Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-01-03
ropUL1sr NATIONAL PLATFORM.

P0PULIsT NATIONAL PLATFORM.
| The Peoples party, assembled In national
principles declared by the founders of the re-
| pupilc. and also TO the fundamental principles
OF Just government, as enunciated In the plat
! through the connivance OF the present and
| preceding administrations the country has
reached crisis in its national life as predicted
IN our declaration four years ago. and that
prompt and patriotic action Is The supreme
duty of the hour. We realize that while we
nave pohtical independencee. our financial
and industrial indies endence is yet to be at
| tanned by restoring 10 our country the consti-
! tutional control and exercise of the functions
necessary to a peoples government which
functions have been basely surrendered by
| our public servants TO corporate monopo-
| 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
have been used to corrupt our legislatures
and defeat the will of the people, and putoe-
racy has thereby been euthroned upon the
| ruins of democracy. To restore the governs !.
ment Intended by the fathers. and for the wel->
fare of this and future generations, we demand
| the establishment of an economic and finap-
cial system. which shall make us masters of
| our own affairs and independent of European
| control by the adoption of the following dec-
laToton OF principles:
FINANCE.
First We demand national money, safe
and sound issued by the general governmen
| only. without the intervention of banks of is
| sue TO be Il full legal tender for all debts pub
| lie and private-a just, equitable and efficient
means OF dlstrioution direct to the people and
through the lawful disbursements of the gov
eminent.
Second-we demand the free and unre-
stricted coinage of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio of sixteen to one, without wait
| ing for the consent of foreign nations.
| Thlrd-We demand that the volume of cir
culatlng medium be speedily increased to an
! amount sufficient to meet The demands of the
business and population of this country anfq
to restore the Just level of prices of labor AMI
| production. I'll
Fourth We denounce the sale of bonds anil
| the increase OF the public interest bearing
| debt made by the present administration a.
| unnecessary ana without authority of law,and
That no more bonds be issued except by spe-
! Fifth-We demand such legislation az win
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
| and preceding administrations for Surrender
| ing TINS option TO the holders of government
| obligations.
| Seventh-We demand graduated income
! tax TO the end that aggregated wealth shall
bear It's Just proportion of taxation and we
regard the recent decision of tie supreme
court relative To the income tax la " as a rnis-
interpretation of the constitution and an in
Vasion or the rightful powers of congress over
| the subject of taxation. LIZ H. d.
Eighth-We demand that postal savings
| banks be established by the government for
| the safe deposit of the savings of the peop'
and TO facilitate exchange.
TRANSFORMATIONS.
First-TransportatiOn being means Of o.
| change and necessity, the government sbonI1
own and operate the railroads in the interast
| OF the people and on a 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 nv
| the great railroad corporations which ras,,itts
| n the impairment. if not the destructionS ofss
! the political rights and personal liberties Of
! the citlzen, may be destroyed. Such ownessf
lRh nod frro<7 u
ner consistent with sound public policy
Second-The interest of the United States IN,
.ile p ,t nlghMays buiit with public moneys
| ana 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 Inv
| the laws organizing such railroads. The fore
closure OF existing liens of the United States
on these roads should at once follow dafanItsr
payment thereof by the debtor com panies .and
| at the foreclosure sales of said roads fine GOV.
eminent should purchase the same il il be- s
comes necessary to protect its interests there
IN, or II they can be purchased at q reasonabja.
| price, and the government shall operate said
raliroaos rs public highways for the benefit Of
the Whoie people and not in the interest of the
Few. under suitable provisions for Protection
OF life aDd property. giving to all transporta-.
| for fares and freights.
| Ihird-We depounce the present Infamous
echemes Tor refunding these debts. and de-
hand mat the laws now applicable thereto BE-
executed and administered according to thes
true intent and spirit. g
system, being a necessity for the trangmk ace
OF news. should be owned and operar - Sip ~.
the government in the interests OF tho ,eoniS
LAND.
First-the true policy demands thu
tional and state legislation shall a snnh Ia "a
VIII ultimately enable every pru5 ent ana i 1s
fors. 10, U,.zsn 10 secure horo e. and there
! apre tie ian should MOI be Recommendation for
speculative purposes. All la. dds now held hv
fallroads and other corporat IONS in exce,,s ~
,ecamed III neeus should b. lawful means be
arrfo f,<.f<
lual settiers only, and pri ate land rnononoIy
%; a. zen as alien OWNERSHIP, should he prohii.
oecond-We condemn the frauds by which
tue land grants to Pacific railroad coYnno,ses
Sans,t,na.te Tue eonaiyance OF the interior
tuielt, ronptd rIultitudes of actual bona
nee settlers OF their homes and mine re Of their
Gains ana we DENT nd legislation BY congress
whicn viii enforce the exemption OF mineral
land from such grants after as well as before
patent, - 90 eioio
/ :Third-We demand that eli bona fd,. ,tIsre
ON all pubic binds be GRAINED tree n o-nas &C
provided IN the national Homestead law 4 nj
dian enao no excepIon 0e made in the case o. In
uian ,eser nauoDs when opened for set element
and that all lands now patented com under
this demand. 49, : nl21Sl
Fourt h Legislation: We favor
i've and referendum under proper consfit,s
uonal safeguards. -
GENERAL PROPOSITIONS.
First-We demand the election of preeifent
wee president and United States senators nv q
direct vote of the people. = :
| Z teDIef 10 tue patriotic DeOLIe OF
Cuba our deepest sympathy in their sfriIggIo
Ior poililcal freedom and independence, and
We We peiieye the time has come when the United
S s, the great republic of the world should
recognize that Cuba is, and OF right ought fos
De- Tree and independent state
n, ,he iavor nome rule IN the territories
anu i the district OF Columbia. and the early ad-
mission or the territories as states
fourtn-All public salaries should be, made
ducts. 80 80 Pr
Fifth-ln these times of industrial depres-
SION die labor should be employed on pubIfc ::
works as far practicable :
ciAin-Ihe arbitrary course of the courts II, 9.
assuming to iInprison citizens for indirect con
Tempt and ruling them by Injunction should +
De prevented by proper iegisIafion. I
seyenth-We favor just pensions for every1
disabled Union soldier. -.
Eighth Believing that the elective franchise
and nntrammeled ballot are essentiai- TO Cow
eminent of. for and by the people the Peoples s
party condemns the wholesale system OF dis
franchsemenf adopted in some OF the states j
a. un-republcau and un-democratic. aud We
declare IL to be the duty of the seyerat ats tess
iezslsiafures to TAX such action as will secure
full. froe and fair ballot aud an honest count
Nirfh-W bile the foregoing Propositions corr
stitute the platform upon which Oir party