The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-26


tional convention, affirm its allegiance
to the principles declared by the founders
of the republic and also to the funda-
mental principles of just government as
enunciated in the platform of the party
in 1892. We recognize that through the
connivance of the present and preceding
administrations the country has reached
a crisis in its national life as predicted in
our declaration four years ago and that
prompt and patriotic action is the SUI
preme 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 our
country the constitutional control and
exercise of the functions necessary to the
peoples government, which functions
have been basely surrendered by our pub
lie servants to corporate monopolies. The
influence of European money changers
has been more potent in shaping legisla-
ton than the voice of the American people.
Executive power and patronage have been
used to corrupt cur legislatures and defeat
the will of the people and plutocracy has
been enthroned upon the ruins of Democ-
racy
ITO restore the government intended
by our fathers and for the welfare and
prosperity of this and future generations
nomic and financial system which shall
make us masters of our owp affairs and
independent of European control by the
adoption of the following declaration of
principles:
eve demand n national money, safe
and sound issued by the general Govern
ment only, without the Intervention of
banks of issue, to be IA full legal tender
for all debts, public and private, so that
81 Mimi tDll md .a4,n -
distribution may be made direct to the
people and through the lawful disburse-
ment of the Government
eve demand the free and unrestricted
coinage of silver and gold at the present
legal ratio of 16 to without waiting for
the consent of foreign nations
1--WE demand the volume of circulating
medium be speedily increased to an
amount sufficient to meet the demands of
the business population of this country
and to restore the just level of prices of
labor and production.
I'VE denOunce the sale of bonds and
the increase of the public interest-bear-
ing bond debt made by the present ad
mlnStratlon as unnecessary and without
authority OF law and that no more bonds
be issued except by specific act of Con-
gress.
1--WE demand such legal action as will
money of the United States by private
contract.
1--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 to be paid, and we. de-
nounce the present and preceding admin
lstration for surrendering this option to
holders of Government bonds.
1--WE demand a graduated income tax,
tod III
bear its just proportion of taxation. and
we denounce the supreme court relative
to the income tax law as a misinterpreta-
ton of the constitution
1--WE demand that postal savings banks
be established by the Government for the
safe deposit of the savings of the people
and to facilitate exchange
Transportation being a means of ex-
change and a public necessity the Gov
eminent should own and operate the rail
roads in the interest of the people and on
non partisan basis, to the end that all
may be accorded the same treatment in
transportation and that the tyranny and
political power now exercised by the
great railroad corporations, which result
In the impairment if not the destruction
of the political rights and personal liber
ties OF the citizen, may be destroyed
Such ownership is to be accomplished
sound public policy.
The interest of the United States il
the public highways built with public
moneys and the proceeds OF extensive
grants OF land to the Pacific railroads
should never be alienated. mortgaged or
sold, but guarded and protected for
the general welfare, as provided by the
laws organizing such railroads
NWe denuunce the present Infamous
schemes for refundjng these debts and
demand that the laws not applicable
thereto be executed and administered ac-
cording to their true intent and spirit.
The telegraph, like the postoflice sys-
TEN, being necessity FOR the transmits
sion of news should be owned and oper-
ated by the Government in the interests
of the people
The true policy demands that national
and State legislation shall be such as will
ultimately enable every prudent and in.
dustrious citizen to secure a home. and
therefore the land should not he monopo-
llZed for speculative purposes. All lands
now held by railroads and other corpora
mons IN excess of their actual needs
should by lawful means be reclaimed bv
the Government and held for actual set
tiers only, and private land monopoly as
well as alien ownership should be prohib-
tied.
I'VE condemn the frauds by which the
land grant to the Pacific railroad comma
mes nave through the connivance of the
interior Departent robbed multitudes of
equal bonafide settlers of their homes and
miners OF their claims, and we demand
Legislation by Congress which will enforce
bhe exemption of mineral land from such
grants after AS well as before patent.
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