The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-06-03
Platform.

First-we declare our allegiance to those
principles of justice, liberty and equality OF
nll citizens before the law upon which our in
stituttOnS are founded,
Sccond-We demand the immediate restor-
alton OF the free aud unlimited coinage OF
silver ut the present legal ratio of l6 to =,
without waiting for the consent of any other
nation or power, and that the standard silver
dollar shaIl be full legal tender for all debts,
public and private.
Third-W Q denCunce as unbusinesslike and
as n fraud upon the industrial people of the
United States, the surrender by the present
administration, TO the bondholders, of the
option reserved 10 the government, in its con-
tracts. To redeem It's Obligations In either gold
or silver
Fourth we favor that form of direct legis-
lation known as the initiative and referendum
and imperative mandate.
1ifLh-Me demand the election ofnll public
officers by direct vote of the people.
SlXth-We declare that money Is the crca-
tlon of law, and we affirm the right OF the
people TO issue sufficient quantity to trans
act the business of the.country without the
intervention of any banking system.
SeVenth--We demand a graduated income
tax TO the end that aggregate wealth shall
bear its just proportion oftaxation.
Eighth-We are unaltefaDly opposed to the
issuance of interest bearing bonds. and we
favor the reduction of all public expenses
within the limits of the public income, so that
public debts may be ohliterated.
Ninth-W demand the construction Ofsuch
locks or waterways, at the Cello falls or rapids
OF the Columbia river, as will obtain for the
use of the producers of the inland empire, and
particularly OF umatilla countS, the Columbia
river, provided by the God of nature for their
prosperity, and we denounce the insuiierable
tritling upon the part OF the republican sena-
tors and representatives IN congress from this
state, during the last 20 years, that has per-
mtted two decades to go by without any work
being done at the Cello rapids, or any serious
effort TO DO any work there.
Tenth-We condemn our present republic
al
for causing a tax To be placed ON grain sacks,
which has unnecessarily caused the farmers
of Umatilla county TO pay approximately
$50 600 into the national treasury without re.
ceiving the benefit of any compensating pro-
lection.
Eleventh--We demand such reform In he
attachment laws of the state, that will give
laborers in every instance q first lien on all
property their labor has created, or improved.
Twelfth-We demand II labor lien law in
this state. that will give laborers in every in
stance, n first lien on all property their labor
has created or improved.
Thirteenth-We demand reform of the
law of this state with reference to the collec-
ton OF attorneys fees in civil actions, to the
end that all contracts for the payment of at
torney's ices in notes, bonds or similar pbliga-
lions, shall be void, but providing that the
prevailing party in n tried action at law, may
nave Judgment in addition to the amount Of
the verdict for such sum as the court may nd
judge reasonable as attorneys fees And
providing further, that nothing in the mature
OF attorneys fees be allowed in any case,
mortgage foreclosure or otherwise, where
there Is no contest on behalf of the rpnl marty
IN interest, except the statutory cost provided
by law.
Fourteenth-We denounce the reckless
manngement of the financial affairs of lima.
tilla county by the present administration, in
the payment OF large sums of mphey TO
various county officers IN addition is tie
emoluments allowed them by law, in the
employment of Unnecessary and useless
deputies in the offices OF the sheriff. clerk,
recorder and assessor, aud the wrongful
allowance OF large sums to the county school
superintendent In excess of the salary allowed
in other ways as has greatly increased the
county debt, while taxes nave mot been
reduced,