The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-08-08
THE PLATFORM.

pRrANBI,t,--Wc demand a change of
administration In Texas for the reasons
that during the twenty-thrce years IN
which tho democratic party has had con-
troll of this State 1t has squandered our
magnificent public domain in donations to
corporations and sales at nominal prices
to syndicatcs and land robbers and has
thrown every impedimcnt N the way of
actual settlers and it has multiplied Of
fices. wasted the public revenues. In
creased our State debt and raised our
taxes to the point approaching confiscl-
ton. 1t has increased the expenses OF
State government from one mllEon dol
lars per annum to more than four million
dollars per annum. liy IT'S maLidmihistra-
tons Of the public funds, l. has in open
violation of the constitution reduced our
public free schools from s.A tn three
months per annum and AT the same time
Ii has invaded our permanent school fund
30 that the same viii be ultimately ex-
tinsulshed instead OF remaining as "a per
petual benefit TO posterity as designed by
our fathers Though needlessly multiply
ing courts it has failed to enforce the
laws 10y refusing to repeal scnseless tech
nicalities in our criminal procedure ana
It has rendered necessary reversals OF
judgments Of convictions against notori-
Gus criminals to such an extent that our
courts OF final resort have been subject
cd to gross abuse and the administration
of our laws has been brought into such
a contempt as 10 incte mobs to deeds OF
violence to the shame and disgrace of our
state We denouncc the present adm MIS-
tra,ion in this State as being personal
and dominated by ring rule as evidenced
by such acts as the payment OF eNtrava-
CANT and unnecessary fees to its hench-
men and its refusal to buy bonds except
through favorite brokers. This admins
tration. like Cts predecessor. claims the
right of cling its own successor. and Ike
them win claim the right to pass the Of
flee of governor to the next In line" I'M
l.y.. no, ,.tt e rax sln nv hnt
votes that the office of governor belongs
TO the people and not 10 the official ram
Ny. \ long lease of power tends to cor
rirtion and is shhvers:ve of economy and
efficient government and we believe that
the best interests of Texas demand "A
change Of administration and an nspec-
ing declaration Of principle of the peo-
pies party of Texas in convention assem-
hled at Galveston, Texas. TINS August ..
NATIONAL POLITICs-we indorse the
principles of the peoples party as set
forth in our National platform, adopted
at St Louis. July %, 1875. Amen.
PEOPLES PARTY STATE PLATFORM
LAND-rhe peoples party favors all
State legislation that tends to increase the
number of home owners and that will as
sist in the settling Of orr unoccupied land
Hence We demand that only the improve
ments and the amount actually paid to
the State upon school lands be subject to
taxation No nonresident alien ownership
of land should be allowed in Texas. Cor
porations should not be allowed to own
moro land than they actually use in the
prosecution of their business.
TANATIoN-We favor constitutional
amendment exempting $50 of persona
property from taxation in lieu of the eX-
enptlon of $50 of household and kitchen
furniture, and the exemption of $500 worth
OF improvements on homesteads. We are
opposed to counties or cities contracting
bonded debt unless the same be ordered
10y majority vote Of the people proposed
to be taxed TO pay said tax. We are in
laVor OF a Just and equal rendition at all
property Tor taxation and to that end de-
inand that all notes ard other securities
shall he rendered for taxation. and we
are opposed to double taxation.
We dcnouncc the democratic par
m IN the administration Of the at
party to the most rigid economy in the
| administration of said affairs
SCliOOlS-We favor an effective sys.
! tenl OF public free schools for six months
| IN me year. aS provided for in the consti-
| tuition. for all children between the ages
! Sl . ala y years and that each race ehali
/ nave it's own pro rata norton OF the school
I iund an its own trustees to he elected hv
me people, and control its own s,nuols
We demand the adoption of a uniform
e'ileS OF text DOCKS Tor the use OF public
scnools' TO be furnished at cost by tn,
SS,ate' We demand an amendment to our
| Ss"te constitution authorizing the louning
! or our puhilc school funds. not otherwise
| invested upon the lands Of the pconla az
thls STATE, with proper Limitation uno,
tne quantity OF land and the amount or
LABOR We demand the establishment,
| ~ o,ate bureau OF labor. We favor the
| tseav on OF state board of arbitration
! I" ADJUST all difference be,ween corn "a
| tohS and employees. We demand an er
! nc.ent len law that viii protect artisan.
/ ~ ~ "adn.es, !abarers and material men.
AZ, We uenand such amendments TO the
warrant laws as will prevent the prosecu-
! .loh as criminals of Industrious iabor.ng
men while In condition of enforced die
i nonS We demand the enactment of
| Jaw declaring eight hours to be n legal
uay work for all artisans, mechanics
ana s IaporerS IN the employment of CON
| tractors am corporations
| MlScEl.LANEOUS-W demand n fro.
Vote by every qualified olector, without
reference TO nationality. and an honest
svFt,; we demand that the State provide
| s"ioent accommodations for an It's in
Sane without scrnination O. color We
| favor proportional representation We H.
C.arc me peoples party to be in favor
! or local self-government and the oniov-
mont by the Individual of his natural
nsn'S 20 the greatest extent compatible
WIN me good of society. We demand
.Slorinatcn IN the punishment of convicts
| mn convict labor be taken cut OF COM
| peuuon with citizen labor; that conyicts
ne given Intellectual and moral mstrue-
t,on ana That the earnings OF the convic
|
TO MS family aud that all short term con-
N,o,S ana county couvicts shall b. en-
ployed upon the public roads. where
thought pnctical by the commits on rs
court We favor .aw making
| II a misdemcanor for any IA l.
road company to give free transpor,a-
m to any state. county or municipal OIL
| ncer or any such officer TO receive such
| transportation We demand the repeal OF
| me law authorizing conductors of rail
r'd S 20 charge moro than the regular
] py passengers We demand that the State
i ne lVaIstIicted as to judicial and repre-
| sentative districts 10 he end that tho
u number Of judicial and representative d s
| rcis he materially reduced. We demand
! mat the present system of paying officers
! ny fees shah he abolished, and that all
/ county officers and strict clerks he paid
| llNed salaries not to exceed $1,000 PER an
mum net and that all fees collected In
excess Ct this salary shall be paid into
| the county school fund.
| We condemn now, as we did in our plat
FORM OF 1874, tho policy of placing raw ma
yer nj on the free list, while every article
manutaciurel from said raw material is