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


Assembled upon the one hundred and six
teer Ia aunlvy. arg IL the Declaration OF In
Gepl auenct. e." Peoples Parry Of America
In their first national convention, invoking
upon t.'eir actions the blessing Of Almighty
God, put. forth IN the name and on behalf Of
the people o. the country the following pre-
am0le and dc'iat-tlOls OF principles:
The conditions which surround US best
justly our cooperation; We meet in the
MIDST OF a nation brought TO the verge OF
moral, political and material ruin. COrrup-
ton dominates the ballot box the legisla-
lures, the Congress and touches even the
ermine on the bench. The people are de-
mOraliIed; most Of the States have been
compelled to Isolate the voters at the polling
places to prevent universal intimidation OF
bribery. The newspapers are largely sub
sidiZed or muZZled, public OpigiOn sileuced,
business Frustrated, our homes covered with
mortgages, labor impoverished and the land
concentrating in the hands OF the cap tai
lists. The urban wOrkIhen are denied the
right Of organization for self-prOtection; i'm
ported panperiZed labor beats down theiT
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 stel.n TO build up colossal for
tunes for few, unprecedented in the history
OF man kind, and the pOsseSsOrs Of these in
turn despise the Republic ana endanger lib
erty. From the same prolific womb Of gov
ernmental injustice We breed the two great
classes-tiampS and milliOnaires.
The national power 10 create money Is APP
preriated TO enrich bondholders vast pub
lie debt, payable In legal tender currency
has been funded into gold-bearing bonds,
thereby adding millions TO the brudens OF
the people.
silver, which has been accepted as coin
ever since the dawn OF history, has been de-
monetized to add to the purchasing power Of
gold, by decreasing the value Of all forms Of
property as well as human labor, and the
supply OF currency Is purposely abridged to
fate n usurers, bankrupt enterprise and en-
slave industry. A vast conspiracy against
mankind has been organized On two con-
tinents, and 1t is rapidly taking possession Of
the world, II not met and overthrow at
once ii forboGes terrible social convulsions,
the destruction Of civilization, or the estab-
lishment OF an absolute despotism. We have
Witnessed for more than aquarter OF a cen
fury the struggles OF the two great political
parties for power and plumber, while
grlevOus wrongs have been inflicted upon
controlling Influences dominating both CT
these parties have permitted the existing
| dreadful conditions to develop without
seriOu, effort 10 prevent or restrain them.
Neither do t ley now promise US any sub
stantial reform. They have agreed together
to ign re, In the coming campaign, every
issue but one. They propose to drown the
outcrles OF plundered people with the up
roar OF a sham battle over the tariff, SO that
| capitalists, corporations, national banks,
trusts, watered stock, the demonstration OF
| silver, and the expressions OF the usurers
may all be lost sight Of They propose 70
sacrifice our homes, lives and children on the
altar OF mammOn; to destroy the multitude
in order TO secure corruption funds for the
miHiOnaireS Assembled on the anniversary
| Of the birthday Of the nation and filled with
the spirit OF the grand general chief, who es.
| tablished our Independence, We seek to re.
store the government OF the Republic 10 the
hands Of "the plain people" with whose c4as.
1t orig mated. We assert our purposes to BIZ
Identical With the purposes OF the natiOna
constitution, to form more perfect uniOI
and establish justice, insure domestic tran
guilty, provide for the common defense
promote the general welfare, and secure tn,
blessings Of liberty for ourselves and GU
posterity.
We declare that this Republic can only en-
dure as q free government while built upOl
the love Of the whole people for each othe
and for The nation; that 1t cannot be pnneC
together by bayonets; that the Civil war 4
over and that every passion and resentmen
which grew out Of 1t must die with 1t, ant
that We must be in fact, as We are In name
one United brotherhood. Our country find
Itself confronted by conditions for whicl
there is no precedent In the history Of tn
| world 0ur a unnal horticultural nrpdustinn
amount TO billions Of dolla In value whicI
must in few weeks or months be exchanges
for billions OF dollars Of commodities con
sumeG in their production; the existing cur
rency supply Is wholly inadequate to max
this exchange. The results are fallin
prices, the formation Of combines and ring.
the impOvsrls hment Of the producing class
We pledge ourselves that II given power W
will Ia Dor to orrect these evils by wise an
reasonable legislation in accordance wit
the terms OF our platform.
We believe that the powers OF government
in O. her words, OF the people-should
expanded las in the case Of the postal ser
vice. as rapidly and as far as the good sens
OF an intelligent people and the teachings 0
experience shall justify, 10 the end that Op
preston. injustice and poverty shall eventu
ally cease In the land.
While our sympathies as party OF reforI
are naturally upon the side OF every propO
sitiOn which will tend 10 make men intelli
gent virtuous and temperate, we neverthe
less regard these questions-importsn a
they areas secondary 10 the great issue
now pressing for solution, and upon whlc
not only our individual prosperity, bu tn
very existence OF free institutions depend
and We ask all men to first help US to de- Ell
mine whether we are 10 have Republic [
administer, before We differ as to the con
ditionS upon which IL Is TO be administered
| believing that the forces Of reform this da
organized will never cease TO move forwar
until every wrong 10 righted and equal right
: and equal privileres established for all tn
men and women Of this country; we declar
therefore,
UNION OF The PEOPLE.
First. That the union of the labor force
81 the United States this day consummate
shall be permanent and perpetual; may II
spirit enter into all hearts for the salvatio
, d the Republic and the uplifting Of man
kind.
Second. Wealth belongs to him who crt
ates It and every dollar taken from industr
! without an equivalent Is robbery. IF an
, man viii not work neither shall be eat
The interests OF rural and civil labor are th
Iame; their enemies are Identical.
Third. We believe that the time has CON
when the railroad corporations will eitht
1 own the people or the people must own III
4 railroads, and should the government ents
4 upon the work Of owning and managing a
4 railroads, we should favor an amendment |
I The Constitution by which all persons er