Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-02-14
roPuI1sr NATIONAL pLArroRM.

PoPuLIsT NATIONAL PLATFORM.
The Peoples party, assembled in national
convention. reaffirms its allegiance to the
principles declared by the founders of the re- 3
public, and also TO the fundamental principles
FORM OF the party in 1892 We recognize that
through the conniyance of the present aud
reached crisis in its nal life as predicfed
| In our declaration four years ago, and that
J prompt and patriotic action is the supreme
duty OF the ncur. We realize that while we
have political Independence. our financial
and industrial indies endence is yet to be at
tanned by restoring To our country the consti-s
tutional control and exercise of the Functions
necessary to peoples government which
| functions have been bssely surrendered by
| our public servants to corporate monoDo-
| lies. The influence of European money
/ changers has been more potent in SHAPING
| legislation than the voice of the American
people Executive power and patronage
nave been used to corrupt legislatures
and defeat the will ofrhe people. and plutoc-
racy mas thereby been enthroned upon the
| ruins of democracy. TO restore the govern
| ment intended by the fathers and for the wel-
rare OF THIS and future generations, we demand
the establishment of an economic and fnap-
eial system. which shall make us masters of
our own affairs and independent of Ruropean
control. by the adoption of the following dec
laration of principles:
FINANCE.
First We demand national money safe
ana sound, issued by the general government
| only, without the intervention of banks of IT,
| sue TO be full legal tender for all debts pub
lie and prlyate-a just, equitable and efficient
means of distribution direct to the people and
| through the lawful disbursements of the gov
| ernment.
| Second-We demand the free and unra.
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
| cuiatng medium be speedily increased TO an
amount sufficient 10 meet he demands OF the
business and population of this country and
10 restore the just level of prices of labor and
production.
Fourth-Te denounee the safe of bonds ana
the increase of the public interest bearing
| debt made by the present administration as
| unnecessary ana without authority of Iaw,and
| that no mere bonds be iSs ued except by spe-
| cine act OF con2ress.
Fifih-we demand such legislation as will
| prevent the decentralization OF the lawful
money of the United States by private con-
tract.
Sixth-we demand that the government, in
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
ana preceding administrations for surrender
ing thls 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 Las as a mis-
Interpretation of the constitution and an In
vasion of the rightfu 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
! and 20 facilitate exchange.
TRANSPORTATION.
neutrality-suspicious. being means of eS-
Change and a necessity, the govern men SHOULD
own and operate the railroads in 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 and political power now exercised by
! the great railroad corporations. which result
in 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 a 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
ated, mOrtgaged or sold, but guarded and pro-
tected for the general welfare as provided by
the laws organizing such railroads. The fore
closure OF existing liens of the United States
on these roads should at once follow default in
| payment thereof by the debtor companies land
at the foreclosure sales of said roads the gov
eminent should purchase the sams IL il be-
comes necessary to protect its interests there
ill., or II they can be purchased at reasonable
price, and the government shall operate said
railroads as public highways for che 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 depounce the present infamous
schemes for refunding 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 Office
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 as
Will ultimately enable every prudent and in
dustrious citizen 10 secure a home. and there
fore the land should not be moEopolized 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 jate land monopoly,
as well as alien ownership, should be prohib-
| tied.
Second-We condemn the frauds by which
the land grants to Pacific railroad companies
have, through the connvance of the interior
department, robbed multitudes of actual bona
f1de 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 fide settlers
on all public lands be granted free homes, as
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.
Fourth-Direct Legislation: We favor a
system of direct legislation through the initia
tive and referendum under proper constitu
tional safeguards.
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
First-We demand the election of president
vice president and United States senators by a
direct vote of the people
Second-We tender TO the patriotic peorle of
Cuba our deepest sympathy in their struggle
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. a free and independent state.
Th1rd-We favor home rule in the territories
and the District of Columbia. and the early adj
mission of the territories as states
Fourth-All public salaries should be made
TO correspond to the price of labor and its pro-
ducts.
Fifth-ln these times of industrial depres-
sion Idle labor should be employed on public
works as far as practicable.
Sixth-The arbitrary course of the courts in
assuming TO imprison citizens for in direct con :
tempt and ruling them by injunction should
be prevented by proper legislation.
Seyenth-We favor just pensions for every
disabled Union soldier.
, Notwithstanding 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
? reimbursement adopted in some OF the states
as un-republican and un-democratic aud we
declare ii to be the duty of the several states
! legislatures TO take such action will secure
! fnll,free and fair ballot and an honest count
NiDtb-Whie the foregoing propositions con-
(. stitute the platform upon which our party
stands. and for the vIDdication of which its Or
\ RaniZati0n Will be maintained, we recognize
I that the great and pressing issue of the pend
= n "a Tr 7. 81.