Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-07-12
THE PEOPLES PLATFORM.
Adoptsd in National Convention q
Omaha, July Z. 1892.

Om8nop July - AoV~'
Assembled upon the 10th anniversary Of the
Declaration of Independence. the Peoples
marty Of America In their first national con-
yention. invoking upon tNeir action the bless
ing of Almighty God. putA forth In the name
and on behalf Of the people If this country the
following preamble and declaration OF prfnci-
Piles:
The conditions which surround ~ Justify
| our action; we meet in the midst OF nation
brought to the verge Of moral, political and
material ruin. Corruption dominates the bal.
| lot box, tho legislatures. the congress, and
| touches even the ermine Of the bench. The
| people are demoralixed; most Of the states
| have been compelled to isolate the voters at
tho polling places In order to prevent universal
| intimidation or bribery. The newspapers are
| largely subsidized or muzzled, public opinion
| silenced, business FRUSTRATED, our homes GOV.
| cred with mortgages. labor Impoverished and
| the land concentrating In the hands OF the
| capitalists. The urban workmen arc denied
| the right of organization for self projections
| imported pauperized labor boats down their
wages; q hireling standing army, unrecog
| nixed by our laws, Is established to shoot them
| down. and they are rapidly degenerating into
| European conditions. The fruits Of tho toll Of
| millions are boldly stolen to build up colossal
| fortunes for few, unprecedented in the his
! tory Of mankind, and tho possessors of these,
| IN turns Q09plSo LILO Lepubho aha ChuohBoA
| liberty. From the Same prolific womb Of gov.
srnmental injustice We breed the two great
classes-tramps and millionaires.
Tho national power to create money IL ap-
| propriated to enrich bondholders; vast pub
Lie debt, payable in legal tender currency, has
been funded into gold bearing bonds, thereby
adding millions to tho burdens Of the people.
Silver, which has been accepted as coin since
the dawn of history, has been demonetized to
| "a - h. chos NJ uold ~ IA
ereasing the price Of all forms of property As
we'll as human labor. Tho supply Of currency
! d purposely abridged to fatten usurers, bank
| rupt enterprise and enslave industry.
| A vast conspiracy against mankind has been
organized on two continents, and It II rapidly
taking possession of tho world. II not met
and overthrown at once 1t forebodes terrible
social commissions, the destruction Of civilza-
ton or the establishment of an absolute des-
potism.
We have witnessed for more that . quarter
Of century the struggles of two great politi-
| cal parties for power and plumber, while grew
Gus wrongs have becn inflicted upon suffer
Ing people. We charge that the controlling
influences dominating both these parties have
permitted the existing dreadful conditions TO
develop without. serious effoIts to prevent OF
NsUrm them. NeIt6or DO I dey now pySm1o
~ any substantial relief They have agreed
every issue but one. They propose 70 drown
The outories If . pluszorv- people with the
upfoar Of sham battle over the tariff. 20 that
capitalists. corporations, national banks, rings,
trusts, watered stock, tho decentralization OF
silver and the oppression of the Insurers may
all BE- lost sight Of They propose to sacrifice
DIR homes. lives and children on the altar Of
Mammon: to destroy the multitude in order
II secure corruption funds from tho million
airs.
Assembled on the anniversary Of the birth.
| day of the nation. and filed with the spirit Of
tho grand generation who established our inds.
psndence, we seek to restore the government
Of the republic to the hands Of 'ths plain peo-
ple,? with which class It originated.
We assert our purposes TO be identical witt,
the purposes Of the national constitution-tc
form . more perfect Union, establish Justice
insure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general welfare
and secure the blessings Of liberty for ourselves
6hd our posterity."
We declare that this republic can only On
AZURE a FREQ government while built upon ths
bvo Of the whole people for each other and
Tor the nation; that II cannot be pinned ~.
eether by bayonsts, that the civil war Is over,
and that every passion and resentment which
grew out Of It must die with It. and that we
| must be In fact, as we are In name, o united
brotherhood of free men.
Our country finds itself confronted by con.
| ditions for which there Is no precedent In the
history Of the world. Our annual agricultural
productions amount to billions Of dollars N
value, which must within few weeks @
months DO exchanged for billions Of dollars 81
commodities consumed In their production.
The existing currency supply Is wholly made
auate TO make this exchange. The results are
falling prices, the formation Of combines and
rings and the impovsrishmsnt OF tho PRODUCING
classes. We pledge ourselves that II sivsn
power we will labor to correct these evils By
wise and reasonable legislation, In accordance
, with the terms Of our platform.
We believe that the powers Of guvernmsuk-
In other words, Of the peopls-should b "a.
banded (as In the case Of the postal service) q
rapidly and a. far as the good sense Of an IN.
fSlligent people and the teachings Of expert
snce shall justify, to the end that oppression,
injustice and poverty shall eventually cease In
the land.
| While our sympathies - party Of reform
arc naturally upon the side Of every PROPOSE
ton which will tend to make mon Intelligent
yirtap9 sSs. and tsMpsrats, we nevertheless 70
. secondary to the great issuss now pressing
| for solution, and upon which not only our In.
STs u: Fl g
p help hs p dsssipIns vnCTnsr NJ m "
- to the conditions 1pon which Il b 10 be ID
hinistsrsd, believing That the forces Of reiogm
this day organised viii never cease to move
| forward until every wrong u yemsdisd and
equal rights and equal privileges securely T.
tablished for all the men and women q Mia
We declare, therefore t
That the union Of the labor forcss Of the
United States this day consuinMAte4 9hau b
permepent and perpstual--rpAy IL tpiflt 1dtsf
Into AL hearts for the salvation Of tkA rspIAlia
and the uplifting Of mankind.
Wealth belopes 70 him who creates II, ana
every dollar tsisp from ipduatry without p
seHiSSslsSSs .i + SsobbsFy acy vll not wos
and civic labor are the same; their enemies
We believe that the time has come whom Ii,
railroad corporations must either own the pec-
| pie or the people must own tho Yailrosds. ~
should the government enter upon the work q
| owning and managing any or all railroads We
should favor an amendment 10 the Constitution
BY which all persons engaged In the government
| service shall b. placed under q civil ssTyioe
l regulation Of the most rigid character, 90 ss
70 prevent the increase OF the power a the
netional administration by the use ef such
additional government employees
We demand q national currency safe sound
and flexible, issued by the general royernment
only full legal tender Tor all dsbta publio
and private, and that without the use Of bank
Ing corporations; 9 just equitable and efficient
means Of distribution, direct 70 the people. al
tar not 70 exceed 2 per cent Der annum, 10
BE- provided - set forth In tie subtrsasury
plan Of the Farmers Alliance, or some better
SYSTEM also by payments In discharge Of It's