The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-25
THE PEOPLES PARTY PLATFORM
Declaration of Principles Adopted by
the St. Louis Convention.

St. Louis, Mo-, July 24.-Following
is the Populist platform as adopted:
THE Peoples party assembled in Ma
tional convention, reaffirms it's allie
glance to the principles declared by
the founders of the Republic and also
to the fundamental principles Of just
government as enunciated in the plat
form of the party in 1892. We recog-
nize that through the conniyance of the
present and preceding administrations,
the country has reached a crisis in its
National life as predicted in our de-
claration four years ago, and that
prompt and patriotic action is the SUI
preme duty of the hour. We realize
that while we have political independ-
ence our financial and industrial in
dependence is yet to be attained by re-
storing to our country the constitu-
tional control and exercise of the
functions necessary to a peoples gov
ernment, which functions have been
basely surrendered by our public SER
wants to corporate monopolies. The in
huence of European money changers
has been more potent in shaping legis-
lation than the voice of the American
people. Executive power and patron
age have been used to corrupt our
people and plutocracy has been en-
throned upon the ruins of the democ-
racy. To restore the government in
tended by the fathers and for the well
fare and prosperity of this and future
generations, we demand the establish
ment of an economic and financial
system which shall make US masters
of our own affairs, and independent
of European control by the adoption
of the following:
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
ID We demand a National money,
safe and sound issued by the general
government only without the inter
yenrion OF banks of issue, to be a full
legal tender for all debts, public and
private, SO that just, equitable and eff
ticient means of distribution may be
made direct to the people and through
the lawful disbursement of the gov
ernment.
(2). We demand the free and unres-
tricted coinage of silver and gold at
the present legal ratio of 16 to / with
out waiting for the consent of foreign
nations.
(3.) We demand the volume Of cir
culating medium be speedily increased
to an amount sufficient to meet the de-
mands of the business people of this
country and to restore the just level
of prices of labor and production.
a.. We denounce the sale of bonds
and the increase of the public interest
bearing bond debt made by the present
administration as unnecessary and
without authority of law and that
no more bonds be issued except by
Specific act of Congress.
(5). We demand such legal legisla-
tion as will prevent the demonetiza-
tiOn of the lawful money of the United
States by private contract.
(6). We demand that the government
IN payment of its obligations shall
use its options as to the kind of law
ful money in which they are to be
paid and we denounce the present and
preceding administration for surren-
dering this option to the holders of
government obligations.
~. We demand graduated income
tax to the end that aggregated wealth
shaIl bear It's just proportion of taxa
ton and we denounce the Supreme
court, relative to the income tax law.
as misinterpretation of the constitu-
ton and an invation of the riphtful
powers of Congress over the subject
of taxation.
(6) We demand that postal savings
banks be established by the gov
ernment for the safe deposit of the
savings of the people and to facilitate
exchange.
RAILROADS.
(1) transportation being means OF
exchange and public necessity, th(
government should own and ouerat,
the railroads in the interest of the
people on a 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 corpo-
rations, which results in the impair
ment if not the destruction of the po-
litical rights and personal liberties of
the citizen, may be destroyed. Such
ownership is to be accomplished grad
ually in a manner consistent with
sound policy.
Concluded on fourth page.)