The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-06-26
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
ADOPTED BY THE CONVENTION
AT OMAHA, NEB., JULY 4, 1892.

america IN tncT HfSL national COnVentlon,
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
Justify our cooperation: we meet in the
midst of nation brought to the verge OF
moral ruin. Corruption dominates the
ballot box. the legislatures, the Congress,
Ths enne the ermne
most of the states have been compelled
to isolate the voters. at the polling places
berry. The newspapers are largely sub
sidlzed or muzzled; public opinion silenced;
business Frustrated; our homes covered red
and the land concentrating in the hands
of the capitalists. The urban workmen
self-protection; Imported p " psauperized Ia
Dor beats down their wages: a hireling
army, unrecognized by, Our laws: is estab-
rapidly degenerating into European con-
ditions. The. fruits of the tolls of mill,
ions are bodily stolen to build up colossal b
history OF mankind. and the possessors
of these in turn despise the republic and
life womb of governmental injustice we
breed the two great classes-tramps and
millionares.
The national power to create money is
appropriated to enrich bondholders; a
vast public, debt, payable in legal tender tender
has been funded into fSd
to the burden of the people
Silver, which has been accepted as coin
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 of currency is purposely abridged to
fatten usurers bankrupt enterprise and en-
slave slave. industry. A vast conspiracy
an has it 0f is rs Ha1 taking
possession Of the world If not met and
OVERTHROW at once, it forebodes terrible
ilization or the establishment of an alb
solute despotism. We have witnessed for
more than quarter of century the
struggles of the two great political parties
for power and plumber, while grievous
wrongs have been inflicted upon the suf-
roggp that the
parties have permitted the existing dread
full conditions to develope, without seri-
Neither do they now promise us any SUBJ
stantial reform. They have agreed to-
gether to ignore, in the somng campaign
drown. the outcries of plundered people
with the uproar of a sham battle over the
Tariff 50 that capitalists corporations
| tization of silver. and the expressions of
The usurers may all be lost sight Of
| 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
| of the nation, and filled with the spirit
| of the grand generation of men, who estab-
lished our Independence. we seek to re
whose class it originated We Re's assert our
of the national constitution:-"to 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 as free government while built
| upon the love of the whole Ieople 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-
| sentiment which grew out Of 1t must die
we We: are in name, ' one United brotherhood
| Our country finds itself confronted by con-
| ditions for which there is no precedent in
| the history of the world. Our annual ag..
ricultural products amount to billions Of
dollars in value, which must within q few
| weeks or months be exchanged for billions
! their production; the existing currency
| supply is wholly inadequate to make this
the formation of combines and rings, and
the impoverishment Of the producing
! by wise and reasonable legislation, in
| 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 postal
seryice) as rapidly. and as far as the
teachings of experience shall Justify; to
| the end that oppression, injustice and pow
erty shall cease in the land
| form are naturally upon the side of every
proposition which will tend to make men
nevertheless regard these questions-im-
| portant as they areas secondary to the
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 men
| to have a republic to administer, before
we differ as to the conditions upon which
! it is to be administered: believing that the
| forces of reform this day organized will
never cease to move forward until every
J wrong is righted and equal privileges estab-
lished for all the men and women of this
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 it's
spirit enter into all hearts for the saliva
ton of the republic and the uplifting of
mankind
Second-Wealth belongs to him who Gre
ates it, and every dollar taken from in
| dustry without an equivalent, is robbery.
eff any man will not work. neither shall
| labor are the same; their enemies are
| identical.
| Third-we believe that the time has
come when the railroad corporations will
own the railroads; and should the govern
| ment enter upon the work of owning and
an amendment to TIE constitution by
| which all persons engaged in the govern
| ment service shall be protected BY civil
service regulations of the most rigid char
| acter, so as to prevent the increase of the
| power Of the national administration by
| the use of such additional government en-
ployes. ~,o
We demand a national currency, safe,
sound, and flexible; issued by the gen.
| eral government Gully; a full legal tender
for all debts public and p private and that
| Just. equitable and efficient means of distri-
button direct to the people, at a tax not to
exceed 2 per cent per "a an a,,n to be pro
of the Farmers Alliance. or some better
system; also by payments in discharge OF
its obgatons for fprI pubic n
of silver and gold at the present legal ratio
Of is to 1.
We demand that the amount Of circulat-
ing medium IN be speedily increased to not
We demand a graduated income tax
We believe that the money of the. coun-
try should be kept as much as possible, in
demand that all state and national reve-
nues shall be limited to the necessary
expenses Of the go rsFnrns economically
We demand that. postal savings banks
be established by the government for the
safe deposit of the earnings of the people
and the facilitation of exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation being means of ex-
change and public necessity. the govern
ment should own and operate the railroads
in the interest of the people.
The telegraph and telephone, like the
postoff1e system. being necessity for the
transmission Of news should be owned
and operated by dne government IN the