Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-10

Rood or man,
As steps In that direction, we make
the following demands
| Flfst-Rtyslon VI our federal oonsttu-
tiOn, IN order 20 remove the obstacles to
complete control Of government by tho
people irrespective Of sex,
socond-'rhe public ownership OF all
industries controlled by monopolies,
trusts ana combines.
| Thrd-The public ownership Of all rail-
roads, TelegraphR ana telephones, all
means OF transportation and cOmmuni-
plants and other public utilities,
cation, all waterworks gus and electric
F0urth-The public ownership OF all
! gold, silver copper lead, iron, coal and
other mines, and all oil and gas wells,
Fifth-The reduction OF the hours OF
labor In proportion 10 the Increasing
facilities OF production,
slxth-tlhe inauguration OF a system OF
public works and improvements for the
employment OF the unemployed, the pub
! lie credit TO be utilized for that purpose.
seventh-Useful inventions 10 be free,
the inventor 10 be remunorated by the
public,
Elght-Labor legislation to be national,
| instead OF local, and international when
possible, =
Ninth-Nationnl insurance Of working
people against accidents, lack OF employ
mont and want In old age,
Tenth-Equal oivll ana political rights,
! for men and women and tho abolition
OF all laws discriminating against
| women,
Eleventh-The adoption OF the initiative
and referendum, proportional represent
tatlon, and the right OF recall OF repre-
sentatlvcs by the voters
Twelfth-Aboltion Of war and the In
PRODUCTION Of international arbitration,
II will be noticed that there Is very
little In the foregoing platform that
has not been, in the past, good,
sound populist doctrine, There Is no
mention Of land naturalization eX-
ccpt in the case OF mines, oil fields,
etc., etc, whereas the popuist plat
form Of 1896 declared against The pri-
yntc ownership Of land for speculative
purposes,
OF the social democracy's platform,
the third and eleventh plNnks are car-
dnol points in the populist faith,
and the Kansas populst state con-
Ncntion, which recently met At Clay
Center, adopted plank which Is 10
be pressed upon the notice of the ma
tionNl convention for adoption, and Is
the equivalent of the second plank In
the socialist platform. II is as fol-
lows:
The enormous growth Of the combl-
nation Of capital known M trusts whore
| by the control OF the means Of produce
| tion ana distribution are centered IN the
| hands OF few favorlte individuals pre-
SCENTS n condition which IL Il menace TO
free government, The republican party
has had absolute control Of the govern
ment for the past four years, but has
| utterly failed 10 present u remedy for
these evils, and we charge that the lead
ers Of the party are dominated and con-
! trolled by the trust interests OF the coun-
try We believe that the practical so
luton OF the trust problem lies In the
direction OF more extensive application
Of the principle OF government owner
ship
We therefore demand the government
ownership OF all public utilities IN our
cities the state and the nation We fur
Their demand the abolition Of all special
privileges given to capital, including pro-
| tectiVe duties ON articles manufactured
| and used by trusts or combinations In
restraint Of trade and declare that when
| any business becomes n monopoly II
should be taken out Of the control Of prl-
vnte individuals and be owned ana oper-
ated by the government, and we favor
such amendments TO the state and ma
tlonal constitutions az viii place the COM
plote control Of all such combinations Of
capital In restraint OF trade In the hands
OF congress and the legislatures Of the
several states,
Thus II is that the steady trend Of
politics Is in the direction Of sociu ism.
And how is II with the masses Of or
gan2cd labor? The best answer that
can be given to that query is the
quotation Of the platform Of the
American Federation Of Labor, which
I Is as follows;
| l. Compulsory education.
q Direct legislation through the initla-
tive ana referendum,
o. A legal workday Of not more than
| eight hours,
T. Sanitary inspection Of workhop, mine
and home,
g. Liability of employer for injury TO
health body and life,
g. The abolition OF the contract system
IN all public work,
T. The abolition Of the sweating sys-
| tenn,
$. The municipal ownership Of street
cars, watcrworis, Gas end electric plants
| for the distribution Of heat light ana
| power,
Q. The naturalization of telcgmphs,
\ telephones, railways and mines,
TO- The abolition Of the MONOPOLY sys-
! rom og lnudholdInu mud the substitution