The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-05-24

9SPSS
8, 1896.
WHEREAS, The Declaration Of 1nde
pendence. as a basis for q Republican
form of Government that might be
progressive and perpetual, states:
t'That all men are created equaG;
that they are endowed with certain 1T
alienable rights; that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit OF happl-
ness; that to secure these rights, gov
ernments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the
governed" !
We hold, therefore, that to restore
and preserve these rights under q
Republican form of government, pr1-
vate monopolies of public necessities
for speculative purposes, whether OF
the means of production, distribution
O r exchange, should be prohibited, and
whenever any such public necessity or
utility becomes q monopoly in private
hands, the people Of the municipality,
state or union, as the case may be,
shall appropriate the same by right or
eminent domain, paying q just value
therefor, and operate them for, and IN
the interest Of. the whole people.
FINANCE.
WE oUIau q udB4O4dA ONGIOAOYS
safe, sound and flexible; issued by the
general government only; a full legal
tender for all debts and receivable for
all dues, and an equitable and efficient
means of distribution of this currency,
directly to the people, at the minimum
of expense and without the interven-
ton Of banking corporations and in
sufficient volume to transact the busl'
ness Of the country on q cash basis.
(G) We demand the free and unllm.
tied coinage Of silver and gold at the
legal ratio of 16 to 1.
% w demand q graduated income
tax.
(G) The government shall purchase
Or construct and operate q sufficient
mileage of railroads to effectually con-
troll all rates of transportation on q
just and equitable basis.
Or The telegraph and telephone,
like the postof1ce system, being q ne
cessity for the transmission OF intelli-
gence, should be owned and operated
by the government in the interest OF
the people.
We demand that no land shall be
held by corporations for speculative
purposes or by railroads In excess Of
their needs as carriers, and all lands
now owned by aliens should be re-
claimed by the government and held
for actual settlers only.
ExEOTIoN OF UNITED STATES SENATORS.
We demand the election of United
States Senators by q direct vote of the
| people. That each State shall be di-
vided into two districts of nearly equal
voting population, and that Senators
from each shall be elected by the
people of the district.
DISTRICT LEGISLATION.
() That our national legislation shall
be go framed in the future as not to
build up n industry at the expense
of another.
I'd We believe that the money of the
country should be kept as much az
possible in the hands Of the people,
and hence we demand that all National
and State revenues shall be limited to
the necessary expenses Of the govern,
ment economically and honestly ad
ministered.
() We demand that postal savinge
banks be established by the govern
ment for the safe deposit of savinge
Of the people, and to facilitate ex.
change.
0) We are ~unalterably opposed to
the issue, by the United States, Of In.
terest-beering bonds, and demand the
payment Of all coin obligations of the
United States, as provided by existing
laws, in either gold or silver coin, al
the option of the government and not
at the option of the creditor.
TRANSPORTATION.
Relying upon the good, common
sense of the American people, and be
lieving that a majority of them, when
u~ninfuenced by party prejudice, will
vote right on all questions submitted to
them on their merit; and, further, to
efectually annihilate the pernicioue
lobby in legislation, we demand direct
legislation by means of the initiative
and referendum.