The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-06-10
PEOPLES PLATFORM.
Some OF the Dangers to Avoid and Planks to
Adopt

Editor Representative
If the national bank notes are kept in
circulation at the regular discount, IN
Guiding interest on government bonds,
they will double their value in less than
six years an average Of little more than
1Gk per cent per annum. A national bank
note Is the very reverse OF an individual
note An Individual note is the makers
debt, and nvariably draws interest for
the holder.
A national bank note is a corporation
debt, and if loaned, draws interest for the
corporation. The individual gives his
note to the corporation and pays interest
on it. The corporation gives its note to
the Individual and draws interest on
them. The national banking system is
the channel through which President
Cleveland and the bankers say our me-
dunn of exchange must come. And now,
my Republican and Democratic friends, if
you will take off your partisan google that
ObscureS your political vision and put on
your thinking cap and look this matter of
finance square in the face 1T will not take
you long to see why the bank emmisary.
President Cleveland, called the United
States congress in extraordinary session
to destroy silver as a money metal. Why
he persists in Issuing interest bearing
bonds in the time of peace; why he recon-
mends the destruction of all non-interest
bearing currency, and issues in their stead
five hundred millions of interest bearing
bonds to be used as a banking basis. and
thus compel the people of this, the great
est republic in the world, to pay tribute
to the money power; the power that nomi
mated and elected him to his high office.
Abraham Lincoln, one Of the greatest
6Gct, hot live tD16
that this was government Of the people,
for the people and by the people. If that
is so. then the people are the government,
and they elect the president and the Unit
ed States congress to do their will, and not
the will Of corporations combinations and
trusts, which are absorbing the wealth of
this nation as fast as the industrious la
borerS accumulate it.
How to make congress and the president
of the United States do their full duty to
the producers Of this nation, the class that
form the base upon which the foundation
Of this republic rests is the paramount
issue before the American people, and one
that Is pressing for solution and must
be solved ere long if this republic is to
endure. The remedy for misguided and
bartered legislation lies in the initiative
and referendum which will place the veto
power in the hands of the people who will
use 1t to destroy bad laws and enact good
ones In their places. If the referendum
had been In force in 1862. the exception
clause would never have been placed on
the greenback. If it had been Of force in
1853, the national bank act would never
have become a law. If it had been in
force from 1865 to 1868, the non-interest
bearing government money that served
the people SO nobly and so grandly during
the rebellion, would never have been de-
stroyed and interest bearing bonds issued
in their stead. If it had been in force in
1869, the credit strengthening act, that
changed the contract of the bond, never
would have been law. If it had been in
force in 1873, silver would not have been
demonetized. The second plank in our
platform after free coinage, should be the
initiative and referendum.
The third plank should be government
issue OF full legal tender United States
treasury notes, clothed with full money
power. non-redeemable currency equal
to gold and silver, to come into circulation
In payment of government obligations
and. great national improvements. By
great national improvements I mean
something that will enhance the value of
all the property and benefit every citizen
In the United States. The hilsides and
prairies of this vast country are dotted
with thriving villages In each of these
villages the government rents a. building
to receive and distribute the peoples mail
Why not issue a limited amount Of legal
tender United States treasury notes and
put the idle mechanics that have congre-
gated in our critics to work building post
offices and increase the government hold
lngs and at the same time get into circula-
ton medium Of exchange that belongs to
the people instead of the banking corpora
tons?
Why not. because President Cleveland
and the United States congress are op-
posed TO amy legislation that would i'm
prove the condition Of the masses? 1t
seems as II they were influenced by bank
ers, who say our currency must rest on q
gold base. or government bonds that bear
interest so they can tax the people on
every dollar that comes into existence
They tell us the money question Is q
very deep subject, and nobody but those
dealing in money for a profit is supposed
TO understand 1t. Intelligent people Of
ordinary minds who have given the sub
Ject their careful attention have come to
the conclusion that the money question is
very simple one. In our government
where the will Of the people should be law.
II we the people, through our representa-
tiVes, authorize our secretary of the treas
ury TO issue five hundred millions of legal
tenoer United States treasury notes, to
be used In building postoffices. making
and improving our wagon roads. or b,1ild
ing railroad across this continent The
farmers. through their representatives
agree to receive them for their produce
The manufacturers and merchants agrees
..iAou6H thcii representatives. to receive
them Tor their goods, wares and impli-
ments In fact for any and everything a
person may wish to buy the general gov
eminent agrees to receive them for dues
and taxes Of every kind and description
Such currency would be good in any
part of the United States But. saws the
gold bug, that kind Of money would not
be good in Europe, we'll we don't care
whether 1t is or not, we are not making
money for John Bull or any other foreign
er, We are making 1t for ourselves and if
we honor 1t others will be very apt to
Mr.. gold money man before you condemn
this money you had better examine it. In
the first place money is created by law
ana not by nature, a person may have a
gold watch but it Is not money, but let
the sovereign power of this government
take the gold that Is in the watch and
stamp the law on It, then 1t is money. So
you see the material out Of which money
Is coined is one thing and money is an
other. the law stamped upon the material
converts IT into money, then let the SOW
ereign power of this government take q
piece Of paper the size of $40 bill and
stamp the law upon 1t stating it Is worth
$40, that IT Will buy SO worth Of wheat
or cotton or any other cereal or material
OF paper should stray across the Atlantic
into England. France or Germany 1t would
be worth its face value, less exchange
Q thousand dollars in gold would be worth
no more. Why should those people across
the Atlantic consider that piece Of paper
good for it's face value? Because they
know We have the most resourcefull coun-