The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-10-09
PEOPLES PLATFORM
ADOPTED BY THE CONVENTION
AT OMAHA. NEB., JULY 4, 1892.

Assembled upon the one hundred and
ST anniversary Of the Deeafatio N
America in Their 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 or
principles
The conditions which surround US best
justify our co-Operation: we meet IN the
midst of a nation brought to the verge OF
moral ruin Corruption dominates s,usard the
bench. The people are demorali7s ed
most of the states have, been compei ael
to prevent universal intimidation or DIl-
berry. The newspapers are largely SUP
sidized or muzzled; public opinion silenced
business Frustrated; our homes covered
with mortgages; labor imp tre Isl nd
az the ee aaa nd Hrba in TIVE
are. denied the right of organization Tor
self-protection; imported pauperiz7edo ia; Ia
army; unrecognized by our laws is estap-
lshed to shoot them down: and they are
don T6e ft Of int the tos Of mill
ions are bodily stolen to build up colossal
fortunes for few. unprecedented IN me me
history of mankind, and the po posse nS
of these in turn despise the republic and
,esndanger liberty. From the same pro
inc womb of governmental in1ustlce we
breed the two great clasSes-tramps anu
milliOnaireS.
The nationa power to money is
currency. has been funded into gold
DC th bonds, thereby adding mlillohs
TO the burden of the people.
sine the dawn of history, has. been de.
of gold, by. decreasing all forms, Of prop
erty, as well as human labor, and the sup
Ply OF currency is purposely abridged TO
against mankind has been sS' organized on
possession of the world. If not met and an,
overthrown at once it forebodes terrible
socla! commissions, the destruction OF clv-
lll7ation or the establishment of an a ah.
solute despotism. We have witnessed for
more than quarter of century the
for OF ad t ponder Rwhe
wrongs have been inflicted upon the suf-
ferng people. We charge that the CON
parties have permitted the existing dread
full conditions to develope, without serl-
or Ne nor d to or restran a 1ne Sub
stantal reform They have agreed to-
gether to ignore, in the coming campaign,
every issue but one. They propose to
drown the outcries of plundered people
with the uproar of sham battle over the
ra So that Gaptalss tba
tization of silver. and the expressions of
the the Insurers may all be lost sight Of
lives and children on the alter of Mammon;
to destroy the multitude in order to secure
corruption FUNDS Tor the mll!iOndlTeS. 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 of the plain people" with
whose class it originated. We assert our
purposes to be identical with the purpose
of the national constitutional 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 a 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-
With it, and 18th that we must be in lac fact u as
Our country finds itself confronted by con-
the history of the world. Our annual ag-
ricultural products amount to billions of
U %ees or IN months months be 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 impovershment Of the producing
power we will labor to correct these evils
by wise and reasonable 5 legislation. in
accordance with our platform.
We believe that the powers of govern
ment-in other words, of the people-should
be expanded Gas in the case of the postal
seryice) as rapidly and as far as the
good sense of an intelligent people, and the
teachings of experience shall justify; to
the end that oppression, injustice and pow
erty shall eventually S,e cease in the LAND
form are naturally upon the side of every
proposition which will tie tend to make men
nevertheless regard these questions-im-
portant as they areas secondary to the
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
il is to he 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-
Hshed 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