the one hundred and
sixteenth anniversary Of the Declarationa
America in ther first national convention,
invoking upon their action the blessings
and on behalf Of the ' people Of the country.
the following preamble and declaration OF
principles:
The conditions which surround us best
Justify our co-operation: we meet IN the
midst of a nation brought to the verge OF
bat b oan the tine
bench. The people are demorali ,5ed
to isolate the voters at the polling places
to prevent universal intimidation or bri-
s pery The are iargsy
business Frustrated; our homes covered
with mortgages; labor impoverihshedd:
of the capitalists. The urban workmen
are denied the right of organization for
self protection; imported pauperized al, Ia
army; unrecognized by, our laws Is estan o.
lished to, shoot them down: and they are
ditions. The fruits aiS of t the tolls Of mill;
ions ions are bodily stolen to build up colossal sha
fortunes for a few, unprecedented. IN the
OF these In turn despise the repuonc ana
endanger liberty. From the same pro
h INC WOMB OF governmental in1us ons o VIZ
Dreed the two great claSses-tramps anu
The national power to create money Is
vast public debt. payable in legal tender
currency. has been funded, into e, gold old.
TO the burden of the people.
since the dawn Of history has been a. de-
of gold. by decreasing all forms Of prop
erty, as well as human labor. and the sup
by OF is purpossy a5sdg g e to
against @snfind has b ssS' Organized On
possession Of the a" World ~ If not met and
social commissions, the destruction of civ
soiute despotism. We have witnessed for
more than quarter of century the
pewsr OF ans s t pn stsa' grs1oss
wrongs have been inflicted upon the suf-
ferin1lg people. We charge that the CON
parties have permitted the existing dread
Iul conditions to develope. without serl-
oS to or restra s ab
stantial reform. They have agreed to-
gether to ignore, in the coming Campaign.
drown the outcries of plundered people
with the uproar of sham battle over the
50 that capitalists tba
the! the usurers may all be- lost sight Of
lives and children the alter of Mammon;
to destroy the multitude in order to secure
corruption funds for the millionaires As
sembled on the anniversary of the birthday
Of the nation and filled with the spirit
of the grand generation of men, who estab-
store the goVe ap1ne Of the republic to
the os hands 1,ds. Of the plain people with
purposes to be identical with the purpose
of the national constitution:-"t form
more perfect union, establish justice in
eoe defense e ar wee
fare and secure the blessing, of liberty
We deaare aaa s can only
endure. as free government while built
upon the love Of the whole people for each
pinned together by bayonets, that the civil
war is over and that every passion and re-
whfh grew out Of be IL must ft die
our country finds itself confronted by con
the history of the world. Our annual ag-
ricultural products amount to billions. of
Weeks or y" months be exchanged for billions
of dollars of commodities consumed in
their production the existing currency
exchange. The results are falling prices,
the formation of combines and rings, and
the We pedge that gye5
by wise and reasonable. legislation. in
We believe that the powers Of govern
ment-in other words, of the people-should
be expanded las IN the case or the postal
service) as rapidly and as far as the
good sense Of AT intelligent people. and the
teachings of experience shall justify: to
the end that oppression, injustice and pov-
erty shall eventually cease in the land
While our sympathies as a party of re-
form are naturally upon the side Of every
proposition which will tend to make men
intelligent virtuous and temperate, we
nevertheless regard these questions-im-
portant as 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 republic to administer. before
we differ as to the conditions upon which
it is to be administered. believing that the
forces of reform this day organized will
never cease to move Forward until every
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 consummated
shall be permanent and perpetual; may its
spirit enter into all hearts for the saliva
tfon 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.
''If any man will not work, neither shall
he eat" The interests Of rural and civic