Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-05-18
PEOPLES PARTY PLATFORM.
Adopted in National Convention ut Sioux
Falls, s. d., May 10, 1000.

porters on the wide extension OF It's principles
In all directions, does hereby reaiiirm its adher
-ence to the fundamental principles proclaimed
in its two prior platforms and calls upon all
who desire to avert the subversion OF free in
sstitutions by corporate and imperialistic power,
to unite with 1t in bringing the government
back to the ideals of Washington, Jefferson,
jackson and Lincoln.
1t extends to its allies In the struggle for
financial and economic freedom assur: nces OF
its loyalty to the principles which animate the
allied forces and the promise OF honest and
hearty cooperation in every effort for their
success.
To the people OF the United States we offer
the following platform as the expression OF our
'unalterable convictions:
The Financial Plank.
Resolved That we denounce the act Of March
IA, 1900, as the elimination of n long series OF
ionspiracies to deprive the people of their con-
stitutional rights over the money of the nation
and relcgate TO gigantic money trust the con-
troll of the purposes, and hence OF the people.
We denounce this act, first, for making all
money obligations, domestic and foreign pay
able in gold coin or its equivalent, thus enor-
mousy increasing the burdens OF the debtors
and enriching the creditors.
Second-For refunding coin bonds" not to
mature for years, into long time gold bonds, so
as to make their payment improbable and our
debt perpetual.
Third-For taking from the treasury over
.S5O,O0O,O00 in u time OF war and presenting 1t
at premium to bondholders to accomplish the
refunding OF bonds not due
Fourth-For doubling the capital of bankers
by returning to them the face value of their
bonds in current money notes, SO they may
draw one interest from the government and
another from the people
Fifth-For allowing banks to expand and con-
tract their circulation at pleasure, thus control
ling prices OF all products.
Sixth--For authorizing the secretary OF the
treasury to issue new gold bonds To an unlimited
amount whenever he deems it necessary to re-
plenish the gold hoard thus enabling usurcrs to
secure more bonds and more bank currency by
drawing gold from the treasury, thereby Great
ing an endless chain for perpetually adding to
a perpetual debt.
Seventh-For striking down the greenbacli in
order to force the people to borrow S3i6,0O0
900 from the banks at an annual cost OF over
.S2O,0O0,0O0.
While barring out the money Of the constitu
ton, this law opens the printing minis OF the
treasury TO the free coinage OF bank paper
money, to enrich the few and impoveriSh The
many.
We pledge anew the Peoples party never to
cease the agitation until this eighth financial
conspiracy is blotted from the statute books
the Lincoln greenback restored, the bonds all
paid and allcorporatiOnmoncy forever retired
We reatfirm the demand for the reopenins Of
the minis Of the United States to the free and
unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio OF 16 to 1, the immediate in
crease in the volume of silver coins and certif
Gates thus created to be substituted. dollar for
dollar, for the bank notes issued by private cor
porations under special privilege granted by
law of March IA, 1900, and prior national
banking laws, the remaining portion OF the bank
notes to be replaced with full legal tender gov
eminent paper money and its volume so con-
trolled as to maintain at all times a stable
money market and stable price level.
Inheritance Tax.
We demand graduated income and Inherit
!ance tax to the end that aggregated wealth
shall bear its just proportion of taxation.
We demand that postal savings banks be es-
tablished by the government for the safe de-
post of the savings OF the people and to facili-
late exchange
including all natural sources Of wealth, the in
talienable heritage of the people. The govern
ment should so act as to secure homes for the
people and prevent land monopoly. The orig
inal homestead policy should be enforced and
future settlers upon the public domain should
be entitled to free homestead, while all who
have paid an acreage price to the government
unuer existing laws SnOulu nave tnelr nOue-
stead rights restored.
Ownership of Utilities.
Transportation being q means OF exchange
and public necessity, the government should
own and operate the railroads in the interests
.of the people and on nonpartisan basis, to
the end that all may be accorded the same treat
ment in transportation and that the eXertion,
tyranny and political power now exercised by
the great railroad corporations, which result in
1.-THE impairment, II not the destruction of the
political rights and personal liberties of the cit
liens, may be destroyed. Such ownership Is to
be accomplished in manner consistent with
sound public policy.
Trusts the Ages Evil.
Trusts the overshadowing evil OF the age. are
the result and elimination OF the private own
aership and control of the three great instru-
ments OF conmerce-money, transportation and
the means OF transmission of information
which instruments OF commerce are public
functions and which our forcfathers declared in
the constitution should be controlled by the
people through their Congress- for the public
welfare The one remedy for the trusts is that
the ownership and control be assumed and ex.
'ercised by the people.
We further demand that all tariffs on goods
controlled By trust should be abolished.
To cope with the trust evil the people must
act directly, without the intervention of req
resentatives who may be controlled or infu.
-enced. We, therefore, demand direct legisia-
tion, giving the people the law-malling and veto
power. under the initiative and referendum. A
majority OF the people caa never be corrupty
influenced.
War of Conquest Denounced.
Applauding the valor OF our army and navy
in the Spanish war, we denoulce the conduct
of the administration in changing war for hui
mainly into war for conquest. The action of
the administra ton in the Philippines is in con.
fct with all the precedents of our national life;
at war with the Declaration of independence
the constitution and the plain precepts OF hui
mainly.
Murder and arson have been our response to
the appeals Of the people who asked only to
establish free government in their own land.
We demand a stoppage of this war of extermin-
:ation by the assurance to the Philippines of
independence and protection under stable
government OF their own creation.
Constitution and tho Fling.
The Declaration of Independence the consti-
tuition and the American flag are one and in
separable. The island OF Porto Rico Z. q part
of the territory of the United States and by
luvying special and extraordinary customs dues
on the commerce OF that island the udmnistra.
tion has violated the constitution, abandoned
the fundamental principles OF American liberty,
and has strivcd to give the lie to the contention
of our forefathers that there should be no TAXA