Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-01-10
Four Times a Week.
popUL1sr NATIONAL PLATFORM.
C. E. BECHTEL. Agent,
Medicine Lodge, Kansas.

1O1ULkcI AL E1AIfOhh.
The Peoples party, assembled in national
convention. reaffrms it's allegiance to the
principles declared by the founders of the re-
public, and also to the fundamental principles
of just government, as enuucated IN the plat
form OF the party in 1892. We recognize that
through the eonniyance of the present and
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
have political Independence. our financia
and industrial indec endonce is yer to be at
tanned by restoring 10 our country the consti-
tutionai control and exercise of the functions
necessary to peoples government, which
functions have been b9sely surrendered by
our public servants to corporate monopo-
lies. The influence of European money
legislation than the voice of the American
people. Executive power and patronage
have been used to corrupt our legislatures
and defeat the viii Of the people. and plutoc-
racy has thereby been enthroned upon tho
| ruins of democracy. To restore the govern
ment intended by the fathers. and for the well
fare of this and future generations, We demand
the establishment of an economic and finan-
! cial system. which shall make us masters OF
control. by the adoption of the following dec
| laration 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 a full legal tender for all debts pub
lie and private-a just, equitable and efficient
| means of distribution direct TO the people and
through the lawful disbursements of the gov
| 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 conseut of foreign nations.
| Third-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 and
| TO restore the just level of prices of labor and
production.
Fourth-We denounce the sale of bonds ano
the increase of the public interest bearing
debt made by the present administration as
| unnecessary ana without authority of law,and
| that no more bonds be issued except by spe-
cific act of CONGRESS.
| Fifth-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
| and preceding administrations for surrender-
ing this option to the holders of government
| obligations.
! Seventh-We demand a graduated income
tax TO the end that aggregated wealth shalt
bear its just proportion of taxation, and we
| regard the recent decision of the supreme
| court relative to the income tax law mis-
| Interpretation of the constitution and an in
| vasion of the rightful 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.
First-Transportation being means of en-
| change and necessity the government 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 tne impairment, III not the destrucuon, CT
the citizen, may be destroyed. Such owner
sup Is ~ nc ;l e.huuaIiy IN man
me- IT, It, f puo IT poSy
t,i ;L esu ~; M ,e onieu SIates M
the puonc nlgnMays bulit with pubic moneys
anu tn9 pis VI Rra.s oI ano
" Tue I'M oaus; snoulu never pe alen-
aleu, morteageu or sou, onI guarued ana pro-
~ fays I nraa31in1 S,,ch roroad Th W
Iosmre of axisting Mems Of the Tni,ad ctt
ciosulc VI LSns *. VI Tug UI.Su otaees
rmant ,hers1f nv the dahtor i s
ptyyha fn.oosnra Ssias Of Soid road s III ,,u
s p ~ Do.o, ' nc , sas - ~ De
~ ~ ,f 80, 90 = he "a -, y go ae ~ =
anu 'ne t,; hih, snn sai Z,
ihn Whole ,.opIe and not in the interest Of tn n
f nIorp s,f,shia nreuisions fnr 80, % ine
deW; uiud d a, p;; m i1r pro.ecuon
ton ;naarests poua, nriviieges smd a,'ai r. .
to ,n,.as Cd t1ni%hfps anu e'iuai is'es
Ihird-we denounce the present infamous
mand that the laws now anulicable thereto he
executed and administered ACCORDING to their
| tr,Ie intent and shirt
: Fourtb-The teIepraph like the most Office
} system being necessity for the trspsD,issiou
J of news. should be owned and operated b :,
/, | rho Government in the Interests of fhe neop.
~ &c.
ri LA land 49,
fTSt-lne true poiCy eemdnus that tn'e ma
tlonal anu state ieHisiauou enali DO 81 Oh as
VIII ultimately enaDie every pruoent and In
dustrious citizen 10 secure nome. an there
fore the iand snouid not oe moaopf liked for
speculative purposes. All ianas no~ held by
railroads and otner corporations DI excess OF
- their actual needs should by lawf'Ll means be
reclaimed by the government ard held for ac-
tual settlers only. and PR 'ate land monopoly,
as well as alien ownership, should be prohib-
tied.
Second-We condemn fne frauds by which
the land grants to racine railroad companies
have, through the connlvance OF the interior
department. robbed muititudes of actual bona
fde settlers or their homes and miners OF their
claims. and we demand legislation by congress-
which Will enforce the exemption OF mineral
land from sucn grants, after as well as before
patent,
Third-He demand tnat all bona hde settlers
on all pubic lands De granted tree homes. as
provided III the national homestead law. and
that no exception De made IN the case o. In
dian reservations when opened tor settlement.
ana tnat Hi lanuS now patented come under
this demand.