Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-31
POPULIST PLATFORM.
Adopted In National Convention At 81
LonIs on July "a, 1895.

Adopted in National Convention At 81
LonIs on July "a, 1890.
'The Peoples party, assembled in national
convention, reaffirms its allegiance to the
principles declared by the founders OF the re-
public and also to the fundamental principles
! OF just government as enunciat,d in the plat
form Of the party in 1881 We recogniz, that
through the connivance Of he present and
preceding administrations. the country has
reached crisis in it, national life, as pre-
dicted in our declaration of four year. ago,
and that prompt and patriotic action IL the
suprem, duty OF tho hour We r,alize that
while we have political independence,
our financial and industrial independence
is yet to be attain,i by restoring
to our country the constitutional control and
exercise Of the functions necessary to a peo-
pies government, which functions have been
basely surrendered by our public servants to
corporate monopolies The influence of Euro
pean money changers ha. been more potent in
shaping legislation than the voice of the Amer
lean people Executive power and patronage
have been used tn corrupt our legislatures and
defeat the will OF the people aad plutocracy
has thereby beec eathrUned upon tho ruins
of democracy To restore the government ill.,
tended by the fathers and for the welfare aud
prospect of this and future generations. we
demand the ESTABLISHING 1t of an economic and
financial system which shall maze us mas
European contr, by the adoption of the fol-
lowing declaration of principles:
Finance.
| 'Ffrst-We demand national money, safe
and sound. issued by the general government
only, without the intervention of banks Of
issue, to be full hgal tender for all debts,
public and private-a Just, equitable and
efficient means Of distributing direct to tho
people AMI through the lawful di. burs ,ments
of the government
"Second-We demand tho fire., and unre-
strict ID coin go of silver and gold It the pres
ent legal ratio OF i6 to /. without waiting for
the consent of 'rcign nations
"Thiri-We dcmtnd that tn, volume OF cir
rulating medium be speedily increased to an
amount sufficient to meet the dema Ids of the
business and popula ton of this co ntry and to
restore the just level of pri,es labor and
production.
"Fourth-We deaoun,e thu s,.e of bonds and
the increase of tho public interest bearing debt
made by the present administration as unnec-
essary and without authority of law, and that
no moro bonds be issued except by specific act
OF Congress
"Fifth-We demand such legislation as will
prevent the decentralization Of the lawful mon
ey of the United States by private contract
"Sixth-We demand that the gov ,rnment. in
pay ment of its oblig ions, shall its option
as to the kind of lawful money in which they
are to be paid and we danounce the present aud
preceding administr atoms for surrendering
this option to the holderso government obli-
cations
"Sev, nth-We demand graduated income
tax to the end that agyrcg ted wealth shall
bear its just proportion of taxation, and we re-
gard the recent decision of the supreme court
relative to the income tax law misinter-
lpretatiol of the constitution ami an invasion
o hs rightful powers of Congress over the
8 biect OF taxat on.
Eighth-We demand that postal savingI
banka be established by tho g 'vernment for
safe deposit of the savings of tn, pcopls and
to facilitate exchange.
Transportation.
II. Transportation being means of ex-
change and public necessity, the government
should own and operate the railroa is in the
interest of the people AMI on a non partisan
basis, to the end thai all may be &c ,ordei the
sams treatment in transport alton and that the
tyranny and political power nov exercised by
the great railroad corporations which result
in the impairment, If not the DIES ruction, OF
political rights and personal liberties of the
citizens may b, destroyed Such ownership is
to be accomplished gradually. in a manner con-
sis ent with sound public policy.
"2. Ths interest OF the United States In the
public highways built with public moneys and
the pro ,eed; of extensive grants o. land to the
Pacif, railroads should never be alena ted,
morteag,d or sold but guarded ami prote ted
TOT ReutTdl WelIdTc as pTONlueu W Tue laws
organizing such railroads. The force! osure OF
existing liens of the United States on these
roads should at ono, follow default in the
payment thereof by the debtor companies and
at the foreclosure sales OF said roads tho gov
eminent shall purchase the ams it it becomes
necsss airy to protect its interests therein or il
they can be purch ased at a reasonable price
and the government shall operate said rail
roads as public highw ,ys for the benefit of the
VIII 10 people an not in the interest of the few,
nnder suitable provisions for protection OF life
and property, giving to oil transportation in
terests equal privileges and equal rates for
| fares and freights
49, We denounce tho present infamous
schemes for refunding these debts and demand
that the la WIS now applicable thereto b. exc
cuted and administered according to thei true
intent and spirit.
Il The telegraph like the post office system,
being nece .sity TO- the transmission OF news.
should be owned and operated by the govern
mont in the interest of the pecpl.
| Lands
1.-THE true policy demands that the national
and State legislation shall be such will ulti-
mately enable every prud mt and industrious
citizen to secure home, and therefore the land
should not be monopolized for speculative pur-
poses All lands now hell by railroads and
other corporations in cx:es, of their actual
needs shoull by lawful means be reclaim,d by
the government and held for actual settlers
only. and private land mon ,poly as well as
alien ownership should b, prohibited.
-. We condemn tn, frauds by which the
land grants to Pacific raj roa d comp anies have,
through tn, connivsnce of the Interior d'part-
ment robbed multitude' of actual bona hde
settlers of their homes and miners of their
claims and we deman tbs lcgi lation by Con-
gress which will enforce the exemption # min-
,ral land from such gcants ait,r al we'll as
| b for, m tent,
~ We demand that bona fid, settlers on all
public land be gran ed free homes as provided
in the national homestead law, and that no
OK mption be ade in the case of Indian res.
creations when opened 70 settlement, and that
all lands now patented come under this de-
mand.
| Direct Legislation.
| 1--WE favor system of direct legislation
through the initiative and referendum under
prope- constitutional safeguards
| General Propositions.
II. Wo demand the election of President.
Vice President and United States senators by
n direct vote of the pc pie.
~ We tender to the patriotic people OF
Cuba our deepest sympathy in their heroic
struggle for politi,a al fr 20 lom and independ-
cnce, aud we believe tn, tim, has come when