The Advocate and news., 1898-11-23

3. We demand that postal savings banks
be established by the government for the
safe deposit OF the savings Of the people
and to facilitate exchange.
II. TRANSPORTATION.
/. Transportation being q means OF ex-
change and q public necessity the govern
ment should own and operate tha railroads
| In the interest OF the people and on nom
partisan basis; to the end that all may be
accorded the same treatment in transpor-
tation and that the tyranny and political
power now exercised by the great railroad
corporations, which result In the impair
ment IL not the destruction, OF the pOlitl-
cal rights and liberties Of the citizens may
be destroyed. Such ownership is to be ac-
cOmplished gradually In a manner con-
sistent with sound public policy.
q The interest OF the United States In the
public highways built with public moneys
and the proceeds OF extensive land grants
TO the Pacific railroad should never be
alienated, mortgaged or sold, but guarded
and protected for the general welfare as
provided by the laws organizing such rail-
rods The foreclosure of existing liens OF
the United States on these roads should 81
once follow default In the payment thereof
by the debtor companies; and at the fore
closure sale OF said roads the government
shall purchase the same IL II becomes nee
essary to protect its interests therein or
II they can be purchased at reasonable
price; and the government shall operate
said railroads as public highways for the
benefit OF the whole people and not I'm the
interest OF the few under suitable prOvs-
ions for protection OF life and property,
giving to all transportation interests equal
privileges and equal rates for fares and
frelghts
8. We denOunce the present infamous
scheme for refunding' these debts and de-
mand that the laws now applicable thereto
be executed and administered according to
their true intent and spirit
4. The telegraph. like the postoffice, be-
ing a necessity for the transmission OF
HfINa NaA aWNN aaA AaA 10
government In the interest Of the people.
III. LAND.
I. True policy demands that the national
and State legislation shall be such as will
ultimately enable every prudent and indus
trlOus citizen to secure home, and there
fore the land should not be monopOlized for
speculative purposes. All lands now held
by railroads and other corporations In ex-
cess of their actual needs should by lawful
means be reclaimed by the government and
held for actual settlers only, subject to the
right OF every human being to home on
the SOIL and private land monopoly, as we'll
as allen ownership. should be prohibited.
2. We condemn the frauds by which the
land grant Pacific railroad companies have
through the C0nniVance OF the Interior de-
partment, robbed multltudes Of actual bona
fide settlers OF their homes and miners of
their claims and we demand legislation by
Congress which will enforce the exception
of mineral land from such grants after as
we'll as before patent
g. We demand that bona fde settlers on
all public lands be granted free homes as
provided by the national homestead law,
and that no exception he made In the case
of Indian reservations when opened for
settlement and that all lands now not pat
ented come under this demand
w DIRECT LEGISLATION
We favor a system of direct legislation
through the initiative and referendum, un-
der proper constitutional safeguards.
v. GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
/. We demand the election OF President,
Vice President and United States Sena-
tors by a direct vote Of the people.
Q, We tender to the patriotic people OF
Cuba our deepest sympathy in their he
rOic struggle for political freedom and in
dependence, and we believe the time has
come when the United States, the great
republic Of the world. should recognize that
Cuba is and Of right ought to be a free and
Independent State.
3. We favor home rule in the Territories
and the District Of Columbia and the early
admission of the Territories as States.
4. All public salaries should be made to
correspond to the price Of labor and its
products
5, In times of great industrial depression
idle labor should be employed on public
works as far as practicable.
q. The arbitrary course of the courts In
assuming to imprison citizens for indirect
contempt and ruling. them by Injunction
should be prevented by proper legislation
T. We favor lust pensions for our dis
abled Union soldiers.
8. Believing that the elective franchise
and an untrammeled ballot are essential
to q government Of for and by the peo-
Pile, the Peoples party condemns the whole
sale system Of Acknowledgement adopted in
some of the States as unrepublican and
undemocratic and we declare 1t to be the
duty OF the several State Legislatures to
take such action as will secure full, free
and fair ballot and an honest count.
We fail to see anything wrong with this
platform unless 1t is that it is not radi-
cal enough. But it undoubtedly rings
true, while It strikes a balance between
The Socialist and the extreme conserva-
tive Democrat It may be objected that
the declaration, 1--WE believe the time has
come when the United States, the great
republic Of the world, should recognize
that Cuba IA and Of right ought tn he n