The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-08-28
AMERICAN PARTY
Principles of the New Political
Organization Launched at
St. Louis.
Public Utilities Should Be Con.
trolled for the Benefit of
the People.
Equal Suffrage, Direct Legisla-
tion, Municipal Ownership,
Etc, Favored.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 28.-The new Amer.
lean party organized in this city, in ad.
dition to the national platform adopted,
\ recommended the following statement
= If principles as platform for the sew.
eral states:
/. All public utilities inhering to the
state shall be placed under such supervis-
ion and legislative control as win best
insure equal benefits to all the people.
?. The existence or employment of
private armed bodies shall be prohibited.
3. The initiative and referendum to
be used in the formation of all laws and
ordinances affecting the rights of the
people.
We approve of direct legislation by the
people.
az A. The best ballot system, to be adopt
ed for all elections in order that corrup-
ton of the elective franchise be entirely
avoided. There should be but one elec-
ton held in any one year for national,
state, county, town and municipal offices.
5. We favor such changes in the reg
istratiOn and election laws as will secure
to every lawful voter the right to cast a
ballot at every election, and to have the
same correctly returned. The registra-
ton Of voters should be completed on the
same day by a system of school district
and neighborhood meetings, convened by
due public notice at such an hour as will
not conflict with general business pur-
suits, not less than 80 days previous to
: the day Of election. The nomination of
candidates for all official positions shall
be made at u primary election, and not by
caucusses, to be held ON q day fixed by
law, not more than 80 nor less than 30
days before the date of general election;
all legislative officers to be so grouped as
to insure minority representation.
i. We favor equal suffrage for both
sexes, based upon educational qualifica-
ton.
Z. Neither the state, county or munic-
ipality shall contribute to the support of
any institution under denominational,
sectarian or private control.
g. We insist upon the taxation of all
property, real or personal, not owned by
the public.
.. We consider the nOn-sectarian free
public schools as the only place where
American children can obtain a practical
education, and we protest against the en-
ployment of any person or persons not in
sympathy with our American institu-
tions Of government as officers or teachers
therein.
TO- All corporations should be abol-
ished.
IL. We demand that all hospitals, asy-
lums, reforlnatories and other institu.
tions occupied by persons of either sex,
voluntarily or invOluntarily, whether
public or private, or semi-private, DC ut
ell times subject to public inspection.
13. Labor must be recognized as the
direct source of wealth. Its rights must
be maintained equally with those Of cap.
ital. All industrial pursuits should be
fostered and encouraged in every possible
way, and the better to prevent strikes and
lockouts, cooperation between employers
and employees should be the rule to be
\ encouraged and adopted. All wage earn
, ers should be protected against the COM
petition of alien laborers, skilled or un-
skilled, and the importation of contract
labor into the state should be prohibited
by law.
13. TRUSTS and combines" should
be prohibited by immediate and appro-
pirate legislature.
II. Municipal government should be
taken out OF the province of small poll
tics and conducted ON strictly business
principles only. Public utilities and
necessities existing within the province
of city government, such as gas, electric
lights water, street and elevated railroads
and bridges, ferries, ETC., should be owned
and operated by the city subject only to
the general laws Of the state.
15 The burden of taxation, caused by
intemperance and crime, should be regu-
lated and lessened as much as possible by
wise and equitable legislation. We favor
local option throughout the state and call
upon the government to restrict the i'm
portation of spirituous or malt liquors by
way Of original packages under the guise
Of interstate commerce into any state
which deems it wise and proper to exer-
else Its powers in the control Of, or the
prohibition Of, the licuor traffic. this be:
si..s n. :! =. I"....TT .,- vi :. ..s :.
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