The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-08-14
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
ADOPTED BY rHBoosvnsr1or
AT OMAHA, NEB., JULY 4, 1892.

AT OMAHA, NEB., JULY 4, 1892.
Assembled upon the one hundred and
sixteenth anniversary Of the Declaration
of Independence, the Peoples Party Of
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
}asdty Of our nation the
moral ruin. Corruption dominates the
ballot box the legislatures; the c0 an tns
most OF the states have been compelled a
soaes the voters at tine OF br
berry. The newspapers are largely sub
sidized or muzzled; public opinion silen seai
with mortgages; labor impoverished;
and the land concentrating in the HANDS
Of the capitalists. The urban w YORK zen
self-protection; imported pauperized "a; "a
Dor beats down their wages; nir etnhs
lished to shoot them down: and they are
rapidly degenerating into Euro 7I e. m rGu
ditons h The fruits Of the t0 Us O.
fortunes for few. unprecedented IN IN. me
history of mankind, and the po posse OTIS
| life womb of governmental injustice we
breed the two great classes-tramps ana
The national power to create ssa mSnsy Is
PS1f has ae0 Sesn fSnadd IN io o
bearing bonds. thereby adding millions
| to the burden Of the people.
monetzed to add to the purchasing power power
of gold, by decreasing all forms Of 9he PROP sop-
| ply of currency is purposely abridged to
fatten usurers, bankrupt enterprise and en- 81,
ssn,t %snRnd has Seen
two continents, and it is rapidly taking
possession of the world. If not met and
social convulsions, the destruction OF ely
iiza ton or the establishment OF an a 1or
more than G.'s quarter o Of century the
for power and pian DER While While Erlevous
trolling p influences domi rst ' both these
haze the
Gus effort to prevent or restrain them
Neither do they now promise us any sub
stantial reform: They have agreed d to to
every issue but one They. propose to
the outcries Of ovpe
national banks. rings, trusts, the demonese
the usurers may all be lost sight Of.
| They propose to sacrifice our homes,
lives and children on 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 1 a.
Of the grand generation le Of men r who estab-
lished our independence, we seek to re-
store the goyernment Of the republic C., to 2
| whose class it originated we assert our
purposes to be identical with the purpose
more perfect union. establish justice. in
sure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense. promote the genera! vel
| fare, and secure the blessing OF liberty
for ourselves and our posterity:'
We declare that this republic can only
the Of the peope for each
other and for the nation; that 1t cannot be
pinned together by bayonets, that the civil
Sentiment nte which grew V eut q It must die
with it; and that we must be In fact As
are IN ans }a united hy
ditions for which there is no precedent in
the history of the world. Our annual ag,
dollars in value, which must within q few
weeks or months be exchanged for billions
dollars Of mo as,ng
supply is wholly inadequate to. make this
exchange. The results are falling prices
the impoverishment Of the producing
class we pledge ourselves that if giver
| power we Will ldDOr TO correct THESE evils
hby wise and reasonable legislation. il
accordance with our platform.
We believe that the powers Of govern
be expanded (as in the case Of the posta
service) rapidly and as far as tn
good sense Of intelligent n People, ana tn,
the end that oppression, injustice and pow
erty shall eventually cease in the land.
form are naturally upon the side Of ever.
proposition which will tend to make met
virtuoqs t and
portant as they areas secondary to tn
great issues now pressing for solution
nna apHn but the very existence Of ire
| institutions depends; and we ask all mel
to first help us determine whether we ar
| to have a republic to administer, befor
we differ as to the conditions upon which
it is to be administered: believing that tn
forces of reform this .d DAY organi AMI; Wi
, | lished for all the men and women of thi
We declare. therefore.
UNION OF THE PEOPLE.
First-That the union of the labor force
of the United States this day consummate
: shall be permanent and perpetual; may it
Shirt enter into all hearts for the saliva
ton of the republic and the uplifting o
| mankind.
second-wealth belongs to him who ere
dustrv. without an equivalent, is robbery
"Tf any man will not work, neither sha
, labor are the same; their enemies ar
identical. -.
! come when the railroad corporations wi
either own the people or the people mus
, own the railroads.; and should the govern
ment enter h upon raroads we o. sboud faxo
: an amendment to tie constitution b.
! which all persons engaged in the govern
rnent service shall be protected by civ
| service regulations of the most rigid char
: acter, so as to prevent the increase OF tn
power Of the nafiGnal Recommendation b
the use OF SUCH auui''o''"' eo'ei iiliie"' GU
ployes. rr>,.,,cr
+ We demand a. national currency. SAFE
eral government coly; full legal tende
= for All debts public and private; and tina
without the use 81 e nankng at
: button direct to the people, at tax not t
| exceed 2 per cent per annum, to be Pre-
$ Of the a Farmers Alliance, or some bette
;. | system; also by payments in discharge {
WI Esmsmd free ana unted eonag
: | Of silver and gold at the present legal rati
: | of 16 to l.
0 We demand that the amount of circula
| ing medium be speedily increased to nc
less than $50 per capita
We demand q graduated income tax.
We oa1isy be Kept as MUCH as 81 possibe
demand that all state and no nat national rev,
shan be 1Se lmitsd to the
and honestly administered;
We demand that t., postal sta1au savings banl
y | safe deposit Of the earnings of the peopl
and the facilitation of exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation - being s.oaai means Of e,
:, ment should own and operate the railroad
> in the interest of the people.
The telegraph and telephone. like tt
n postoffie system: being a necessity for tt