Barbour County index., 1899-06-21
poruIrsy NATIONAL PLArFoRm.

PoPgLTsT NATIONAL PLATFORM.
Tire Peoples party, assembled in national
I convention. reag.rms its aiiegiance TO the
principles declared by the founders of the re-
1 piattie. nd also TO tho fundamental principles
! % just governnlent, as enunciated In the plat
! form. ct the party in 1Sa2. We recognize that
through the conniyance of the present and
/ preceding administrations the country has
reaclei s crisis inits national life as predicted
I III oglr declaration four years ago, and that
/ prompt aetl patriotic action 10 the supreme
5 dtiy OF the hour. We realize that while We
I iifye political independencee, our hnanC1e
! and Industrial inde- endence Is yet to bo II
tanned ey restoring to our country the constf-
! tntionaI control and exercise of the functions
necessary TO peoples governments, which
! functions have been basely surrendered BY
/ our public servants to corporate mouopo-
/ lies The influence OF European money
changers has been more potent in shaping
legislation than the voice of the American
people. Executive power and patronaRe
| have been used to corrupt our legislatures
aud defeat the will of the people. and plutoc-
raey has thereby been enthroned upon the
ruins of democracy. To restore the govern
| ment intended by the fathers. and for the wel-
/ fare of this and future generations we demand
/ the establishment OF an economic and imam
cial system, which shall make us masters or
our own affairs and independent OF European
| lar3tion of principles:
FINANCE.
First We demand a national money safe
and sound. issued by the general government
only, without the intervention Of banks of Is
/ sue to be full legal tender for ell debts pub
lie and priFate-a just, equitable and efficient
through the lawful disbursements of the gov
ernment.
seeoad.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.
Thiul--We demand that the volume of cir.
culating medium be speedily increased TO an
| amount sufficient TO meet the demands Of the
business and population of this country aad
~ nf -f<aoa inf lab.
| production.
Fourth-we denounce the sale of bonds auo
! the increase of the public interest bearing
debt made by the present administration an
| unnecessary and without authority of law,and
| that no more bonds be issued except by spe-
Fifth-we demand such legislation az will
prevent the demonetization of the lawful
! money OF the United States by private con-
| tract.
SiXih-We demand that the government i'm
payment Of its obligations, shalt use it's option
1 as 10 the l28d OF lawful money in which they
are 10 sc paid, and we denounce the present
and preceding administrations for surrender
! ing MS option 20 the holders of governments
seyenth--We demand graduated income
/ tex 20 the end that aggregated wealth shall
4 bear iTs just proportion of taxation and we
/ regard tEe recent decision of tie supreme
! court rCiatiye TO the income tax law as a mis-
| Interpretation of the constitution and an In
/ Nasion OF the rightful powers of congress over
/ the subject of taxation.
Eighth--We demand that postal savings
| banks DC eStabllSneu by the government for
| the safe deposit OF the savings of the peopl
/ and 20 facilitate exchange.
| TRANSFORMATION.
| Transportation being means of q e
| change and necessity the government shouli
! own and operate the railroads in the interest
| OF the people aud on non partisan basis: to
! tie END that all may be accorded the same
treatment IN transportation and that the
tyranny ana political power now exercised by
! the great railroad corporations. which result
in theimpairment, IL not the destruction OF
/ the political rights and personal Iibertjee of
| the citizen, may be destroyed. Such owner
/ ship is TO be accomplished gradually in s man.
ner consistent with sound public policy.
/ Second-Fhe interest of the United States In
| the public highways built with public moneys
! anu the proceeds of extensive grants of land
] TO the ia iitc railroads, should never be alien
ated mertsa@ed or sold, but guarded and pro-
! tected Ior the general welfare. as provided by
/ the laws oreanlZing such railroads. The fore
| closure 0i existing liens of the United States
! GA these roads should at once follow defaultin
| pat triciit thefcoI by the debtor companies land
/ at tilf foreclosure sales of said roads the gov
Celltfi1A fApuid purchase the same IL IL be-
comes necessary ~ protect its Interests there
| III. or ii liaF can be purchased at q reasonable
price, tilc the eoF eminent shall operate said
railroads rs public highways for ,he benefit of
/ the Whole people and uot III the interest of the
| few, under suitable provisions for protection
! OF btC and property, giving to all transporta-
iiou iu9ei ests equal privileges and equal rates
| Tor fares and treights.
third-Atc denounce the present infamous
| schemes Tor refunding these debts. and de-
/ Iuaad taai the laws now applicable thereto be
executed and administered according to their
| true iut tgnt and spirit.
| Fourtll-The telegraph. like the post Office
| system. being necessity FOR the transmission
| OF news, should be owned and operated by
| the government in the interests OF the people.
LAND.
tirSt-the true policy demands that the M
HoDal and state Legislation shall be such an
VIII ultimately enable every prudent and in
9ustrious citizen to secure a home, and there.
fore the land should not be moRopolized for
| speculative purposes. ALI lands now held by
| Taluoeus ana other corporations in excess Of
the,r actual needs should by lawful means be
fScialhed Dy the government and held for ac-
th'l settlers only and pri fate land monopoly.
| as wen rs alien ownership, should be prohib-
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
iiCe settlers OF their homes and miners of their
claims, and we demand legislation by congress
which VIII enforce the exemption of mineral
iand from such grants, after as well as before
patent,
Third-We demand that all bona fide settlers
on an pupiic lands be granted free homes, Al
provided IN the national homestead law, and
That no exception be made in the case o. In
dian reservations when opened for settlement
and that all lands now patented come under
this demand.
FouriE-Direct Legisation: We favor .
system of direct Legislation through the fnitia
tive ;iI.G referendum under proper consfiti,
| uonal Ssfe@nards-
GESERAL PROPOSITIONS
fIrst--sfc demand the election of president
wee plesident and United States senators by O
difect FCff- 81 the people.
SeGond--H @ tender to the patriotic peotIe Of
Cu'a our deepest sympathy in their struggle
Tor political freedom and independence, apt
we believe the time has come when the United
states, tie great republic of the world. shoula
recognize that Cuba is, and of right ought ta
be a free and independent state.
IblrG--He favor home rule I'm the Territories
and the District OF ColumbIa. and the early ad-
mission of the territories as states
Fourth All public salaries should be made
70 correspond to the price of labor and its pro-
ducts - p'o
y bIith-In these times of Industrial depres-
sion Idle labor should De employed ON pi,bIfs
works as far practicable.
sNth-Ihe arbitrary course of the courts in
assuming 10 iinprison citizens for indirect con-
tempt auh ruling them by Injunction should
be prevented by proper legislation.
SeVeuth-We favor just pensions for every
disabled Union soldier
Eighth believing that the elective franchise
and untFammeied ballot are essential to gov
efnHent 81, for and by the people, the Peoples
PARTY condemns the wholesale system of dig
ffancbisclHent adopted in some of the states
rs un-Fepubifcau and un-democratic aud VIC
DECLARE n 10 be the duty of the several states'
legislatures 10 take such action al will SECURE
Il fnU free and fair ballot and an honest count
NIUtb--N biie the foregoing propositions con-
sIHuie tae platform upon which our party
stat1is aiid Tor the yindication of which its or
ganiladf3n = III be Inainta aimed, we recognize
thet the great and pressing issue of the pend
iifK campaign upon which the present preei-
deptial election will turn Is the financial u,Ies-