The Yale expositor., 1896-07-31

control by the adoption of the following dec
laration of principles:
/. I'VE demand a national money, safe and
sound, issued by the general government only
without the intervention of banks OF issue, TO
be run legal tender ior all aebts, pnpc anu
| OF distribution direct to the people and through
| the lawful disbursements of the government.
.. 1--WE demand the free and unrestricted
| coinage Of silver and gold at the present legal
ratio of 10 to /. without waiting for the con-
| sent OF foreign powers
] 3. I'VE demand that the volume of circulating
medium be speedily increased TO an amount SUI,
| fcient 10 meet the demands of the business ana
, population of this country and to restore the
| just level OF prices of labor and production.
| crease of the public interest bearing bond debt
| made by the present administration as unneces-
| sary and without authority of law, and that no
more bonds be Issued except by specihc act OF
| congress.
8. We demand such legislation as will prevent
the demonetizatiCn of the lawful meney OF the
| United States by private contract.
&. We demand that the government, In pay
ment of it's obligations shall use its option as
| to the kind of lawful money in which they are
to be paid, and we denounce the present and
preceding administrations for surrenderinG this
| option 10 the holders of government obligations.
| Z. We demand graduated income tax to the
| end that aggregated wealth shall bear It's Just
proportion of taxation, and we regard the recent
| decision of the Supreme Court relative to the
| income tax law as misinterpretation of the
| constitution and an invasion of the rightful
powers of congress over the subject of taxation.
s. We demand that postal savings banks be
established by the government, for the safe de-
| post of the savings of the people and to facii-
| tate exchange
TRANSPORTATION.
| /. Transportation being a means OF exchange
and n public necessity the government should
own and operate the railroads in the interest of
| the people and on non partisan basis, To the end
| that all may be accorded the same treatment in
| transportation and that the tyranny and poli:i-
cal power now exercised by the great railroad
corporations which result in the impairment. il
not the destruction, of the political rights and
| personal liberties of the citizen may be de-
| Ctr ie IN he
gradually i'm manner consistent with sound
public policy.
public highways built with public moneys and
the proceeds OF extensive grants of land to the
Pacific railroads should never be alienated,
mortgaged or Sold but guarded and protected
for the general welfare, as provided by the
laws organizing such railroads. The forecio-
sure Of existing liens of the United states on
these roads should at once follow default in
and at the foreclosure sales OF said roa DIS the
government shall purchase the same, II 1t be-
comes necessary. TO protect its interest thereh,
or II they can be purchased at reasonable
price: and the government shall operate said
railroads as public highways for the benefit OF
the whole people. and not In the interest OF the
few under suitable provisions for protection OF
life and property, giving 10 all transportation
interests equal privileges and equal rates Tor
3. We denounce the present infamous schemes
| for refurding these debts and demaiL. that the
laws now applicable thereto be executed and
administered according to their true intent anu
4. The telegraph like the postof1ce system.
being necessity For the transmission of news,
should be owned and operated ly the govern
l. The true policy demands that the national
and state legislation shall be such as will ulti-
matey enable every prudent and INDUSTRIOUS
citizen to secure home ana thereiore, tne
land should not be monopoliZed for speculative
purposes All lands now held by railroads ana
other corporations in excess OF their actual
needs should 10y lawful means be reclaimed by
the government and held for actual settlers
| only, and private land monopoly, as well as
alien ownership. should be prohibited.
.. We condemn the frauds by which the land
grant to the Pacific railroad companies have
through the connivance of the interior depart
ment robbed multtudes of actual bonahde set
tiers of their homes ard miners of their claims,
and we demand legislation by congress which
Will enforce the exemption of mineral land from
| such grants after az well before. patent.
g. We demand that bonaide settlers on all
public lands be granted free homes, as pro,
vided 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 not now patented come uhder
this demand.
DIRECT LEGISLATION.
We favor system of direct legislation
through the initiative and referendum, under
proper constitutional safeguards.
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
| l. we demand the election of president, vice.
president and United States senator's by dlrec'
2 We tender to the patriotic people of Cuba
our deepest sympathy in their heroic strugs lie
! for political freedom and independence, and we
believe the time has come when the United
!
recognize that Cuba is and of right ought to be
a free and independent state.
! 3. We favor home rule in the territories and
the District of Columbia and the early adms-
sion of the territories states.
4. All public salaries should be made to cor
| respond to the price of labor and its products.
;. In times OF great industrial depression idle
labor should be employed on public works as
far practicable.
6. The arbitrary course OF the courts in as
Stunning to imprson citizens for indirect con
tempt and ruling that by injunction, should be
| prevented
T. We favor just pensions for our disabled
g. believing that the election franchise ant
| untrammeled ballot are essential to govern
ment Of, for and by he people, the Peoples
shisement adopted In some of the states as un
republican and undemocratic and we declare Il
| TO be the duty Of the several state legislatures
to take sLch action will secure full, FIRE,
and fair ballot and an honest count.
o. While the foregoing propositions consti
tute the platform upon which our party stands
and for the vindication of which its organiza
ton will be maintained, we recognize that tn,
great and pressing issue of the pending cam
paign upon which the presidential election vii
turn is the financial question, and upon this
cordially invite the aid and cooperation of al
organizations and citizens agreeing with III
upon this vital question.
The nomination of vlee-president was
the next order of business. The state
were called c iTT ho ol ~ T Row mia
placed in nomination Barney Gibbs, o
Texas.
A recess was tnen taken, ana upon re
assembling Chairman Allen introduce,
Judge jefferson Pollard, of Missouri, VIII
read the platform of the Silver conven
ton and q message about the nomina
ton of Bryan and Sewal. Many of tn
planks of the Silver party's platform
were enthusiastically appauded, blu
when the action of the silver convention
in nominating Bryan and Sewall wa
read ii was jeered by the middle-of-the
road contingent. Nominations were re
sumedp and the names of Arthur Sewail
of Maine; Hon. Harry Skinner, of Nort
Cardinal; Hon. Thomas IL. Watson, %
Georgia. Frank Burkitt. of Mississippi
and Hon. A. L. Mimms, of Tennessee
were presented.
The convention was being strung up {
n high nervous tension as the roll cal
proceeded. The Bryan men became des
perate, and made an effort during Ney
York's time to hold back the m'ddle-of
/ the-road men by getting Senator Stewart
the venerable Populist of Nevada, to tn
front. He was listened to patiently unit
: the crowds saw through the move. an
| then they refused to allow him to pro
coed. Speeches were made for Sewall a
| every opportunity, but state after $. at
| seconded Watson as the call proceeded
1t was just midnight when the frs
ballot was begun, and Gen. weaver at
tempted to induce the convention to ad
journ for the night, but he was howle
| down, despite the reprimands of tn
chair, and the roll call proceeded. Blu
before ii was near ended II was seen tina
Thomas +. Watson, of Georgia, was tn
| oh mn IN ka N