The representative., 1900-03-22
A STRONG DOCUMENT.


The following call has been put forth,
IN the last issue of the Missouri World,
for a convention to be held in Missouri
to organize a great campaign in this
year. 1900, issued by Frank e. Richey:
A CALL.
For a mass state convention Of all the
voters OF Missouri who favor the forma-
ton Of new political state organization
pledged to the support of the political
principles set forth in the Peoples party
platform. adopted at the Druids' hall,
st. Louis, July Z. 1898.
Whereas, For the last quarter of a
century the government Of the United
States, while under the absolute and
unQuesuoned administration Of the
Republican party. has been conducted.
and is now being conducted, wholly in
the interest Of the wealthy classes of
our citizens, and directly against the
interests. and utterly regardless Of the
rights Of nine-tenths Of the American
people. whose intelligence. character.
Industry, patriotism and overwhelming
numbers should make them the sub
iects Of first legislative importance and
protection, and
Whereas, The aforesaid ubiquitous
political procedure Of the Republican
party has resulted in the following
among appalling conditions:
The vastly large part of the wealth of
the country has been concentrated into
the hands and ownership Of less than
three per cent of our population.
The people have become so involved
In debt that the annual interest charges
against them eats up their net annual
productions.
More than half the families of the ma
tion have become mere tenants and are
compelled to hire their farms and homes
from others.
Competition and private enterprise In
all lines Of manufacturing and trade are
practically destroyed, and a few gigantic
trusts that cut down the price Of raw
materials and the number and wages of
employees, while raising the price of
finished products, monopolize all bust
pie.
A few thousand national banks, to
which the combined national credit Of
75,000,000 people has, by corrupt class
OF oif
brazenly exercise the sovereign func-
tions of government and rob the people
OF many millions every year.
Railroad corporations, whose prop
erty and privileges ought to be owned
and exercised by the people for the peo-
pies benefit, nominate and elect nation
al and state executives, legislatures and
courts, while with Unsuitable corporate
greed they are eating up the substance
OF the people, and
Whereas, A rotten system of party
management by delegates, and Of gov
ernment legislation by representatives
exists, whereby wronged people are
wholly powerless to protect themselves
against the plundering schemes Of their
own agents, by whom, at private but
competitive vendue, both their property
and their dearest personal and political
rights are freely sold to the highest bid
der for cash, and
Whereas, While tho Democratic party
under the party shibboleth. Turn the
rascals out" twice elected a Democratic
president, and was, for too long a
period. In absolute, unquestioned con-
troll of both the executive and legislative
departments of the national govern
ment, yet during said period the Dem
ocratic party did not even attempt tc
restore silver to free coinage, Offer tc
take away the charters of the national
banks, nor in any manner, by either re.
peal or amendment, change single Re.
publican legislative act by which the
rich and powerful few were then and arr
still plundering the helpless and un.
protected many, and
Whereas, Both the Republican and
Democratic parties now perfectly agree
with each other in the demand that al
paper money shall be redeemable II
metallic money, a strictly bankers plar
for limiting the supply Of money, in the
interests of the money lenders, and
against the people, and
Whereas, Both the Republican an6
Democratic parties now perfectly agree
with each other that the railroads Of thu
nation shall continue to be operated
upon the present iniQuitous, antiquatei
and monstrously unjust plan of privat,
ownership and control by an interstate
commerce commission, strictly Repub
ncan plan, and
Whereas, Both the Republican ant
Democratic parties now perfectly agre,
with each other. not in destroying ex
listing trusts and preventing the forma
ton Of others, but In demanding tha
the federal government shall license al
trusts, strictly Republican plan, form
ulated by Rockefeller, the president O
the Standard Oil trust, and taken up an(
repeatedly urged by Mr.. w. ]. Bryan
an ingenious plan whereby campaign
fat can be "fried," in spouting stream
out Of the trusts and corporations, ant
Whereas. Both the Republican an,