People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1895 — People’s Party Platform. [ARTICLE]

People’s Party Platform.

FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES. First.—That the union of the labor fore, s us the United States this day eonsummattd shall be permanent and perpetual; may its spirit enter into all hearts for tin salvuth n of the republic and the uplifting of man kind. Second.—Wealth belongs to him who creates it. and every dollar taken from itidustiy without an equivalent Is robbery. "If any will not work, neither shall he eat." Tim In lerests of civic mid rural labor are the same; their Interests are identical. Third—We beliove that the time lias come when the railroad corporations will either own the people or the people must own the railroads, and should tiiu government enter upon the work of owning and managing any or all railroads, we should favor an amendment to the constitution by which all persons engaged in the government service shall Ire placed under a civil service regulation of the most rigid character, so as to prevent an Increase of the powvrof the nat ioiml administration by the use of such additional government employes. FINANCE First— Wo demand a national currency, safe, sound and flexible. Issued by the general government only, a full legal tender for all debts public and private, and that without the use of banking corporations, a, Just, equitable and efficient means of distribution direct to the people at a tax not to exceed 2 per cent, per annum to be provided as set forth in tiie sub-treasury plan of the Farmers' Alliance or a better system; also by payments in discharge of its obligations for public improvements. We demand free and unlimited coinage of silver at the present legal ratio of 1(1 to 1. We demand that the amount of circulating medium lai speedily increased to not less than MO per capita. We demand a graduated Income tax. We believe that the money of the count/y should lai kept uh much as possible in th" hands of the people, and hence we d -onuml that all state and national revenues shall h limited to the necessary expenses of 11.< government, economically and honestly administered. We demand that {aistal savings Link he established by the government for the safe deposit of the earning* of the people anti to facilitate exchange. TRANSPORTATION. Second—Transportation being a means of exchange mid a public necessity, the govei nment should own and operate the railroad* In the Interests of the people. The telegraph and telephone, like Die postoffice system, Is-lng a necessity for the transmission of news, should lai owned nml operated by the Government In the Interest of the people. LANDS. Third—The land, Including nil the nntur;J sources of wealth, is the heritage of the |K:uple. and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes, and alien owner-hip of land should lie prohibited. All lands now held by railroads and other corporations in excess of their actual needs mid ail lan Inow owned by aliens should lx- reclaimed by Dm government and held for actual settlers only. SUPPLEMENTARY RESOLUTIONS. Whereas. Ollier questions have been presented for our consideration, we hereby submit the following, net us a part of Die pintform of the People's Party, hut as resolutions expressive of the convention. Resolved, That we demand a free ballot and a fair count In all elections and pledge ourselves to secure It to every legal voter without federal intervention through the adoption by the States of the unperverted Austral lan or secret ballot system. Resolved. That Die revenue derived from a graduated income tax should be applied to tiie reduction of the burden of taxation, now tev'e i upon Die domestic industries of this country. i.c.vHA’en. That we. pledge our support to fair and lllieral pensions toex-Union soldiers and sailors. Resolved. That we condemn the fa)lacy of protecting American itilior under the present system. which opens our ports to the pauper and criminal classes of tiie world and crowds out oar wage earners; and we denounce tiie present ineffective laws again M contract labor and demand the further restriction of undesirable Immigration. Resolved. That we cordially sympathize with the efforts of organized workmen to shorten the hours of labor and demand a rigid enforcement of the exist Ing eight hour law on government work and ask that a penalty clause lie added to the said law. Resolved. That we regard the maintenance of a large standing army of mercenaries, known as the Pinkerton system, a.-u nieuac® to our liberties, and we uemand its aoolition and we condemn the recent invn--ion of the Territory of Wyoming by Di>hired assassins of plutocracy, assisted by federal officers. iiE.MH.VEii. i'hat we commend to the thoughtful consideration of the people and the reform press the legislative system known as the Initiative and referendum. Resolved. That we favor a Constitution:’ I provision limiting the office of President and Vice Pre-ldent to one term and providing ■ <>, the election of senators of the United talcs by a direct vote of t he people. Reh< lved. That we oppose :wiy subsidy or national aid to any private corporation for t> v onroose.