The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-06-19
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
ADOPTED BY THE CONVENTION
AT OMAHA, NEB., JULY 4, 1892.

Assembled upon the one hundred and
sixteenth anniversary of the Declaration
Of Independence, the Peoples Party Of
America in Their frst national convention,
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
Justify our co-operation: we meet in the
moral ruin. Corruption dominates the
ballot box. the legislatures, the Congress,
and touches even the ermine on !, the he
most of the states have been compelled
to isolate the voters at the polling places
er he ars or
sidized or muzzled; public opinion silenced;
business Frustrated; our homes covered
and the land concentrating in the hands
are. denied the right Of organization for
Dor beats down their wages; hireling
army, unrecognized by our laws. is estab-
ished to shoot them down; and they are
ditions. The fruits of the tolls Of mill
ions are bodily stolen to build up colossal
history Of mankind, and the possessors
of these in turn despise the republic and
,endanger liberty. From the. same pro
breed the two great classes-tramps and
millionaires.
The national power to create money is
appropriated to enrich bondholders; a
vast public debt, payable in legal tender
surrsnes' has been funded into ,,I gold
to the burden Of the people
Silver, which has been accepted as coin
since the dawn of history, has been de-
monetzed to add to. the purchasing. power
Of gold. by decreasing all forms Of prop
erty. as well as human labor, and the sup
ply a..o of currency is purposely abridged to
against mankind has been organized on
possession of the world. If not met and
overthrown at once it forebodes terrible
social commissions. the destruction of civ
solute despotism. We have witnessed for
more than a quarter OF a century the
struggles of the two great political parties
wrongs have been inflicted upon the suf-
fering people. We charge that the con-
both these
| f'1l conditions to develope, without seri-
Gus effort to prevent or restrain them.
stantial reform. They have agreed to-
| sether to ignore. in the coming campaign,
every issue but one. They propose to
with the uproar of sham battle over the
tariff; 80 that capitalists, corporations,
national banks, rings, trusts the demonee
! the usurers may all be lost sight Of.
They propose to sacrifice our homes,
| to destroy the multitude in order to secure
| corruption funds for the millionaires As
| sembled on the anniversary of the birthday
| of the grand generation of men, who estab-
| lished our independence, we seek to re-
store ss the ,in Of the republic to
whose class it originated. ted We assert our urr
purposes to be identical with the purpose
| of the national constitution ITO form a
| more perfect union. establish Justice. n
sure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general wei
| for ourselves and our posterity."
| We declare that this republic can only
b as love free re While lie built
| other and for the nation; that 1t cannot be
pinned together by bayonets. that the civil
Sentiment which gre grew OUT e Of It must t die
| with it; and that we must be in fact as
we are in name. one. united brotherhood.
| ditions for which there is no precedent in
| the history of the world Our annual ag-
al %e wheb must to % billions e
weeks or months be exchanged for billions
| of dollars of commoditiess consumed in
supply is wholly inadequate to make this
exchange. The results. are falling prices
the formation of combines and rings. and
| the Impeachment of the producing
class We pledge ourselves that if given
power we will labor to correct these evils
/
| accordance with our platform.
We believe that the powers Of govern:
ment-in other words, of the people-should
be expanded (as in the case Of the posta
| service) as rapidly and as far the
good sense Of an intelligent people, and the
teachinss Of experience shall Justly t.
| erty shall eventually cease in the land.
While our sympat HES as IS, par party Of re
proposition which viii tend to make merY
Intelligent, virtuous and temperate, We
nevertheless regard these questions-im
great issues now pressing for solution
| and upon which not only our individual
prosperity. but the very existence Of free
! institutions depends; and we ask all mer
| to first help us determine whether we are
to have a republic to administer. before
| it is to be administered believing that tn.
forces of reform this day organized will
| never cease to move forward until every
| wrong is righted and equal privileges estab
lished for all the men and women of thi
country.
We declare. therefore.
UNION OF THE PEOPLE.
First-That the union of the labor force!
of the United States this day consummatet
shall be permanent and perpetual: may it,
spirit enter into all hearts for the saliva
ton of the republic and the uplifting o
second-wealth belongs to him who ere
ates it; and every dollar taken from in
dustry, without an equivalent IS robbery
"If any man will not work, neither shall
he eat" The interests of rural and civil
labor are the same; their enemies ar
Third-we believe that the time has
come when the railroad corporations will
either own the people or the people mus
own the railroads: and should the govern
ment enter upon the work Of owning ant
managing the railroads. we should favo
an amendment to the constitution b,
which all persons engaged in the govern
mant service shall be protected BY civi
service regulations CT the most rigid char
acter SO as TO prevent the increase Of tn
| power of the national administration b,
| fhe use OF such additional government EN-
ployes.
| We demand a national currency, safe
sound. and flexible; issued by the gen
eral government ooly: a full legal tende
for eli debts public and private; and tina
| without the use of banking corporations,
button direct to the people, at tax not t
| exceed per cent per annum, to be pro
| vided as set forth in the sub-treasury .plal
OF the Farmers Alliance. or some bette
its obligations for public improvements.
We demand free and unlimited coinag
of silver and gold at the present legal rati
| of le to l.
We demand that the amount of circulat
ing medium be speedily increased to no
less than $50 per CAPITA.
We demand a graduated income tax.
| We believe that the money of the coun
try should be kept, az much possible, ii
| the hands of the people; and hence W
demand that all state and national reve
| nues shall be limited to the necessar
expenses of the government, economically
and honestly administered.
We demand that postal savings bank
be established by the government for tn
safe deposit of the earnings of the people
and the facilitation OF exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation being a means Of ex
change. and a public necessity, the govern
| mcflt should own and operate the railroad