Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-23
POPULIST PLATFORM.
DECLARATION OF THE MID
DIE OF THE ROAD MEN.
More MOaey Wanted, Per Capita Raised
to $50 Per Head-NO National Banks,
Government TO Loan Money on Farms,
Non-Partlsan TarifR Commission.

Ols AAONAot NAOsf y ny AhO hAAA
lie of the road" Populists have plat
form prepared which was drawn up
oy Hon. Alfred Daggett of California,
which they will support, and under
which they will attempt to nominate
1 straightout Populist for the Presi-
1ency. The financial and tariff planks
are:
First-We demand a national currency, sound
| and flexible. Issued by the general government
only, as fill legal tender for all debts public
and private, and such national currency should
| DO issued by tho general government direct,
without the Intervention of any national banks,
and without the agency OF any financial or
other corporation whatever.
Second-We believe that the United State' IS
in fact I 90 and independent nation and that
its freedom aud tho financial and indu 'trlai
liberty OF its items should not be mads to de-
pend upon tho financial whim caprice or
lvarce of any foreign nation, and, therefore,
We demand the froe and unlimited coinage OF
| goll and silver by the government Il tho
| United State at their present legal ratio OF 10
| % 1, without reference to the ajti on ~ imam
,ial course OF any foreign nation.
| BThird-We demand that the laws authoriz-
ing tho incorporation Of national banks be
absolutely and Internationally repealed, and
that all national banks and the national bank
ing system now in vogue DO abolished
| Fourth-We demand that Congress enact
law which shall 9lare that all contracts Ob-
ligalons end judgments OF every kind and
character requiring the payment OF m ney,
shall be payable at the option of the debtor in
| cold or silver coin or other lawful currencyot
Inc United States and that such law shall de"
elaro that every provision inserted in or made
a part OF any such contract, obligation or
| Judgment which requires the debtor to pay the
money due Hereunder in any specified KIM OK
currency or coin shall be null and void and
tho court in wni,h SUIT may be brought TO OBJ
| tain Judgment on such contract obligation or
iud ,ment shall adjudge the provision which
| r,auiros the debtor to pay the sum due ther)-
| under in any spelled kind of coin or currency
| to be null and void.
+, fth We demand that the amount OF circu-
latino medium be speedily increased to not
loss than SO per capita of the popul ltion'
1Sixth -Wo demand that the government es'
tablish system of postal savings banks In
sach city, town, village and hamlet OF tnS
United States which con. aims population OF
1908 or more and that the people be permitted
TO deposit thoir money for safe keeping in
5uch postal banks AMI that the government
I carry on the business of transmitting money
/ from one point to another through the medium
of postal bills Of exchange Issued by authority
| of the government through said postal savings
| banks. -
Inv Congress- authorizing the government to
| loan to citizens of the United States but not
| to alien, or corporations, money on all landed
property to the extent of twO.thir l3 OF the
! a sessed value Of said landed property, which
| sal 4 loans should DO secured by mortgage to
tn, government and should b. made for
| periods o. not less than five years nor more
than ten years to any one citizen upol rate
| of Interest not to eI'e1d per cent per annum'
Eighth-We demand that a law be passoi by
Congress authorizing the government to loan
money tn municipal corp oratOns in tn various
States for the purpose of public improvement
| only to the extent Of one. third of thy assessed
valuation OF the taxa bio property In su'h
municipal corporation, and the rate Of interest
charge should not exceed the actual cost OF
| issuing the loan and all loans so mad' should
| be paid to the government by tho municipal
corporation receiving the loan in annual in'
| stallments each installment not to exceed
| per cont OF the sum loaned.
We recognize that the government must nave
| revenue with which to pay the expen GO there
| OF but in view of the constant agitation OF the
| questions involve in tariff Legislation aud the
unsettled condition of business br ought about
| by such agitation we demand that ongress
pass law providing for q nOn-psrtisln tariff
commission, on which commission AL the
| laEOrlnR mAnuIhCbuIluBf dBAlChAtulHA auN
mining industries of tho country shall be
represented. the members Of which commits
| sion shall be selected from the diHersnt
| States of tn, Union; said commission shall
| col lect all the factsand data as to the opera
| ton of tho various laws passed on the subject
of tariff and shall annually report the same to
| Congress for its information, to thu end that
| Congress may haV1 authentic knowledge as to
tho operation OF said tariff laws, 80 that tina
l.. N..,., iva 10 ina nFnnUnnI m
the interest Of justice alike to the manufacture
or, tho aRriculturst tho miner and the Amer
| lean laborer so that its protective features. II
| any, shall extend to tho whole body OF Amer.
| lean Industry. An W. demand that all tariff
| legislation be so framed and enforced as to
prevent tho formation of trusts aud other
combinations which reduce the price OF th1
product FOR their own profit, reduce the wagoi
| OF the laborer and enhance the price of the
| product tothe consumer.
| This platform demands that the government
own and operate the railroad5;that il e5tab ish
and maintain schools in which American youth
shall bo taught the SC ence of railroad build
ing. equipment and transportation: that it
own and operate the telegraph and telephone
systems TO be part OF tn, postal department.
II demands that the government at once build
tho Nicaragua canal and operate it; that the
people should have tho right through the mi
tiatiyo and referol alum to clare their will on
all questions pertaining to natl nal and in
ternationnl improvements and treltisi with
foreign nations and that the President and
Vice President be elected by the dire It vote Of
tho whole people Unitod st ties Senators
to be chosen in the same way: that women
should have the right to vote; that there should
DO a gra luated income Tux; that land should
not DO owned for speculative purpoios anC
that all aliens. resident and nonresident
should be prohibited from owning any LAID II
this country. and to prevent AMI destroy liant
monopoly" there shoull be a g'alultd lane
tax; that every enterprise OF public utility
which requires the aid Of the -oycIciGn power
of etninelt domain or taxation, should be
owned AMI coltro lei by tine governments tina
Congress should pass an effective law agains
foreign immigration. and such law n nuld b
rizidly enforced 10 the exclusion OF all foresi
immigration which directly or indirectly com
petes tn tho American laborer, and 10 accom
pl.sh this On / per capita tax is fayOrel tina
the Monroe doctrine should be enforced.
Sympathy is extended to Cuba The issu
an 20 Of government bon Ia is denounced "a IN
constitutional in law and vicious and unjust /
morals Interas bearing bonds should not b
issucd except b. act OF Congress. Opp)sitio
to tho Pacific railroad funding bill is e.
pressed ami the demand made that tho govern
ment proceed to enforce tho collection OF al
debts principal and interest due from the Pa
cih, railroads. Liberal pensions to eG-Unio
soldiers are favored.
Tho platform concludes thus: "Beli,vin
that the ma administration OF this governmer
during the last twenty-five years has protuc
ami brought about degree OF financial an
indu,triai distress 10 tho American pcopl