People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-07-30

ClOoult VI eAlSUluS lltuS'l Tue UllUeQ
States on these roads should at once
follow default in payment thereof by
the debtor companies: and at the
foreclosure sales of said roads the
government should purchase the same
if it becomes necessary to protect its
interest therein, or if they Can be
purchased at reasonable price, and
the government shall operate said
railroads as public highways Tor the
benefit of the whole people and not
in the interest of the few, under suit
able provisions for protection of life
and property giving to all transporta-
ton interests equal privileges and
equal rates for fares and freights.
Third-We denounce the present
infamous schemes for refunding these
debts, and demand that the laws
now applicable thereto be executed
and administered according to their
true intent and spirit.
Fourth-The telegraph, like the
post office system, being a necessity
for the transmission of news. should
be owned and operated by the govern
ment in the interest of the people
LAND.
FirSt-The true policy demands
that the national and state legisla.
ton shall be such as will ultimately
enable every prudent and industrious
citizen TO secure home and therefore
the land should not be monopOlized
for speculative purposes. All lands
now held by railroads and other cor
pOratiOns in excess OF their actual
needs should by lawful means be re-.
claimed By the government and held
for actual settlers only, and private
land monopoly, at well as alien owner
ship, should be prohibited,
SecOnd-We condemn the frauds by
which the land grant to Pacific rail-
road companies have, through the
connivance of the interior department
robbed multitudes of actual bona flde
settlers Of their homes and minors of
their claims, and we demand legisla-
tion by congress which will enforce
the exemption of mineral land from
such grants, after as well as before
patent.
Third-We demand that all bona
fde 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 reservations when opened for
settlement, and that all lands now
patented come under this demand.
FOurth-Direct Legislation: We
favor a system Of direct legislation
through the initiative and referendum
under proper constitutional safe
guards.
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
First-We demand the election of
president, yice-president, and United
States senators 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 recognize that CUBA is
and of right ought to be, a free and
independent state.
Third-We favor home rule h the
territories and the District Of Column
bia, and the early admission OF the
territories as states.
FOurth-All public salaries should
be made to correspond tothe price of
labor and its products.
Fifth-Ia times OF great industrial
depression idle labor should be en-
ployed on public works as far as prac-
ticable.
Sixth-The arbitrary course OF the
courts in assuming to imprisoa citi-
Eeos for Indirect contempt and ruling
them by injunction should be prevent
ed by proper legislation.
Seventh-We favor just pensions
for every disabled union solder.
Eighth-BelieSing that the elective
franchise and nntrammeled ballot
are essential to government of, for
aad by the people. the Peoples party
condemn the wholesale system Of dis
reimbursement adopted in some of the
states as un-republican and un-demo-
cratic, aad we declare it to be the
duty of the several tates'legislatures
to take such action as will secure a
full, free aud fair ballot and an honest
count.
Ninth-While the foregoing propo-
sitions constitute the platform upon
which our party stands, aud for the
vindicatiOn of which its organization
will lie maintained, we recognize that
the prpat and nrascin0 ;ocro - A.