The herald., 1896-07-20
A POPOL|ST|C PLATFORM
Prepared by the Middle.of- the
Readers
FLEXIBLE CURRENCY PLANK
And Q Tariff to Choke Off the
Trusts
to Nominate . Straight Out
PopuIist
Associated Press Special Wire.

ST. LOUIS, July 19.-The middle OF
the road" Populists have a platform
prepared. drawn UP by Hon. Alfred Dag
gett of California, which they will sup
port, and on which they will attempt to
nominate a straight-out Populist for the
presidency. The financial and tariff
planks are as follows:
FINANCE
First, we demand q national currency,
safe. sound and flexible. issued by the
general government only. as a full legal
tender for all debts, public and private,
and such national currency should be
issued by the general government d.
rect, without the Intervention Of any
national bank and without the agency
Of any financial or other corporation
whatever.
Second-we believe that the United
States IL in fact q FREQ and Independent
nation and that its freedom and the
financial liberty Of its citizens should
not be made to depend upon the flnan-
cial whim, caprice or avarice of any for
eign nation. and therefore we demand
the free and unlimited coinage Of gold
and silver by the government Of the
United States at their present legal ra-
ito Of 16 to /. without reference to the
action or financial course Of any foreign
nation.
Third-ws demand that the laws au-
thorizing the incorporation Of national
banks be absolutely and unconditionally
repealed and that all national banks and
the national banking system now in
vogue be abolished.
Fourth-We demand that congress en-
act law which shall declare that all
contracts. obligations and judgments
Of every kind and character requiring
the payment of money shall be payable
at the option Of the debtor in gold or
silver coin. or other lawful currency Of
the United States, and that such q law
shall declare that every provision in
serted in, or made a part Of, such con-
tract, obligation or judgment which re-
Quires the debtor to pay the money due
hereunder in any specified kind of coin
| or currency. shall be null and void, and
| the court in which suit may be brought
obligation or E.,,-- ~ such contract
the provision which REQUIRES the dsb}of
to pay the sum due Hereunder In anv
specified kind Of coin or currency, to be
| null and void.
Fifth-We demand that the amount of
circulation medium be speedily in
creased to not less than $50 Der CAPITA
Of the population.
Sixth-We demand that tho govern
ment establish system Of postal saw
ings banks in each city, town, village
and hamlet Of the United States which
contains population of 1000 or more.
{nat the people be permitted to deposit
their money for safe keeping in such
postal savings banks and that the gov
eminent carry on the business Of trans
mitting money from one point to an
other through the medium of postal
bills OF exchange issued by authority Of
the government through said postal say-
ings banks
Seventh-We demand that q law he
passed by congress authorizing the eov-
ernment to loan to citizens of the United
States. but not to aliens or to corpora-
tions. money on all landed property tn
the extent Of two-thirds Of the assessed
value OF said landed property which said
loans should be secured by mortgage to
the government and should be made for
PERIODS OF not less than five years nor
more than ten years to any one citizen
upon rate Of interest not to exceed q
per cent per annum.
Eighth-We demand that a law he
passed by congress authorizing the eov-
ernment to loan money to municipal cor
porations IN the various states, for the
purpose of public Improvement only.
TO the extent Of one-thord Of the assessed
valuation OF the taxable property in
sucn municipal corporations, and the
rate OF interest charged should not ex.
ceed the actual cost of issuing the loan
and all loans should be paid to the gov.
ernment by the municipal corporatior
receiving the loan, in annual install
menus each installment not to exceed
per cent OF the sum loaned
TARIFF
we recognize that the government
must nave revenue with which to pav
the expenses thereof. but in view of the
agitation of the questions in
vowed IN tariff legislation and the nm
sertied condition of business brought
ABOUT py such agitation, we demand
that congress pass law providing for
non-partisan tariff commission. to
which commission Gll the Iaboring.
agricultural and min |
ing industries Of the country shall he |
represented, the members of which COM
mission shall be selected from the differ
snt states of the Union, which said |
commission shall collect Nall the facts |
and data as to the operation of the yari-
'us laws passed on the subjecs of tariff
md shall annually report the same To
congress for its information, to the end
hat congress may have authentic
knowledge as to the operation of said
:ariff laws, so that the same NAV be
rom time to time amended in the inter-
,st of justice, alike to the manufac-
urer, the agriculturist and the Ameri-
an miner, SO that the protective fea-
ures, if any, shall extend to the whole
'ody Of American industry. And we
lemand that all tariff legislation be so
ramed and enforced as to prevent the
of trusts and other combi-
ations, which, for their own profit. re-
luce the wages Of the labor and en-