People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-10-24
THE OMAHA PLATFORM.

eehth anniversary OF the Declaration of In
dependence, the Peoples Party Of America
IN their hrst national convention, invoking
upon thelr actions the blessing OF Almighty
/ Tod, puts forth In the name and on behalf OF
ne people OF the country the foil wing pre-
ample and declarations OF principles:
The conditions which surround Ms hest
Justify our cooperation; We meet in the
midst or a nation brought TO the verge of
moral political and material ruin Corrup-
uon dominates the ballot box, the legisla.
lures, the Congress and touches even the
ermine on the bench. The people are de-
moraliLed; most OF the States have been
compelled 10 Isolate the voters at the polling
places TO prevent universal intimidation OF
| Drl0ery. The newspapers are largely SUBJ
sldized or muZZled, public opigion sileIced
business Frustrated, our homes covered with
mortgages, labor impoverished and the land
concentrating in the hands OF the cap tai
| sts. The urban wOrkmen are denied tbs
right OF organization for self-protection; i'm.
| ported p2uperiZed labor beats down their
wages; hireling army, unrecognized by our
laws, is established shoot them down, and
they are rapidly degenerating into European
conditions. The fruits OF the toll OF millions
are bodily stol 10 build up colossal for.
tunes for few, unprecedented In the history
OF mankind, and the possessors OF these In
/ turn despise the Republic ana endanger lib.
erty. From the same prolific womb OF gov.
srnmental injustice We breed the two great
classes-t amps and millionaires.
The national power TO create money Is ap.
preriated TO enrich bondholders; a vast pub
lie debt. payable In legal tender currency
has been funded into goldbearing bonds,
thereby adding millions 10 the brudens OF
the PEOPLE.
Silver, which has been accented as coin
ever since the dawn OF history, has been de-
monetiEed TO add 10 the purchasing power OF
gold, by decreasing the value OF all forms OF
property as we'll as human labor, and the
supply OF currency is purposely abridged 70
fatt usurers, bankrupt enterprise and en-
slave Industry. A vast conspiracy against
mankind has been organized on two con-
tinents, and II is rapidly taking possession OF
the world. II not met and overthrow at
once IL forboGes terrible social commissions
the destruction Of civilization, or the estab-
lishment OF an absolute despotism. We have
witnessed for more than quarter OF CEN
fury the struggles OF the two great political
parties for power and plumber, while
grievous wrongs have been inflicted upon
the suffering people. We charge that the
controlling Influences dominating both CT
these parties have permitted the existing
dreadful conditions 70 Cevelop without
serious effort 10 prevent or restrain them.
Neither do t .ey now promise US any sub
stantisl reform. They have agreed together
TO ignore, In the coming campaign, every
issue but one. They propose TO drown the
outcries OF plundered people with the up-
roar OF a sham battle over the tariff, SO that
capitalists, corporations, national banks,
truste, watered stock, the demonstration VI
silver, and the expressions OF the usurers
may al, be 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 for the
milli0naires. Assembled on the anniversary
OF the birthday Of the nation and filed with
the spirit OF the grand general chief, who es-
tablished our independence, we seek to re-
store the government Of the Republic to the
hands OF the plain people" with whose class
II originated We assert our purposes TO be
, Identical With the purposes OF the national
constitution, TO form a more perfect union
and establish justice insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings OF liberty for ourselves and our
pOSterity.
We declare that this Republic can only en-
dure as free government while built upon
the love OF the whole people for each other
and for he nation; that IL cannot be piHned
together by bayonets; that the Civil war is
over and that every passion and resentment
which grew out OF II must die with IT, and
that we must be In fact, as we are In name,
one united brotherhood. Our country find
Itself confronted by conditions for which
there is no precedent in the history Of the
world. Our annual agricultural productions
amount TO billions OF dolla In value which
must In few weeks or months be exchanged
for billions OF dollars Of commodities con-
sumed In their production; the existing cur
rency supply is wholly inadequate to make
this exchange. The results are falling
prices, the formation Of combines and rings,
the imp0verish OF the producing class.
We pledge ourselves that II given power we
will labor to orrect these evils by wise and
reasonable legislation In accordance with
the terms OF our platform.
| We believe that the powers Of government
I'm other words, OF the people-should be
expanded las In the case Of the postal SER
vice. as rapidly and as far as the good sense
OF an Intelligent people and the teachings OF
experience shall Justify, TO the end that op-
preston, injustice and poverty shall eventu-
ally cease In the land.
While our sympathies as party OF reform
are naturally upon the side OF every propo-
sition which will tend to make men intelll-
gent, virtuous and temperate, we neverthe-
less regard these questions-importsnt as
they areas secondary 70 the great issues
now pressing for solution, and upon which
not only our individual prosperity, but the
very existence OF free institutions depend.
and we ask all men to first help US TO DEF err
min, whether we are 10 have Republic 10
administer, before We differ as to the con-
ditions upon which II Is to be administered,
believing that the forces Of reform this day
organized will never cease 70 move forward
until every wrong 10 righted and equal rights
and equal privileges established for all the
men and women OF this country We declare
therefore,