Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-08-11
popuL1sr NATIONAL PLATFORM.

PoPULIsT NATIONAL PLATFORM.
The Peoples party, assembled in national
convention. reafiirms its allegiance to the
principles declared by the founders of the re-
public, and also to the fundamental principles
OF just government, rs enuuciated Sd the plat
form OF the party in 1892. We recognize that
through the connivance of the present rand
reached crisis in its national life as predicted
In our declaration four years ago and thar
prompt and patriotic action is the supreme
have political Independence. our financial
and industrial independence is yet to be at
tanned by restoring to our country the cousti-
tutionaI control and exercise of the functions
necessary TO a peoples government, which
functions have been baseiy surrendered by
our puollc servants to corporate mOnopO-
mes The influence of European money
CHANGERS has been more potent in shaping
REGISTRATION tnan the voice of the Anne rican
people. Executive power and patronage
nave oeen used 10 corrupt legislatures
| racy has thereby been enthroned upon The
ruins OF democracy. To restore the govern
ment INTENDED by the fathers. and for the wei
rare OF this and future generations we demand
the e: ia 'lishment of an economic and fnan-
cial 5, st I'M. which shall make us masters of
our oM Il affairs and independent of Euronesn
control, by the adoption of the following dec
iaration OF principles:
FINANCE.
FIRST We demand national money. safe
ana sound issued 10y the general government
only, without the intervention of banks of Is
sue 20 be a fun legal tender for all debts pub
Tic ana pr1vate-a just, equitable and efficient
means of distribution direct to the DeonIe and
Inrougn the lawful disbursements of the gov
| Second-We demand the free and unre-
stricted coinage Of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio of sixteen TO one without wait
ing Tor the consent or foreign nations
| Third-We demand that the volume of cir
cuiating medium be speedily increased to an
amount suihclent TO meet the demands of the
business ana population of this country and
TO restore the Just level of prices of labor and
production. ~
| FOurth-We denounce the sale of bonds md
| the increase OF the public interest bearing
| debt made by the present administration as
| unnecessary aud without AUTHORITY of law and
tnat no more bonds be issued except by spe-
| citic act of CONGRESS.
Fifth-We demand such Legislation as will
prevent the decentralization of the lawful
money OF the United States by private con-
| tract. ~
sixth.we demand that the government. in
payment of Its obligations. shall use its option
as to The kind at lawful money in which they
| are To he paid, ard we deuounce the present
| and preceding administrations for stIrren,Ier-
| ing tnis option to the holders of governments
| obligations
Seventh-we demand a graduated incoma
| tax TO the end that aggregated wealth shall
| bear Its just proportion of taxation and we
| regard the recent decision of the supreme
court relative to the income tax law as mis-
| Interpretation of the constitution and an in
| vasion of the rightfui powers of congress over
| the subject of taxation.
| EiRhth-We demand that nOstnI SAVINGS
banks be established by the government for
the safe deposit of the savings of the peopl
| ana 70 facilitate exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
| neutrality-suspicious. being "A mans of eS-
| change and a necessity. the crnnent shonId
own and pcrate the railroads in the ioterest
OF the people aud on = non-partisan basis: 10
/ the endthai all may lac accorded the same
| treatment in transportation aud that the
tyranny anu political power now Exercised hv
| the great railroad corporations: which result
| IN the impairment, If not tuc dt.structio, OF
| the political rights and personal ibcrtias az
/ t.N RSf kaI ,nt.
snip Is 10 be accomplished gradually i'm A man
| ner consistent with sound public policy
| Second-Thc interest of the United States i'm
! the public highways built with public moneys
| and the proceeds of extensive grants of land
10 tne IA INC railroads, should never be alien
| dtel, o;iSngcd or sold. hut guarded and pro-
| tected ior the general welfare. as provided nv
the laws organizing Such railroads. The FORE
closure OF existing liens of the Jrnited Sfates
| on these roads should at once follow default in
| pay ment thereof by the debtor com panies ,anl
| at the foreclosure sales of said rnads the gov
| efhihent SEould purchase the same il il be-
| couleS necessary 10 protect its interests there
In. or II they can bp purchased at a eosonabIa
| PIiGe' ana the isoi eminent shall operate said
| railroads a. public highways for the. benefit of
| the whole people anu not in the interest of me
| FEW, under suitable provisions for protection
| Oh lie and property. giving to all transDOrta-
| uou interests equal privileges and equal rates
for fares and frei9his.
