The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-26
PoPULIsT PLATFORM.
State Delegation Will Ask That it Be
Made National Creed.


Clay Center, April 26-The platform
adopted by the Populist state convention,
Wnlch VIII be urged for adoption. without
lows:
We, the representatives of the Peoples
Party of the state of Kansas, in conven-
ton assembled, reahirm and endorse the
declaration of human rights embodied in
Ine platform adopted by the Peoples
Party convention in St Louis in 1896.
Believing that genuine Democratic gov
ernment is impossible until the people
have the power to initiate legislation and
to compel a submission of legislation en-
acted by the representatives to a popular
tive and referendum.
We condemn the financial legislation
enacted by the party in power in the pres
ent congress which has given to the ma
tonal banks q complete monopoly of the
currency of the country; which instead Of
providing sound and stable money,
gives Us merely an extension of national
bank credits, which can have no other
result, save undue imitation causing first
speculation, then contraction, followed by
disaster to the business and industrial in
terests of the, country And we declare
that the creating and issuing of money is
an exclusively governmental function
which should never be delegated to in
divtduals or corporations. We are there
fore opposed to banks of issue and de-
mand that the paper money of the coun-
try shall consist of full legal tender gov
eminent issues only.
We demand the free and unlimited coin
age of silver and gold at the ratio of 16
The enormous growth of the combIna-
ton OF capital known as trusts whereby
the control of the means of production
and distribution are centered in the hands
OF a few favOrite individuals presents a
condition which is a menace to free gov
ernment- The Republican party has had
absolute control of the government for
the past four years, but has utterly failed
to present a remedy for these evils and
we charge that the leaders of the party
are dominated and controlled by the trust
interests Of the country. We believe that
that practical solution of the trust prob
lem lies in the direction of a more extern
sive application of the principle of gov
eminent ownership.
We therefore demand the government
ownership of all public utilities in our
cities, the state and the nation We
further demand the adjustment of all
| special privileges given to capital, includ-
| ing protective duties on articles manu-
| featured and used by trusts or combina-
tons in restraint of trade and declare
| that when any business become a mon
! opoly that it should be taken out of the
| control of private individuals and be own
| ed and operated by the government, and
we favor such amendments to the state
/ and national constitutions will place
4 the complete control of all such combina-
| lions Of capital in restraint of trade in
| the hands of congress and the legislatures
| OF the several states
We are in favor of direct instead of in
| direct taxation to the end that labor may
| be lightly burdened and that our govern
ment may be more economically admins
tered.
! We demand such changes in our consti-
/ tuition will within the limitation pre-
/ scribed by the supreme court of the
/ United States insure to the people of the
United States a graduated income tax
/ We favor the election of the United
/ States senators and the federal judiciary
/ by a direct vote of the people.
/ We reaffirm the immortal principles
/ contained in the Declaration of Independ-
ence and call attention to the reputation
! of them in the speeches of the Republi-
can leaders in congress in discussion of
i the Philippine and Porto Rico questions.
/ We see in the establishment by the Re
publican administration of a colonial sys-
! tenn of government over unconsenting
! people and the denial to those people OF
/ the guarantees of the human rights con-
| tanned in the federal constitution and the
/ abandonment OF Republicanism for imper-
| ialisnn. and militarism and abrogation OF
the grandeSt charter of human rights ever
/ given to mankind. We declare that the
flag and the constitution are and should
| be of right in separable. and, therefore
| wherever the flag goes the guarantees OF
| the constitution should go with it and
| we denounce as traitors to the republic
| the Republican members of the house an6
senate and the president Of the United
/ States for separating the flag from those
great principles of which 1t has ever beer
/ the emblem
Resolved, That we have no language tc