Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-30
PoPULIsT PLATFORM.
Adopted in National Convention at 81
Louis on July "a, 1905

convention, reattirms its allegiance to the
principles declared by tho founders OF the re-
public and also to the fundamental principles
OF Just government as enunciat,d in the plat
form OF the party in ls95 We recogniz, that
through the conniyance Of he present and
preceding administrations, tho country has
reached a crisis In it, national life as pre-
dicted in our declaration of four years ago,
and that prompt AMI patriotic action IL the
supreme duty OF tho hour We rlalize that
while We have political Independence,
our financial and Industrial Independence
is yet TO DO Gttlinel by restoring
to our country the constitutional control and
exercise of the functions necessary to peo-
plos government, which functions have been
basely surrendered by our public servants to
corporate monopol!es. The influence of Euro
pean money changers has been more potent In
shaping legislation than the voice of the Amer.
lean people Executive power and patronage
have been used to corrupt our Legislatures and
defeat the will Of the people and plutocracy
has thereby been 0nthrOned upon tho ruins
OF democracy To restore the government in
tended by the fathers aud for the welfare and
prosperity OF this and future generations. we
demand the ESTABLISHING 1t OF an economic and
financial system which shall maze US mas
ters OF our own affairs and independent Of
European CONTROL BY the adoption Of the FOL.
lowing declaration OF principles;
Finance.
'First-We demand national money, safe
and sound issued by ths general government
only, without the intervention of banks Of
issue, to be full bgal tender for all debts,
public and priyate-a just equitable and
efficient means Of distributing d root to the
people and through the lawful di, burs ,m ents
Of the government
''SecOnd-We demand the fire., and uure-
strict,d coin"go Of silver and gold at the press
. To-. T.. l. 4
the consent of foreign nations
"Third-We demand that tn, volume of cir.
culating medium DO speedily increased to an
amount sufficient to meet tho demands of the
business and population of this country and to
restore the Just level Of prices Of labor and
production.
"Fourth-We denounce thu le of bonds and
the increase of the public interest bearing debt
made by the present administration as unnec-
esslry and without authority of law, and that
no more b >nds be issued except by specific act
OF Congress
"Fifth-We demand such legislation as will
prevent the demonstration of the lawful mon
eI Of the United States by private contract.
"Sixth-We dsman1 that tho government, in
payment Of its oblig tions, shall use its option
as to the kind of lawful money in which they
arc to DO paid, aud we d,nounce the present and
preceding administrations for surrendering
this option to tho holderso I government obli-
cations
"Sevanth-We demand graduated income
tax to the end that aggregated wealth shall
bear its just proportion Of taxation and wo re-
gard tho recent decision of the supreme court
relative to the income tax law as a misinter-
probation of the constitution and an invasion
no rightful powers of Congress over the
biect of taxato on
Eghth-Wo demand that postal savings
banks be established by tho g,vJrnment for
safe deposit Of the savings of tho people and
to facilitate exchange.
transportation.
"l transportation being a means OF OK.
change and public necessity, the government
should own and operate the railroa Is in the
interest Of the people AMI on a non-partisan
basis to the end that all may DO accorded the
same treatment in transportation and that the
tyranny aud political power now exercised by
tho great railroad corporations which result
in the impairment, If not the DIES ruction, OF
political rights and personal liberties of the
citizons may b. destroyed Such ownership is
TO be accomplished gradually. in a manner con-
sis ent with sound public policy.
"2. This interest OF tho United Slater in the
public highwavs built with public moneys and
the pro :eedj of extensive grants o land to the
Pacia, railroads should never he alien ated,
mortgag,d or sold but guarded and prote ted
tor the general welfare as provided by the lava
organizing such railroads The force o5uro On
existing liens of the United States on these
roads should at onco follow default in the
payment thereof by the debtor companies and
at the foreclosure sales Of said roads the gov
eminent shall purchase the anne if it becomes
necossa airy to protect its interests thsren. or il
they can DO purchased at a reasonable price
and tho government shall operat, said rail.
roads as public highways for the benefit Of the
whole people an not in tho interest of tho few,
under suitable provisions for protection of life
and property, giving to al transportation i'm
forests equll privileges and equal rates for
fares. and freights
49, We denounce the PRESENT infamous
schemes for rofunding these debts and demand
that tho laws now applicable thereto b, exc
cuted and administered according to their true
intent and spirit
u The telegraph like the pos.ofIico system,
being a necessity for tho transmission of nsws,
should be owned and operated by the govern
mont in the interest of the people,
Lands.
1.-THE true policy demands that the national
and State legislation shall be such as will ulh-
mately enable every prudent and industri rus
citizen to secure home, and therefore the land
should not be monOpOlzed for speculative pur-
poses All lands now hold by railroads and
other corporations in excess of their actual
needs should by lawful means be reel aimed by
the government and held for actual settlers
only, and private land mon)p poly as well as
alien ownership should b. prohibited.
-. We condemn tho frauds by which the
land gran IS to Pacific railroadcompanissh have,
through tho conniVance of tho Interior part
ment, robbed multitudei of actual bona hde
settlers Of their homes and miners OF their
claims and we demanl the legi:lltiOn by Goa
gross which will enforce the exemptio # min
eral land from such grants aftjr a. we'll as
before pa tont.
% We demand that bona lds settlers on all
public land be granted free homss as provided
in the national homestead law and that noN'
exemption DO made in tho case of Indian res
erVations when opened 70, settlement and thatl
all lands now patented coma under this do
mand.
Direct Legislation.
1--WE favor a system of direct legislation
through the initiative and referendum under
prope7 constitutional safeguards
General Propositions.
If. We demand the elect on Of President,
Vice President A5d United States senato.s By
a direct vote Of tho people.
"a We tender to the patriotic peoplo OF
Cuba our deepest sympathy in their heroic
struggle for political freedom aud ind,pend-
ence, and we believe thu timl has come when
world, should recogliz1 that Cuba is and Of
right ought to be, a freq and independent
state.
"3 We favor home rule IN the Territories,
and the District OF Columbia and the early
admission of the Territories as States.
~. All public salaries should be made to
correspond to the price OF labor and its prod.
ucts.
IS. In times Of great industrial depro's on