People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1894 — People’s Party State Piatform. [ARTICLE]

People’s Party State Piatform.

In general terms'we endorse the principle* and declarations of the Omaha platform. I and herewith submit the platform prepared I by your coinmittae on resolutions. THE FINANCIAL ISSUE. We demand a national currency of ?.V) ;> r capita, including the free coinage of siher at tlie ratio of Ja to 1. issued by the general government only, a full legal tender for all debts l<oth public and private distributed to tiie people direct without tiie intervention of banking corporation- in payment of all obligation* of the government, and demand Ihe i-sue of non-interest bearing treasury Doles of small >1: nominations. We declare our unalterable opposition, as a party, to banks of issue, state or nation;) 1. We also denounce tiie past anti continued use of ti e government fiat by congress to create interest-bearing bonds. We charge that the crime of demonetizing silver in '73. by the Republican party, further consummated by tlie joint action of both tinold parties at the extra session of congress in <l3. has fully accomplished the purpose of tiie monied aristocracy of the United States and England, in placing American producers of our great staple crops on a level with the poorest paid pauper labor of the world under English control, by changing through this crime against American producers and laborers, the pricing instrument for all products ami wages to the single standard of gold only. We demand a national graduate incometax on salaries or incomes in excess of reasonable expenditures for the comforts and necessities of life. W t pledge the i cople s party, when given control of the government, that the gunholders. who put up life to save the Union from secession, shall be equalized with the bondholders, who speculated in human life and the blood of our people, and their pensions shall be treated as a vested right. We favor the election of United Statesenators and all postmasters by direct voto of the people.

STATE ISSUES. We believe the people arc yet capable of self-government and home rule, and demand of the next legislature the repeal of the metropolitan police law anplied to cities. W e also denounce the present unfair and uii- 1 just law that forbids minorities represental ion on election boards or witnesses to count of ballots, as a violation of the natural rights of the people; the entering wedge to the destruction of free government; tlu> very essence of party tyranny and taxation without representation, laws that no honest man can defend. W'e demand a constitutional convention to revise our state constitution and include therein reform in the methods of taxation and the initiative and referendum system of legislation, with the veto power of all the important laws in the hands of the people. We demand such equitable adjustment of the statute for the listing us property for taxation that will permit the deduction of ail bona fide indebtedness from sum total listed, \\ e demand a reasonable homestead law that no process of any court can touch. We demand a lav, taxing all inheritances coming to citizens of Indiana, both direct ind collateral, at 5 per cent, above •jf’.ot'ti, fae the benefit of the state sinking fund. We demand that most liberal educational facilities for the masses within the power of < tue state to provide, and a more efficient administration of the public school fund. W'e demand that convict labor shall betaken as far as possible away from competition with honest, free labor in conduct of tiie state prisons, recommending that counties w ( /rk their convicts building and improving public roads. W e demand a law at the hands of the next legislature that will make it optional with debtors in tiiis state, to' pay any legal obligation in gold, silver or other lawful money of the United States. We demand that ouv.statc naturalization laws conform to our national laws upon the subject. W'e view with alarm the evil influence of the liquor traffic. We heartily endorse the initiative and referendum system of legislation. believing by this means the people can suppress this and other evils more effectually than by any other mode. W e demand an effect ive enforcement of the aus prohibiting the employment of child labor. W e demand that a system of arbitration he established, whereby serious difficulties between employer and employes may be speedily and impartially adjusted, before either party resort to measures detrimental to one and to both. W'e favor a reduction of the working boors ! Y law 111 mjnes aud factories in conformity with the progress of industry. We demand that cities be specially empowered to assume ownership and control of public water, transportation and lighting plants, in such manner as to operate wholly m the interest of the people, without imposing burdensome taxat ion, i We are against the giving out, of public works under contract to the lowest bidder, state and the communities should carry out such work themselves under the supervision of experienced officers, W e favor an efficient employer’s liability law and the inspection of mines and factories for the protection of life and limb of the workingmen. The right to vote is inherent in citizenship irrespective of sex.