The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-20
HERE is THE PLATFORM OF THE
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD DEL
EGATES.
STRAIGHT OUT PoPUusT.
THEY DEMAND A SEPARATE TICK
EFT AND INDEPENDENT Or
GANIZATION
ON THE TARIFF AND FINANCE.
Former st. Louis Platform LIS Large
ly Copied-Other Important
Questions.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 19.-The Mid
die Of the Road" Populists have a plat
form prepared which was drawn up
by Hon. Alfred Daggett, of California,
which they will support and under
which they will attempt to renominate
straight out Populist for the presi-
dency. The financial and tariff planks
are:
First-We demand national currency safe,
sound and flexible, issued by the general
government as a full legal tender for all
debts, public and private, and such a ma
tional currency should be issued by the gem
eral government only direct without inter-
vention Of any national bank and without
the agency OF any financial or other corpora
ton whatever.
Second-We believe that the United States
is, In fact. a free and Independent nation
and that its freedom and the financial and
industrial liberty of its citizens should not
be made to depend upon the financial whim
caprice or avarice of any foreign nation and
therefore, we demand the free and unlimited
coinage of gold and silver by the govern
ment of the United States at the present
legal ratio of 16 to 1, without reference to
the action or financial course Of any for
eign nation.
Third-We demand that the laws authoriz-
ing the incorporation of national banks be abb
solutely and Internationally repealed, and that
all national banks and the national banking
Fourth-We demand that congress enact a.
law which shall declare that all contracts
obligations and judgments of every kind and
character requiring the payment 81 money
snail be payable at the option of the debtor
IN gold or silver coin or other lawful cur
rency Of the United States and that such
law shall declare that every provision in
serted a Y Or made part Of any such con-
the debtor to pay the money due thereun-
der in any specified kind of coin or cur
!ency shall be null and void; and the court
in which suit may be brought to obtain
judgment On such contract. Obligation or iudg-
ment shall adjudge the provision which re-
qulres the debtor to pay the sum due there
under in any specified kind of coin or cur
rency to be null and void.
Fffth-We demand that the amount Of
circulating medium be speedily increased to
not less than $50 per capita of the popula-
ton.
Sixth-We demand that the government as
tablish system of postal saving banks in
each town, village or hamlet of the United
states winch contains a population of LOCO
or more and that 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 the trans
M tbraag Of money from one point t ANOTHER
change issued through authority of the gov
eminent through such postal savings banks
Seventh-We demand that law be passed
Dy congress authorizing the government to
| loan to citizens Of the United States but not
TO aliens or to corporations, money on all
lana ana property to the extent of two-thirds
OF the assessed value of said landed prop
! erty, 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 ner
/ cent per annum.
! Eighth-We demand that q law be passed
| by congress authorizing the government to
loan money to municipal corporations in the
! for
| proyement only to the extent of one-third
OF the assessed valuation of the taxable prop
erty IN such municipal corporation, and the
! rate OF interest charged should not exceed the
actual cost Of issuing the loan and all loans
| SO made should be paid to the government
| by the municipal corporation receiving the
loan. In annual installments, each INSTALL
ment not to exceed per cent of the sum
! loaned.
TARIFF
We recognize the government must have
revenue with which to paw the EXPENSES
| thereof, but in view Of the constant agitation
| Oh the questions involved In tariff legislation
and the unsettled condition of business
brought about by such agitation, we demand
that congress pass a law providing for a
non partisan tariff commission, to which
commission all the laboring, manufacturing,
agricultural and mining industries of the
country shall be represented, the members
/ of which commission shall be selected from
| the different states of the Union which said
data as to the operation of the various laws
passed on the subject of tariff and shall
annually report the same to congress for its
information. to the end that congress may
have authentic knowledge as to the opera
ton Of said tariff laws so that the same may
be, from time to time, amended in the in
terest of justice alike to the manufacturer
the agriculturalist, the miner and the Amer
lean laborer, so that it's protective features,
il any, shall extend to the whole body of
American industry. And we demand that all
| tariff legislation be so framed and enforced
as to prevent the formation Of trusts and
other combinations which, for their own
profit, reduce the wages OF the
laborer and enhance the price of the product
to the consumer. This platform demands
that the government own and operate the
railroads. that it establish and maintain
schools in which American youth shall be
| taught the science of railroad building, equip
ment and transportation; that 1t own and
| operate the telegraph and telephone systems,
they to be a part of the postal department.
1t demands that the government at once
| build the Nicaragua canal and operate it;
| that the people should have the right
| through the initiative and referendum to de-
| clare their will on all questions touching the
domestic and financial policy Of the govern
ment and all questions pertaining to
| national and internal improvement and treat
| les with foreign countries; that the presi-
| dent and vice president be elected by the d.
rect vote of the whole people United States
! senators to be chosen in the same way; that
women should have the right to vote; that
| there should be the graduated income tax
| that land should not be owned for specula-
tive purposes; and that all aliens, resident
and nonresident, should be prohibited from
/ owning any land in this country, and to pre-
| vent and destroy ''land monopoly" there
| should be a graduated land tax; that every
| enterprise Of public utility which requires
the aid of the sovereign power OF eminent
| domain or taxation should be owned and
controlled by the government; that congress
should pass effective law against foreign
! immigration, and such law should be rigidly
| enforced to the exclusion of all foreign inn
1 migration which directly or indirectly COM
! petes with the American laborer, and to ac-
| complish this end a per capita tax is favored;
] that the Monroe doctrine should be en-
/ forced.
| suance of government bonds is declared I'M
| constitutional in law and vicious and unjust
| in morals Understanding bonds should not
/ be issued except by act of congress Oppo-
sition to the Pacific railroad funding bill Is
expressed and the demand made that the gov
| eminent proceed to enforce the collection of
all debts; principal and interest, due from the
Pacific railroad companies. Liberal pensions
| to ex-Union soldiers favored. The Plat
| form concludes thus:
Believing that the maladministration OF
| this government during the last % years has
produced and brought about degree of I'm
ancal and industrial distress to the American
people, greater than has ever been known in
| the history of the Republic prior to 1873. and
| believing that the mal-admintstration OF the
| government has arisen from disregard of
the principles enuneiated in the foregoing
platform, and being firmly convinced that the
observance OF those principles and the ac-
complishment of the reforms hereinbefore
demanded will preserve our institutions and
make this truly a government OF the people,
| by the people and for the people, we earnest
ly invite the former party affliation, to
unite with IN the coming election, and by
| the ballot engraft the foregoing principles up
! On the admin fStratfon OF the government and