The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-10-23
PEOPLES PLATFORM
ADOPTED BY THE CONVENTION
AT OMAHA. NEB., JULY 4, 1892.

sixteenth anniversary Of the DECLARATION
of Independence, the Peoples Party of
America in Their first national convention,
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
principles:
The conditions which surround US best
midst Of nation brought to the verge or
moral ruin Corruption dominates the
saot box the legislatures the co on the
most of the states have been compelled led
to prevent universal intimidation or pri-
berry. The newspapers. are Largely SUP SUP.
ssidized or muzzed; public opinion silenced;
with mortgages labor impoverish ,ed q.
az and tt the Land in the hana5
are denied the right of organization TOT
tse1-protection; imported pauperlZz .;.o,; "a
army army; unrecognized by our laws IS s estan %
hshed to shoot them down; and they are
d IiGy dTgbe re into to- n Of mi
IONS are bodily stolen to build up eolosS ,d
fortunes for a few. unprecedented IN the
history of mankind, and the pos;s;essor55
Of these in turn despise the republic and
endanSer liberty From the same pro
lfc womb of governmental inJustlce we we
mllllOnaireS
The natonal power to create 1nsy
CURRENCY, has been funded into gold
hea tbe b9nds - thereby the adding ml'ons
Silver; which has been accepted as CON ON
sine the dawn of history. has been me- de
Of gold, by decreasing all forms, Of prop
eIty, as well as human labor, and the sup
Ply OF currency is purposely ab1age5a 10
against ' manknd has b ssI' organized on
possession of the world. If not met and
overthrown at once it forebodes terrible
social commissions, the destruction OF clv-
ilization, or the establishment OF an abb at-
solute despotism. We have witnessed Tor
more than quarter of century Inc me
for power and plumber while grievous
wrongs have been inflicted upon the SUI
ferng people We charge that tn the t6 6en
parties have permitted the existing dread
ful conditions to develope, without seri-
Neither do they now promise us any sub
stantial reform. They have agreed to-
gether to ignore in the e9ming campagn r.
drown the outcries of plundered people
with the uproar of d sham battle over the
tariff SO that capitalists, corporations,
national banks, rings trusts, the demone.
uzation of silver, and the expressions OF
lives and children on the alter of Mammon;
TO destroy the multitude in order to secure
sembled on the anniversary of the birthday
of the nation and filled with the spirit
lshed our independence. we seek to re-
store. the government of the republic to
the hands Of the plain pc people" with
purposes to be identical with the purpose
of the national constitution:--"to form
more perfect union, establish justice, in
common defense, promote the general well
fare, and secure the blessing of liberty
fC,, col, and tprt
We declare that this republic can only
endure as a free government while built
other and for the nation: that it cannot be
pinned together by bayonets, that the civil
war is over and that every passion pa and RE RE
with it, and that we must be IN fact as
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 a few
weeks or months be exchanged for billions
of dollars of commodltles consumed in
supply is wholly inadequate to make this
exchange. The results are falling prices;
class. We pledge ourselves thai, if given
accordance with our platform.
We believe that the powers of govern
ment-in other words, OF the people-should
service9 as rapidly and as far as the
good sense of an intelligent people, and the
Teachings of experience shall justify; to
the end that oppression injustice and pow
erty shall eventually ;c cease Sc in the land
form are naturally upon the side of every
proposition which will tend to make men
Intelligent, virtuous and temperate. we
nevertheless regard these questions-im-
portant as they areas secondary to the
great issues, now pressing for solution;
prosperity but the very existence of free
Institutions depends; and we ask all men
to first help us determine whether we are
We differ as to the conditions upon which
it is to he administered. believing that the
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 this
country
We declare. therefore.