The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-25


generations, we demand the establish
ment of an economic and financial sys-
tenn which shall make us masters of
our own affairs and independent of
European control, by the adoption of
the following declaration oil principles:
FINANCE.
First-We demand national
money, safe. and sound. issued
by the general government only, with
out the intervention of banks of issue,
to be full legal tender for all debts
public and private, a just, equitable
and efficient means of distribution di-
rect to the people and through the law
full disbursements of the government.
Seeond-We demand the free and
unrestricted coinage of silver and gold
at the present legal ratio Of is to l,
without waiting for the consent of for
eign nations.
Thfrd-We demand the volume of cir
culatfng medium be speedily increased
to an amount sufficient TO meet the de-
nlands of the business and the popula-
ton of this country and to restore the
just level of prices of labor and pro-
duction.
Fourth-We denounce the sale of
bonds and the increase of the public
interest-bearing debt made by the pres
ert administration as unnecessary and
without authority of law, and we de-
mand that no more bonds be issued eX-
cept by specific act of congress
Fifth-We demand such legislation
as will prevent the decentralization of
the lawful money of the United States
by private contract.
Sixth-We demand that the govern
ment in payment of its obligations
shall use it's option as to the kind of
lawful money in which they are to be
paid, and we denounce the present and
preceding administrations for sur
rendering this option to the holders of
government obligation securities.
Seventh-We demand a graduated in
come tax, to the end that aggregated
wealth shall bear its just proportion Of
taxation, and we regard the recent de-
cision of the supreme court relative to
the income tax law as a misinterDre-
tation of the constitution and an in
vasion of the rightful powers of con-
gress over the subject of taxation.
Eighth-We demand that postal saw
ings banks be established by the gov
eminent for the safe deposit of the
savings of the people and to facilitate
exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
F'irst-Transporta being a means
of exchange and a public necessity, the
government should own and operate the
railroads in the interest of the people
on a non-partiSan basis; to the end that
all may be accorded the same treat
ment in transpouta ton and THAT the
tyranny and political power now exer-
cised by the great railroad corporations,
which result in the impairment, if not
the destruction of the political rights
and personal liberties of the citizen.
may be destroyed. Such ownership is
to be accomplished gradually in a man
ner consistent with sound public policy
Second-The interest of the United
States in the public highways built
with public moneys and the proceeds of
extensive grants of land 10 the Pacific
railroads should never have been alien
ated, montgaged or sold, but guarded
and protected for the general welfare
as provided by the laws organizing sucn
railroads. The foreclosure of existing
liens of the United States on these
roads should at once follow default in
the payment thereof by the debtor COM
pa MES, and ait tine foreclosure sales of
said roads the government shall pur-
chase the same if 1t becomes necessary
to protect its interests, or if they can
be purchased at a reasonable price and
the government shall operate said rail
roads as public highways for che bene-
fit of the whole people and not in the
interest of the few, under suitable pro-
visions for protection Of life and prop
erty, giving to ali transportation in
terests equal privileges and equal rates
for fares and freights.
Third-We denounce the present in
debts, and demand that the laws now
applicable thereto be executed and adj
according to their true in
tent and spirit.
Fourth-The telegraph, like the post
office system, being a necessity for the
of news, should be owned
and operated by the government in the
interest of the people.
LAND.
F'irst-The true policy demands that
the national and state legislation shall
be such as will ultimately enable every
prudent and Industrious citizen to Sc
cure a home, and therefore the land
should not be monopoIized for specula- |
tive purposes. All lands now held by
railways and other corporations in ex-
cess of their actual needs should by
and held for actual settlers |
ondy, and private land monopoly, as
well as alien ownership, should be pro-
hibited.
Second-We condemn the frauds by |
which the land grants to Pacific rail |
road companies have, through the con- (
nivance of the interior department |
robbed multitudes of bona fide settlers |
Of their homes and miners of their !
claims, and we demand legislation by |
Congress which will enforce the eXemp- |
ton of mineral land from such grants |
after as we'll as before patenting-
Third-We demand that bona fide
settlers on all public lands be granted |
free homes, as provided in the national |
homestead law, and that no exception |
be made in the case of Indian reserva-
tons when opened for settlement, and !
that adj lands not now patented come
under this demand
DIRECT LEGISLATION.
We favor a system of direct legis- |
Iation through the initiative and refer
endum under proper constitutional
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
First-We demand the election of
president and United
States senator by direct vote of the
people.
Second-We tender to the patriotic
people of Cuba our deepest sympathy
In their struggle for political freedom
and independence and we believe the
time has come when the United States,
the great republic of the world, should
that Cuba is, and of right
ought to be, free and Independent
state.