The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-08-21
THE NATIONAL PLATFoRM.
Peoples Party Principles as Promulgated
at the 81. Louis Convention.

at the St Louis Convention.
The. peoples party, assembled in national
convention, reaairms its allegiance to the
principles declared By the founders Of the re-
public, and also to the fundamental principles
| OF Just government, as enunciated in the plat
! form Of the party in 1892 We recognize that
I through the eOnEiVanee OF the present and
preceding administrations the country has
reached crisis iHits 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 industrial independence is yet TO
| be attained by restoring to cur
country the constitutional control and
! exercise Of the functions necessary to peO-
I PIES government, which functions have been
| basely surrendered by our public servants to
/ corporate mOnopOlies The influence Of Euro
! pean money changers has been more potent in
/ Shaping legislation than the voice OF the
| American people. Executive power and patron
! age have been used to corrupt our Legislatures
/ and defeat the will Of the people, and plutoc-
raey has thereby been enthroned upon the
| ruins of democracy. To restore the govern
/ ment intended by the fathers, and for the well
/ fare Of this and future generations, we demand
| the establishment Of an economic and financial
! system, which snail make US masters of our
own affairs and independent Of European con-
! troll, By the adoption Of the following declara-
ton Of principles:
/ First-We demand g national money, safe
and sound, issued by the general governments
/ only, without the intervention Of banks Of IS
sue, to be a full legal tender for all debts, pub
lie and pri7ate-a Just, equitable and efficient
means Of distribution direct TO the people and
through the lawful disbursements of the gov
eminent
Second-We demand the free and unre-
stricted coinage Of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio Of sixteen to one, without wait
! ing for the consent Of foreign nations.
Third-We demand that the volume Of cir
culating medium be speedily increased to an
amount SUFFICIENT to meet the demands Of the
business and population Of this country and
to restore 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
unnecessary and without authority OF law, and
that no more bonds be issued except by spe-
oiic act Of congress.
Fifth-We demand such legislation as will
prevent the demonstration OF the lawful
money Of the United States by private con-
tract
Sixth-We demand that the government, in
payment of its obligations, shall use its option
as to the kind Of lawful money in which they
are % be paid, and wG denOuuce the present
and preceding administrations for surrender
ing this option to the holJeTs Of government
obligations,
Seventh-We demand a graduated income
tax to the end that aggregated wealth shall
bear its Just proportion Of taxation, and we
regard the recent decision Of the supreme
court relative TO the income tax law as a mis-
Interpretation Of the constitution and an in
Vasi0n Of the Fightful powers Of congress over
the subject Of taxation.
Eighth-We demand that postal savings
esatS Dc rstsblished by the government for
the safe deposit Of the savings Of the people
and TO facilitate exchange.
TRANSPORTATION
First Transportation being means Of eX-
change and necessity, the government should
own and operate the railroads in the iHlsTs,5l
Of the. people and on a non-pai tlsau basis; >
the end. that all may be accorded the same
Treatment in transportation and that tho
Sysanry and political power now exercised by
the great railroad corporations, which result
m the impairment. if not in the destruction, Of
the political rights and personal liberties Of
! the citizen, may be destroyed. Such owner
ship IS to be accomplished gradually in man
| ner consistent with sound public policy.
SecOnd-The interest Of the United States Ia
the public highways built with public moneys
and the proceeds Of extensive grants of land to
| the Pacific railroads, should never be alienat-
ed, mOftgaged or sold, but guarded and pro-
| tected for the general welfare, as provided by
the laws organizing such railroads The fore
closure Of existing liens Of the United States
on these roads should at once follow default in
payment thereof by the debtor companies and
at the foreclosure sales Of said roads the gov
eminent should purchase the same if it be-
comes necessary to protect its interests there
IN, 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 lie and property, giving to all tTansporta-
ton interests equal privileges and equal rates
for fares and freights.
Third-We denOunCe the present infamous
schemes for refunding these debts, and de-
mand that the laws now applicable thereto be
executed and administered according to their
true intent and spirit
Fourth-The telegraph, like the post Office
system, being a necessity for the transmission
OF news, should be owned and operated by the
governmental the interests Of the people
LAND
FlFst-The true policy demands that the ma
tional and state legislation shall be such as
viii ultimately enable every prudent and in
duStriOus citizen 70 secure home, and there
fore the land should not be monopolized for
speculative purposes All lands now held by
railroads and other corporations in excess OF
their actual needs should by lawful means be
reclaimed by the government and held for &C
tuaI settlers only, and private land monopoly,
as vel! as allen ownership, should be prohib-
lied.
Seeond-We condemn the frauds bv which
the land grants to Pacific railroad companies
have, through the connivanee Of the interior
department. robbed mUltitudes of actual bona
hde settlers Of their homes and miners Of their
claims ana we demand legislation by congress
winch VIII enforce the exemption Of mineral
land from such grants, after as well as before
patent
InlFd-We demand that all bona fde settlers
OF al public lands be granted free homes, as
provided In the national homestead law. and
that no exception be made in the case Of In
dian reservations when opened for settlement
ana that all lands now patented come under
THIS demand
Fourth-Direet Legislation: Wefavor sys-
TEN OF direct legislation through the initiative
ana referendum under proper constitutional
safeguards
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
First-We demand the election OF president
vice president and United States senators bv a
direct vote of the people.
Second-We tender TO the patriotic people OF
Cuba our deepest sympathy in their struggle
for political freedom and independence, and
We belieVa the time has cnfns rrhnr TIE LIZ