Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1908-04-10
PEOPLES PARTY NAME
THOMAS {. WATSON
Decide to Act Independently il
Race for Presidency.
WILLIAMS FOR VICE
Effort to Stay Action of Conven-
ton Until After Meeting at
Denver Fails-Nebraska
and Minnesota Bolt.


ST. LOUIS. MO.-Spec:aI-Thos.
r.. Watson. OF Georgia. was nomina-
ted for President OF the United States
and Samuel w. Williams. Of Indiana
Tor wee Preside mt. ~ the Peoples
Party Convention
Two sessions were held and were in
teresting chiefly through the fight
made 10y the Nebraska and Minnesota
delegations to have the nominations
postponed until the Democratic con
venton named its candidate SO that.
IT the Democrats did not name Will
nam J. Bryan ne could be made the
nominee of the Peoples Party. The
discussion grew very heated and when
Jay W. ForerSt OF Albany. nominated
Thomas T. Watson. the two delega-
tons withdrew from the convention.
saying that If Bryan is the nominee
at Denver they and all the Populists
OF Nebraska will vote the Democratic
ticket
Thu members Of the delegations
named were asked if they We're work
ing for the nomination of Bryan and
Saio they were not. though. i'm answer
ing further. they said they favored
him.
The money plank in the platform
was also subject OF much discussion,
hut the platform was adopted as re-
ported by the committee on resolu-
lions.
Mr. Watson was not present but
Mr.. Williams was and he gave his
thanks TO the convention for the honor
ana promised to do all he possibly
could FOR the success of the ticket
James II. Ferris. Of Illinois. was
reelected chairman and Jay w. For
rest was made vice chairman.
Text of the Platform.
me following is the platform:
The Peoples Party of the United
states. with increased confidence in
ITS contentious. reafhrms the deciara-
lions made 10y the national convention
at Omaha
The admonitions OF Washington's
farewell; the state papers OF Jeffer-
son, and the words of Lincoln are the
teachings of our greatest apostles Of
human rights and political liberty.
lhere has been departure from
the teachings of those great patriots
during recent administrations. The
Government has been controlled SO
as TO place the rights of property
above the rights of humanity. has
brought the country TO a condition
that is full of danger to our national
well being. Financial combinations
have had much influence with the ad-
ministrative departments of the Gov
ernmcnL PrerogatiVes of Govern
ment have been unwisely and often
cOrruptly surrendered to corporate
monopoly and aggregations of pred
atory wealth.
Demand Government Money.
The issuing Of money Is function
of government and should not be dele
gated to corporation or individual.
The Constitution gives to Congress
alone the power to issue money and
regulate the value thereof. We. there
fore, demand that all money shall be
issued by the Government direct to
the people. without the Intervention
of banks, and be a full legal tender
for all debts, public and private, and
IN quantities 10 supply the necessity
of the country. We demand that pos
tai savings banks be instituted for the
savings of the people.
The public domains are the in
heritance of the people, and should
be held for homesteads for the people.
Alien ownership should be forbidden.
and lands now held by aliens or by
corporations which have violated the
conditions of their grants should be
restored TO the public domain.
ITO prevent unjust discrimination
and monopoly. the Government should
own and control the railroads and
those public utilities which in their
nature are monopolies. To perfect
the postal service. the Government
should own and operate the general
telegraph and telephone systems and
provide a parcels post.
Oppose Special Privileges.
AS to those trusts and monopOlies
which are not public utilities or natu-
raj monopolieS, we demand that those
special privileges which they now en-
joy and which alone enable them
To exist. should be Immediately with
drawn Corporations, being the crea-
lures of government. should be sub
Jected to such governmental regula-
ton and control as will adequately
protect the public. We demand the
taxation of monopoly privileges while
they remain in private hands, To the
extent of the value of the privilege
granted.
we demand that Congress shall
enact a general law uniformly regulat-
ing the powers and duties of all in
cOrporated companies doing Interstate
business.
las a means of placing all public
questions directly under the control of
the people, we demand that legal
provision be made under which the
people may exercise the initiative.
referendum. and proportional repre-
sentation, and direct vote for all pub
lie officers, with the right of recall
Uphold Trade Unions.
We believe in the right of those
who labor to organize for their mutual
protection and benefit. and encourage
the efforts OF the peoples party to
preserve this right inviolate We con-
denim the recent attempt to destroy
the power of trade unions through the
unjust use of the Federal Injunction.
substituting government by injunction
We favor the enactment of legisla-
conditions Of the wage-earnerss We We
demand the abolition OF child labor in
factories and mines and the Suppress
ing of sweat shops. We oppose the
use of convict labor in competition with
free labor. We demand the exclusion
from American shores of foreign pau
per labor, imported to beat the wages
OF intelligent American workingmen
down We favor the eight work
day and legislation protecting the lives
and limbs of workmen through the use
OF safety appliances.
I'VE demand the enactment of an en-
ployers' liability bill within constitu-
tional bounds. We declare against a
continuation of the criminal Careless
ness in the operation of mines, through
which thousands OF miners have lost
their lives to increase the dividends of
stockholders. and demand the fmme-
date adoption of precautionary meas
ures to prevent repetition of such
horrible catastrophes.
Favor Public Works
We declare that in times OF depres-
sion, when workingmen are thrown
into enforced idlenesS, that works of
public improvements should be NJ once