Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-03-22
THE PEOPLES PLATFORM.
Adopted in National Convention ~
Omaha, July 4, 1902.

Omaha, July a. l69S.
Assembled upon tho 1leth anniversary Of the
Declaration of Independence, the Peoples
party Of America In their first national con-
vention, invoking upon Weir action the bless
ing of Almighty God, puts forth in the name
| and on behalf Of the people If this country the
following preamble and declaration of princi-
| pies:
Tho conditions which surround US Justify
our action; we meet in the midst of a nation
brought to the verge of moral, political and
material ruin. Corruption dominates the bal
lot box, the legislatures, the congress, and
| touches even the ermine of the bench. The
| people are demoralized; most Of the states
have been compelled to Isolate tho voters at
the polling places In order to prevent universal
| intimidation or bribery. The newspapers are
| largely subsidized or muzzled, public opinion
| silenced, business Frustrated, our homes COW
cred with mortgages, labor impoverished and
the land concentrating in the hands of the
capitalists. The urban workmen are denied
the right Of organization for self protection;
imported pauperizcd labor beats down their
wages; a hireling standing army, unrecog
nized by our laws, Is established to shoot them
down, and they are rapidly degenerating into
| European conditions. The fruits Of the toll Of
millions are boldly stolen to build up colossal
| fortunes for o few, unprecedented In the his
tory of mankind, and the possessors Of these,
in turn, despise the republic and endanger
|
| ernmental injustice we breed the two great
classes-tramps and millionaires.
The national power to create money Is ap-
| propriated to enrich bondholders; vast pub
lic debt payable in legal tender currency, has
| been funded into gold bearing bonds, thereby
adding millions to the burdens Of the people.
| Silver, which has been accepted as coin since
the dawn Of history, has been demonetized to
add to the purchasing power of gold by de-
| creasing the price Of all forms of property as
well as human labor. The supply Of currency
IL purposely abridged to fatten usurers, bank
rupt enterprise and enslave industry.
A vast conspiracy against mankind has been
| organized on two continents and 1t Is rapidly
taking possession of the 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 o century tho struggles Of two great politi-
| cal parties for power and plumber, while grew
GUS wrongs have been inflicted upon suffer-
Ing people. We charge that the controlling
Influences dominating both these parties have
| permitted tho existing dreadful conditions to
develop without. serious efforts to prevent or
RESTRAIN item. Neither DO t6ey now prsynIss
us any substantial relief. They have agreed
together to ignore in the coming campaign
every issue but one. They propose 70 drown
the outories IF plu=aervu people with the
| uproar of o sham battle over the tariff. SO that
capitalists, corporations, Rational banks, rings.
trusts, watered stock, the decentralization Of
oliver and the oppression Of tho usurers may
ell DO lost sight Of. They propose to sacrifice
Our homes, lives and children on the altar Of
Mammon; to destroy the multitude in order
to secure corruption funds from the million
sire.
| Assembled on the anniversary Of the birth
day of the nation, and filled with the spirit OF
the grand generation who established our inde-
pendence, we seek to restore the government
81 the republic to the hands Of 'the plain peo-
pie,. with which class It originated.
We assert our purposes to be identical with
the purposes Of tho national oonstitution-to
form q 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
snd our posterity."
dure a. free government while built upon the
Itve Of the whole people for each other and
| for the nation; that II cannot be pinned To-
gether by bayonets; that the civil war Is over,
and that every passion and resentment which
grew out of 1t must die with it. and that we
must be In fact, as we are in name, a united
brotherhood Of free men.
Our country finds itself confronted by con-
ditions for which there Is no precedent In the
history Of tho world. Our annual agricultural
productions amount to billions Of dollars in
value, which must within few weeks or
months be exchanged for billions Of dollars Of
commodities consumed In their production.
The existing currency supply Is wholly inade-
| Quate TO make this exchange. The results are
falling prices, the formation Of combines and
rings and the impoverishment of the producing
classes. We pledge ourselves that II given
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 government
IN other words, Of the people-should DO ex-
banded las IN the case Of the postal service) a.
rapidly and as far as the good sense of On In
teiligent 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 as a party of rsform
are naturally upon the side OF every prYposi-
ton which will tend to mako men intelligent,
virtuous and temperate, we nevertheless re-
gard these uestions-important as they are
for solution, and upon which not only our In.
dividual prosperity, but the very existence Of
Gee instifntions de1ends. and HA AK all men
have q republic to administer before we differ
| as to the conditions upon which 1t ts to De i'd
ministered, believing that tho forces Of reform
| this day organized will never cease TO move
forward until every wrong is remedied and
| equal rights and equal privileges securely es-
tablished for all the men and women OF this
country.
That the union Of the labor forces Of the
| United States this day contaminated shall be
| permanent and perpetual-may its spirit enter
Into all hearts for the salvation OF the republic
and the uplifting OF mankind.
Wealth belongs to him who creates II, and
every dollar taken from industry without an
neither shall he eat" Tho interests Of rural
| and civic labor are the Same; their enemies
are Identical
We believe that the time has come when the
railroad corporations must either own the peo::
| pie or the people must own the railroads, and
should the government enter upon the work OF
| owning and managing any or all railroads we
should favor IN amendment to the constitution
| BY which ali persons engaged in the government
| service shall be placed under q civil service
| regulation OF the most rigid character, so rs
| 10 prevent the increase Of the power Of the
| national administration by the use Of such
| additional government employees.
We demand a national currency, safe, sound
| only; full legal tender FOR all debts, public
| and private, and that without the use of bank
| ing corporations; just, equitable and efficient
| means of distribution, direct to the people. at
| tar not to exceed per cent. per annum. TO
| be provided as set forth in the subtreasury
| plan OF the Farmers Alliance, or some better
| system; nlso by payments IN discharge OF It's
| obligati for public improvements.
| We demand the free and unlimited coinage
Of silver and gold at the present legal ratio OF
We demand that the amount Of the circulat-
| ing medium be speedily increased TO not less