The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-07-28

O9QeuG OF GQo WQOl0 people anu III GQ6
interest of the few, under suitable pro-
visions for protection of life and prop
erty; giving to all transportation in
terests and priviles and equal rates for
fares and freight.
81 We denounce the present intR-
nous schemes for refunding thesedebts
and demand that the laws now epplica-
BILE thereto be executed and admins
tered according to their true intent
and spirit.
az The telegraph, like the postt fiji e
system, being necessary for the trans
mission of news should be owned and
operated by the government in the in
terest of the people.
LAND
% The true policy demands that the
National and State legislation shall be
such as will ultimately enable every
prudent and industrious citizen to
secure a home, and therefore the land
should not be monopolized for speclla-
tive purposes.
III An LIZ" AO4N ny 4CS444 SCAOS AAA
other corporations in excess OF their
actual needs, should by lawful means
be reclaimed by the government and
held for actual settlers only, and pri.
vete land monopoly as we'll as allen
ownership should be prohibited.
~ econdemn the frauds by which
the land grants to the Pacific Railroad
companies have, through connivance
Of the Interior Department., robbed
multitudes Of actual bona fde 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 patent.
~ We demand that bona fie set
tiers on all public lands be provided
free homes and be provided for in the
National homestead law, and that no
| exception be made in the case of Indian
reservations when opened for settle,
ment, and that ali lands not now pat
ented come under this demand.
DIRECT LEGISLATION.
a. We favor a sy stem of direct legis
lation through the initiative and refer
endum under proper constitutional
safeguards.
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
% We demand the election of Presi
dent and Vice President and United
States Senators by a direct vote of the
people.
() We tender to the patriotic peop'e
Of Cuba our deepest sympathy in their
heroic struggle for political freedom
and independence, and we believe the
time has come when the United States,
the great Republic of the world, should
recognize that Cuba is and Of right
ought to be a free and independent
State.
81 We favor home rule in the Terri
tories and the District of Columbia,
and the early admission of Territories
as States.
a. All public salaries should be made
to correspond to the price of labor and
its products.
% In times of great Industrial de-
preston, idle labor should be employed
on public works as far as practicable.
() TDe arbitrary course Of the courts
in assuming to imprison citiz 9ns for in
direct contempt and ruling by injunc-
ton, should be prevented by proper
legislation.
~ We favor just pensions for our
disabled Union soldiers.
81 Believing that the election fran
! chise and untrammeIed ballot are essen
ti8I to agovernmenG of for, and by the
people, the Peoples party condemns
| the wholesale system Of diefranChise
ment adopted in some States as I'm re
publican and un-democratic, and we
declare it to be the duty OF the several
State legislatures to take such action
as will secure a full, free and fair bal
| lot and an honest count.
PART!SANSHIP ON THE WANE.
There is much that is sign ficant in
the very fact that Senator Henry M.
Teller, of Colorado, seeks a nomination
at the hands of the Democratic Nation
al Convention. There is greater sig
nifcance in the fact that many old
time Democrats seriously considered the
availability of his candidacy. What
the slavery question did for the Wing
and Democratic parties 40 years ago,
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