| ihrd-We denounce the present Infamous
| schemes Tor refunGng these debts, and de-
| mand that the laws row applicable thereto he
| executed and administered according TO their
true intent and spirit
! FOurth-The teleprap nh like tho ,,,s, oo,,-.
| system. being necessity for the transmission
81 news, should he owned and operated by
| INT government III the interests Of tho people.
| LAND.
| FIrst-the true policy demands that the MT
| uonai ana state legislation shall he such as
| VIII ultimately enable every prudent and in
| dnstr1ous citizen 10 secure a home and there
| fore the land should not be mopopoIizeJ for
| speculative purposes. All lands now held by
| .ittIoi"s ana otner corporations in excess or
| thelr actual needs should by lawful means 10
| Iecihliuen ny the government and held for aC;-
| Cual settlers only, and pri ate land monopoly
| as wen as alien ownership, should be prohiII-
| Second-We condemn The frauds by which
| the land grants TO Pacific railroad companies.
have, through the connivance of the ir,.r;,,r
| department, robbed multitudes of actual hona
| noe settlers of their homes and miners of their
| clainls, and we demand legislation by congress
| Wnlcn VIII enforce the exemption Of mineral
| patent.
Third-We demand that all bona fidc settlers
Oh an pi!bl lands ne granted tree homes nS
provided IN the national homestead law and
mat no exception be male in the case g. In
| dian reservations when opened for sett tcmaut
ami that all lands now Patented come IIndcr
| this demand
| FOurth-Dircct Leg,sIaiion: We f.vo- n
system OF direct Legislation through the iuitia-
| i've ats referendum under proper constjttI-
| uonal safeguards.
| GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
First-We demand the election of p,es,,fo,,,s
vice president and United States .anators nv ;,
| direct Vote of the people.
| Second-Wc tender TO tho patriotic pcol le OF
Cu'a our deepest sympathy in their struggle,
| Tor poiif1cai freedom ard Independence and
| we believe the time has come VIII N the Tnifcd
| states. the great republic of the world should
| recognize that Cuba il. and of right ought To
| Oe a free aud independent state.
| IhIrd-We favor homo rule IN the territories
| ana the bistr1ct or Columbia and the carly adj
| mission of the territories aS stntns
| Fourih-Ali public salaries should he. made
| 10 correspond To the price of labor and it's pro
| duets e pa"
| FIfth-ln these times of industrial don NC
sion Idle labor should be employed on uuhti,
WORKS as far IA practicable.
SlXih-Ihe arbitrary course of the cour.s fr,
assuming 10 lnprison citizens for in rcct cf,t,-
| tempt and ruling them by injunction ehouLF
ne prevented by proper legislation
| SeVenth-We favor Just pensions for every
! disabled Union soldier.
Eighth-i'eiieYin9 that the elective franchise.
hd intraInTneIed bal'ct are eSscnIiat tn roy
eminent o. Tor and 10y the people. tho Peoples
party condemns the wholesale system of diS-
reimbursement adopted in soile OF the STATES
as un-repub'ican and uu-dcnlocrafi, aud we
declare ]; 10 DC the daty of the several States
legI>laIures 10 take such action as will secure
lhli,tree ana fair ballot and an honest count
Ninth While the foregoing proposittons con
stHhte the platform upon which oar party
stands and for the vIndicatiOn OF W hich its or-
4anlZ4tion viii he maintained. we recognize
that the great and pressing issue of the pend
ing campaign upon which the present nr,.si-
Dental election viii turn IS the financial ones-