Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-06-28

PoPULIsT NATIONAL PLATFORM.
The Peoples party, assembled in national
convention. reaffirms it's allegiance to the
principles declared by the founders OF the re-
OF just government. as enunciated In the plat
form OF the party in 1892. We recognize that
preceding administrasions the the Country has
reached crisis in it's national life as predicted
In our declaration four years ago, ana tnat
duty of the hour. We realize that while We
have political independence. our financia
aud industrial indies endence ie yet to be 1T
tutonal control and exercise of the functions
| necessary TO peoples government. which
our public servants to corporate monopo-
lies. The influence OF European money
IeaisiaTion a than eI the Voice Of the American
people Executive power and patronage
have been used to corrupt our Legislatures
and defeat the will of the people. and plutoc-
| racy has thereby been enthroned upon the
ruins of democracy. To restore the govern
ment intended by the fathers. and for the vel.
fare of this and future generations, we demand
| the establishment of an economic and imam
| cial system. which shall make us masters OF
control. by the adoption of the following doc-
laration of principles:
FINANCE.
First We demand a national money, safe
and sound issued by the general governmen
only without the intervention Of banks of ia
sue to be full legal tender for all debte pub
means of distribution direct to the people and
| through the lawful disbursements of the gov
| eminent.
Second-We demand the free and unrs-
stricted coinage of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio of sixteen to one. without watt
ing for the consent of foreign nations.
Third-We demand that the volume of cir
cuating medium be speedily increased to an
| amount sufficient to meet the demands OF the
| business and population of this country and
to restore the just level of prices OF labor ana
production.
the increase of the public interest bearing
debt made by the present administration a.
unnecessary ami without authority of law, ana
| that no more bonds be issued except by spe-
| cific act of congress.
| Fifth-we demand such legislation az will
prevent the decentralization of the lawful
| money of the United States by private con-
tract.
Sixth-We demand that the government I'm
| payment of its obligations, shall use its option
| as TO the kind of lawful money in which they
are to be paid. and we denounce the present
| ing this option TO the holders OF government
obligations.
Seventh-we demand a graduated income
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 q mis-
Interpretation of the constitution and an in
vasion of the rightful powers of congress over
the subject of taxation.
Eighth-We demand that postal savings
banks be established by the government for
| the safe deposit of the savings of the peopl
ana 10 1dcllltate exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
MISREPRESENTATION being a means of ex.
change and a necessity, the governmentshouli
own and operate the railroads i'm the interest
OF the people and on non-partisan basis: to
the end that all may be accorded the same
treatment IN transportation and that the
tyranny ana poltlcal power now exercised by
the great railroad corporations which result
i n the Impairment, If not the destruction, of
| the political rights and personal liberties of
the citizen, may be destroyed. Such owner
ship is to be accomplished gradually in q man.
ner consistent with sound public policy.
Second-The interest of the United States in
the public highways built with public moneys
| and the proceeds of extensive grants OF land
to the Pacific railroads. should never be alien
| tected for the general welfare, as provided by
| the laws organizing such railroads. The fore
closure OF existing liens of the United States
| payment thereof by the debtor companies land
at the foreclosure sales of said roads the gov
eminent should purchase the same If IL be-
comes necessary TO protect its interests there
in, 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 in the interest of the
| few. under suitable provisions for protection
| OF life and property, giving to all transpOrta.
! ton interests equal privileges and equal rates
| for fares and treights.
Third-We denounce the present infamous
| schemes for refunuing these debts, and de-
| mand that the laws now applicable thereto be
| executed and administered according to their
| true intent and spirit.
| Fourth-The telegraph, like the post ONCE
| system, being necessity for the transmission
| OF news, should be owned and operated by
| the government in the interests Of the people.
| LAND.
! First-the true policy demands that the ma
| tional and state legislation shall be such a.
will ultimately enable every prudent and in
| dustrious citizen to secure home, and there
| tore the land should not be mOnOpOlized for
speculative purposes. All lands now held by
| railroads and other corporations in excess Of
their actual needs should by lawful means be
| reclaimed by the government and held for ac-
| tual settlers only, and pri |ate land monopoly,
| ited
Second-we condemn the frauds by which
| the land grants to Pacific railroad companies
| have, through the cOnnivance of the interior
| department, robbed multitudes of actual bona
tide settlers of their homes and miners OF their
| claims, and we demand legislation by congress
which will enforce the exemption of mineral
| land from such grants, after as well as before
patent,
Third-We demand that all bona flde settlers
| on all public lands be granted free homes, a.
| provided in the national homestead law and
| that no exception be made in the case OF In
dian reservations when opened for settlement,
and that all lands now patented come under
Fourth-Dircct Legislation: We favor n
| system of direct legislation through the initia
| tional safeguards.
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
f1rst-We demand the election OF president,
| vice president and United States senators BY 4
| direct vote of the people.
Second-Te tender to the patriotic people Of
| SuDd our ueepesI eyInp6Iny IN tne1r DtruEglD
| for political freedom and Independence 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. n free and independent state.
Third-We favor home rule in the territories
and the District of Columbia. and the early adj
| mission of the territories as states.
| Fourth-AlI public salaries should be made
to correspond to the price of labor and its pro-
ducts.
| SFifth-In these times of industrial deprss.
| sion idle labor should be employed ON pubIis
works as far as practicable.
| SNth-The arbitrary course Of the courts in
| assuming to imprison citizens for indirect con-
| tempt and ruling them by injunction should
| be prevented by proper legislation.
| Seventh-We favor just pensions for every
disabled Union soldier.
| Eighth Believing that the elective franchise
and untrammeled ballot are essential to gov
| eminent of, for and by the people the Peoples
party condemns the wholesale system of dis
| franchisemenf adopted in some of the states
| as un-republican and un-democratic, and We
declare it to be the duty of the several states'
legislatures to take such action as will secure
, full. free and fair ballot and an honest count
Ninth-w bile the foregoing propositions con-
stitute the platform upon which our partv
| stands. and for the vlndicaton of which its or.
| ganiZation will be maintained. we recognize
| that the great and pressing issue of the pend
| ing campaign upon which the present presi-
dental election will turn is the financial oues-
| uon- and unon this great and specific issue be-
tween the parties we cordially invite the aid
and cooperation Of all organizations and Gift
| zens agreeing with US upon this vital ques-
/ ton.