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

The Peoples party assembled in
national convention, reatfirms its al
legiance to the principles declared by
the founders of the republic, and also
to the fundamental principles of just
government, as enunciated in the plat
form of the party in 1892, We recOg-
nize that through the cOnnivance of
the present and preceding admins.
tratiOns the country has reached
crisis in its national life as predicted
in our declaration four years ago, and
that prompt and patriotic action is
the supreme duty of the hour. We
realize that while we have political
independence, our financial and in
duStrial independence is yet to be
attained by restoring to our country
the constitutional control and exer-
else of the functions necessary to a
peoples government, which functions
have been basely surrendered by our
public servants to corporate mOnOpe-
lies. The European money chargers
has been more potent in shaping
legislation than the voice of the
American people. Executive power
and patronage have been used to cor
rupt our legislatures and defeat the
will of the people, and plutOcracy has
thereby been enthrOned upon the
ruins of democracy. To restore the
government intended by the fathers,
and for the welfare of this and future
generations, we demand the eStab.
lishment Of an economic and financial
system, which shall make US masters
OF our own affairs and independent of
European control by the adoption of
the following declaration of princi-
pies:
FINANCE.
FlrSt-We demand national
money, safe and sound, issued by the
general government only, without the
Intervention Of banks of issue, 10 be a
full legal tender for all debts, public
and private-a just, equitable and
efficient means of distribution direct
to the people and through the lawful
disbursements of the government.
SecOnd-We demand the free and
Unrestricted coinage of silver and
I'D at the present legal ratio of six
teen to oae, without. waiting for the
consent Of foreign nations.
Third-We demand that the volume
of circulating medium be speedily In
creased to an amount sufficient to
meet the demands Of the business and
pOpulatioaOf this country and to re-
store the just level Of prices of labor
and production.
FOurth-We denOunce the sale of
bonds and the increase of the public
interest bearing debt made by the
present administration as Gnneces-
sary and without authority of law,
and that nc more bonds be issued ex-
cept by specific act of congress.
Fifth-We demand such legislation
as will prevent the demonstration of
lawful money of the United States by
private contract.
Sixth-We demand that the gov
eminent, ia payment of its o5liga-
tiOnS, shall use its option as to the
kind of lawful money in which they
are to be paid, and we denounee the
present and preceding adminAtra-
tionS for Surrendering this option to
the holders of government obliga-
tionS.
Seventh-We demand a gradual in
came tax to the end that aggregated
wealth shall bear its just proportion
NtaxatiOn, and We regard the recent
decision of the supreme court relative
to the income tax law as a miSinter-,
probation of the constitution and an
invasion of the rightful powers of,
congress 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 aOd to facilitate
exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
neutrality-suspicious. being a
means of exchange and necessity,
the government should Ow0 and oper-
ate the railroads in the interest of
the people and on a nonpartisan
basis: to the end that all may be &C
corded the same treatment ia trans
poftatiOn and that the tyranny and
political power now exercised by the
great railroad corporations, which re-
suit in the impairment. il not in the
destruction, of the political rights
and personal liberties of the citizen
may be destroyed in a manner consis-
tent with sound public policy.
Second-The interest of the United
states in the public highways built
with Dublic moneys and tho nrocaado