Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-08-03
KANSAS POPULIST PLATFORM.
Adopted In State Convention Mt Fort
Scott, July 25, 1900.


sembled in Fort Scott, on the 25th day of July.
1900, do hereby reaffirm the declaration OF
principles promulgated by our national conven.
ton held ut Sioux Falls, South Dakota May 9,
1900, and indorse the nominees Of that con-
vention.
We commend TO the favorable consideration
OF the people Of Kansas comparison between
the last Populst state administration and pre-
ceding and succeeding Republican state admin
istrations, believing that such comparison Will
everywhere inure TO the credit OF Populists.
Imperialism.
The spirit OF militarism, Imperialism and the
desire for foreign conquest which now pervades
the dominant political organization is the di-
rect outgrowth OF the spirit OF greed. which Is
the chief Characteristic Of modern commercial
ism us embodied in trusts and private monop
olies The modern industrial commercial
transportation trust Is monarchical In lts Ten
dencies and absolutsm in commercial lie
leads to political absolutism and Imperialism
There is no affinity between political democracy
and commercial aristocrucy. The spirit that
compels men to accept the price which pr.
vate monopoly may place upon their labor or
its products, or upon the necessities OF thelr
life will utter no protest ut the despoilment OF
our political liberties at home. nor ut the lmpo'
sition OF unjust and undesired governments up
on the people of other lands. We are unalter.
upon the people Of this nation by imperial com
mercial trusts and private monopolistic corpor'
ations or whether practiced upon political sub
jects either OF Queen Victoria in South Africa
or by william Mckinley In Porto Rico and the
Philippines. The spirit of Imperialism is
everywhere the same, whether exhibited In the
commercial or political world, and Is inlmlcai
to democratic form OF government Either
the spirit of greed which now dominates our
commercial and national life must be over
thrown or the republic will be destroyed. we
therefore call upon all patriotic citizens OF
Kansas. irrespective OF present or past party
Affiliations, to join with us in carrying INTO ell
feet the following principles OF civil ana poiit-
ical government, confident that our reliance on
their patriotism and love OF liberty anu JusIice
will not be misplaced;
Pensions and the Referendum.
We favor the election Of United states SEN
ators by direct vote of the people, and we ask
that our next legislature pass such resolutions
o.s will promote this amendment to our national
constitution and we appeal to other states to
Join US in such action.
We denounce the present illiberal and unjust
administration Of the pension bureau py ne
publican commissioner. at the dictation OF the
organized wealth OF the country, instead OF IN
the interest OF the veterans OF the war lor the
Union.
of government. free from the control OF the
lobbyist and corruptionist. is and will be i'm
possible until the people have the power TO
initiate legislation aud to compel submission
of legislation enacted by their representatives
to a popular vote, we demand that the Initiative
and referendum be embodied in our state con-
stitution.
Railroads and Corporations.
The Peoples party enacted n railroad law to
protect the people of this state against the ex'
tortion of the transportation corporations.
Republican administration made that law Oh
none effect by failing to enforce 1t, and the Re
publican majority OF the Supreme court fol-
lowed this up by destroying it. We are In FAVOR
of further legislation to control these corpora
lions us far as possible but we regard the con-
flict between incorporated wealth and the inter-
ests OF the people as irrepressible ana we look
for no permanent relief except in government
ownership of railroads
We demand the withdrawal OF all special
privileges now granted by law to corporations
or individuals and the application OF the prln-
ciple of government ownership Us remedy 1or
monopolies of every kind. Believing the puoiic
work ought to be done by the people IN oneir
own interest we favor the municlpai ownership
and operation of plants for the supply OF "a'er'
light heat and power and also OF all sVree' o"i
lines and telephone systems
the STEADY spread of Populist principles along
these lines, which are now leavenng all partes'
and point with qualification to the erection Oh u
plant for the manufacture OF bndlng lWlhe ny
the state. which has checked the extortions OF
one monopoly by compelling 1t TO reduce its
prices and has already saved thousands OF ool.
lars TO the farmers OF Kansas. We also call
attention to the successful operation OF the
state law reducing the price of school DOCKS
and the resultant saving of thousands OF dollars
TO the people.
Stock Yards and Oil Refneries.
We believe that the people can with advan-
tage take further steps in the same direction
and that our state constitution ought 10 ne
amended so as to permit the establishment OF
stock yards and markets. to provide TOT state
insurance and to permit the people as whole
to carry on any business or industry Dy "hivh
thew can promote their own welfare we
would especially favor the development OF our
oil resources by the state and the RELIEF OF our
people from the exactions OF the standard vi
monopoly by the erection of q state refinery 10
refine the products of the oil fields OF our state
and supply oil to our people for their own use
at the cost of production, without paying IT'D
ute to that overgrown monopoly,
We direct attention to the stock yards ACT
the insurance and banking laws, the corpora
ton law the laws regulating the salaries OF
county officers and the compensation OF the
state printer, the scrip and screen laws and
other acts passed by the Peoples party which
have proved of great benefit to the people OF
our state and we pledge ourselves to enact
such further legislation along these lines as
NAV be demanded by the interests OF our citi
ZenS.
We call the attention OF the farmers OF Kan
sas to the combination Of grain buyers extend
ing from Chicago throughout the West, which,
by means of pools secret freight rates and 9TH
err trust methods appropriates to its members
the profits of the great wheat crop which has
blessed our land. This combination To which
the local millers and grain dealers are certain
to fall Victims exists In violation Of the anti
trust Jaw in our statutes; and we pledge the
nominees of this convention, II elected, 10 do
all in their power to suppress 1t.
Banking Laws.
The state authorizes banking corporations
and individual bankers to perform pubic
function by the receipt of the money OF the
citizen for safe keeping and AT the same time
permits such corporations and individuals To
loan all but a small percentage OF these funds
for their own profit; the national banking law
protects the bank note holder from possible loss
In case the bank issuing the note becomes In
solyent-a security which has BEEN however,
diminished by the gold standard law enacted by
the last Congress. To supplement this protec-
ton and insure the funds of the depositor whose
money is in the bank, as well as the note holder,