Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-08-07

committee on resolutions was at work al
midnight on the platform to be reported
to the full committee today. 1t had at
that lime agreed upon a preamble, and
financial and land planlSs, and upon some
minor matters AS the sub committee
comprises a majority of the entire COM
mittee, it is more than probable that it's
recommendations will be accepted. So
far as the platform has been completed,
it is as follows
The Peoples party, assembled in ma
tional convention, reaffirms its ALE
glance to he principles declared by the
founders of the republic. and also to the
fundamental principles of just govern
ment, as enunciated in the platform 90
the party in 1892, but recognizes that
throue h the action of the present and
preceding adminstra tons the country
has reached a crisis in it's national life,
as predicted in our platform four years
ago. and a [ present, prompt and patriotic
action is the supreme duty or the hour.
We realize that while we have political
independence, our financial and indus
trial independence is yet to be attained
by restoring to the peoples government
the constitutional control and exercises
of the functions necessary to that end,
which functions have been basely sur
rendered by our public servants, to cor
porate mOGOpOlies. The influence or
European money changers has been more
potent in shaping legislation than the
voice of the American people. EXecn-
tive power and patronage have Deen
used to corrupt our legislatures and de-
feat the will of the people, and plutoc-
racy has thereby been enthroned upon
the ruins of democracy. To restore the
government of the fathers, and for the
welfare and prosperity of this and
future generations we demand the es-
4 =. nd N a
cial system, which shall make us masters
of our own affairs, and independent OF
European control, by the adoption OF the
following declaration of principles;
]. We demand a national currency,
safe and sound issued by the general
government only, a full legal tender Tor
all debts, public and private, and with
out the use of banking corporations; an
honest equitable and efficient means or
distribution direct to the people, ana
through the lawful disbursement OF the
government.
2 We demand the free and unre-
stricted coinage of silver and gold at the
present legal ratio of Is to l by the
United States, without waiting for the
consent of foreign nations.
g. We demand that the volume OF cir
culating medium be speedily increased
to an amount sufficient to meet the ue-
mands of the business and population
of this country, and to restore the Just
level of prices of labor and production,
and thereby establish prosperity and
happiness for the people.
A. We denounce the sale of bonds ana
the increase of the public interest-bear-
ing debt, made by the public admins
tration, as unnecessary and without au-
thority of law. and we demand law
absolutely prohibiting the sale of bonds
and increase of the public DEBT except
in accordance with an act or acts OF
congress authorizing the same.
5. We demand such legislation as Will
prevent decentralization of the lawful
money of the United States by private
consent and private contract.
6. We demand that the government
in payment of it's obligations, shall use
its option as to the kind of lawful money
in which they are to be paid. ana we de-
nounce the present and preceding ad-
ministrations for surrendering TINS OPP
ton to the holders of government oDll-
cations.
Z We demand a graduated income
tax. to the end that aggregated wealth
shall bear it's just proportion of taxation,
and we denounce the recent decision of
the supreme court in regard to the IN
come tax, as an misinterpretauon OF
the constitution and an invasion OF the
rightful powers of congress over the SUD-
ject of taxation.
s. We demand that postal savings be
established by the government for the
safe deposit of the savings Of the peo-
pie and to faciltate,exchange.
A true policy demands that the ma
tional and state legislation shall be such
as will ultimately enable every private
and Industrious man to own a home, and
therefore the land should not be monop-
olized for speculative purposes All
agricultural and grazing lands now held
by railroad corporations, in excess of
their actual need. should by lawful
means be reclaimed by the government
and held for actual settlers only, and
private land monopoly should be pre-
vented by state and national legisla-
ton We condemn the fraud, the land
grant of the Pacific Railroad company
which, through the conniyance of the
interior department, robbed multitudes
of actual and bona fide settlers Of their
homes and minors of their claims, and
we demand legislation by congress
which will enforce the exception of
mineral land from such grants after, as
well as before, patents.
We hold that all governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed, and in order that the consent
Of the governed may be clearly ascer-
tanned, we favor direct legislation, under
proper constitutional safeguards, so that
percentage of the citizens shall have
the right of initiating, framing and pre-
pairing laws, and of compelling the sub
mission thereof, whether proposed by
national, state or local legislatures, to a
direct vote of the people for their ap-
prevail of rejection
Being a means of exchange, and pub
ic necessity, the government should own
and operate railroads in the interest of
the people; to the end that all men may
be accorded the same treatment in trans
portation, and that the tyranny and po-
litical power, now exercised by the great
corporations, which result in the impair
lnent, if not the destruction of the politi-
cal ana personal liberty of the citizen,
may be destroyed. Such ownership Is
to be accomplished gradually, in man
ner consistent with sound public policy.
The interest of the United States in the
public highways, built with public
monies, and the proceeds of extensive
grants of land known as the Pacific rail-
roads, should never be alieniated, mort
gagged or sold, but guarded and protected
for the general welfare, is provided by
the laws organizing said Pacific rail-
roads The foreclosure of the subsist
ing liens of the United States on these