People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1895 — Page 4
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People’s Party Platform.
FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES. First. —That the union of the labor forces of the United States this day consummated shall be permanent and perpetual: may its spirit enter into all hearts for the salvation of the republic and the uplifting of mankind. Second.—Wealth belongs to him who creates it, and every dollar taken from industry Without an equivalent is robbery. ‘Tf any will not work, neither shall he eat.’’ The interests of civic and rural labor are the same; their interests are identical. Third—We believe that the time has come when the railroad corporations will either own the people or the people must own the railroads, and should the 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 be placed under a civil service regulation of the most rigid character, so as to prevent an increase of the powerof the national administration by the use of such additional government employes.
FINANCE First—We 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 the 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 16 to 1. We demand that the amount of circulating medium be speedily increased to not less than *6O per capita. We demand a graduated income tax.
We believe that the of the country should be kept as much as possible in the hands of the people, and hence we demand that all state and national revenues shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government, economically and honestly administered. * We demand that postal savings bank be established by the government for the safe deposit of the earnings of the people and to facilitate exchange. TRANSPORTATION Second—Transportation being a means of exchange and a public necessity, the government should own and operate the railroads in the interests of the people. The telegraph and telephone, like the poetoffice, system, being a necessity for the transmission of news, should be owned and operated by the Government in the interest of the people. LANDS
Third—The land, Including all the natural sources of wealth, is the heritage of the people, and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes, and alien ownership of land should be prohibited. All lands now held by railroads and other corporations in excess of their actual needs and all la nds now owned by aliens should be reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only. SUPPLEMENTARY RESOLUTIONS. Whereas. Other questions have been presented for our consideration, we hereby submit the following, not as a part of the platform of the People’s Party, but 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 Australian or secret ballot system. Resolved, That the revenue derived from a graduated income tax should be applied to the reduction of the burden of taxat ion, now levied upon the domestic industries of this country. Resolved, That we pledge our support to fair and liberal pensions to ex-Union soldiers and sailors. Resolved, That we condemn the fallacy of protecting American labor under the present system, which opens our ports to the pauper and criminal classes of the world and crowds out our wage earners; and we denounce the present ineffective laws against 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 existing eight hour law on government work and ask that a penalty clause be added to the said law. Resolved. That we regard the mainteajapce of a large standing army of mercenaries. known as the l inkerton system, asa menace to our liberties, and we demand its abolition and we condemn the recent invasion of the Territory of Wyoming by the ttired assassins of plutocracy, assisted by ' federal officers. Resolved. That we commend to the thoMghtfui consideration of the people and the reform press the legislative system known as the initiative and referendum. Resolved. That we favor a Constitutional provision limiting the office of President and Vice President to one term and providing for the election of senators of the United States by a direct vote of the people. Resolved. That we oppose any subsidy or national aid to any private corpotatioti for any purpose. Nearly every reader of the Pilot-has a friend some where who would like to hear from Jas per county. It cos’s but 2c a' weelf to send them all the news, beautifully printed; why not do it? I wgnty-five cer is for three months including : Financial School.
Coin’s Financial School (price 25c) is given free to every new trial subscriber of The People’s Pilot. Twenty-five cents for three months.
Affidavit as Circulation.
State of Indiana, County of Jasper, ss. Francis D. Craig. Editor of the People's Pilot.does solemnly swear that the actual number of bonaflde subscribers to the People’s Pilot is 1,310, exclusive of 603 subscribers to the Mt. Pleasant, lowa, Referendum, which list has been combined with that of the People’s Pilot, and that the regular edition of the People’s Pilot printed during the past three months has been 2.000 copies, and that the number of new subscribers received for the People's Pilot since the Ist day of January. 1896, exceeds 300. F. D. Craio. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of May, 1895. Dav id W. Shields. Notary Public.
The day of fusion between democrats and populists, or between republicans and populists is at an end. and the fusions of the future will be between democrats and republicans. for in all essential points the two old parties are in harmony. and both are bitterly opposed to the populists.
Listen, readers, are you going ix) quietly allow the branding iron of the British gold power to be burned into your quivering flesh. Know then a conspiracy is on foot—in operation to control—not only all the great papers of the land against you—but also your cherished local weeklies—all of them—proof of which is given in last week’s issue under heading of “Anarchists of Wealth.”
Chicago’s new and only democratic daily made its first appearance Tuesday morning. It is called the Chronicle, and has the following staff: Martin J, Russell, editor-in-chief; H. W. Seymour, publisher; H. G. Forker, managing editor; H. A. Hallett, city editor; C. C. Johnson. nigh l editor. G. B. Brown and Clifton Sparks have charge of the New York and Washington ends of the paper.
John F. Shafroth, republican congressman of Colorado, declares that if the next national convention of his party does not declare unmistakably for free silver he is going to leave the party. The following are his words:
“I believe in giving my own political party the first opportunity to keep us in the fold, but if it does not come out in its platform for free silver plainly and unmistakably and with no loophole left to crawl out of the position, then I am going to leave the party and vote for the candidate, no matter what his politics may be. who will support and carry out the free silver principles. For lhese reasons I would have the delegates to the national conventions definitely instructed so that should the national conventions refuse to champion silver the delegations could leave the convention honorably and afterwards unite upon their own candidate.” The republicans of Colorado insisted in the campaign of 1892 that their party had declared for “free silver,” and it would not be too much to expect the same declaration again. It is too funny to talk about giving that monument of political deception an opportunity. The acts of its elected legislators should satisfy any sane person as to its posi tion on silver.
Bogus Reform Club.
The mails are loaded with documents sent out by the socalled •‘Reform Club” of New York, filled with the most ma'iciously false statements of fact that ever eminated from the paid hirelings of a desperately frightened colossal power of wealth. This literature purports to come from a •-Reform Club.” when in fact it is a bureau maintained by the banking interests of London and New York to mislead the people into an acceptance of the present single gold standard po.' icy of this country. These documents go through the mails at 1 cent per pound, and are being mailed by the hundreds of tons to all parts of the country. Every editor is sent a copy of their regular issue every two weeks, and any one who will advertise or offer them for sale is given them free in packages of 100. To people who do not have the time, inclination or means of proving the correctness of these false statements of finance the literature is intended to work incalculable harm.
Celebrate the Fourth!
The plans and 'energy being put forth to celebrate the Fourth , will make it the greatest event of the kind ever given in Rensselaer. More money is being raised than at any previous occasion. and the committee have the hearty support of the business men and all other citizens. It wili be a hummer.
THE PEOPLE’S PILOT, RENSSELAER, IND., THURSDAY MAY 30, 1895.
What May Happen in 1896.
The intensity ’ of ilie silver campaign now in heated progress is developing some very strong indications of a split in both the old parties on this is • sue. The masses of the people in all parts of the country are strongly attached to silver and refuse to be led by the bosses who defend the single gold standard with a zeal and determination that could be aroused only by the limitless purse of the Rothschilds and their American allies.
The people resent the ridicule and brutal attacks of the goldbug press upon their honest convictions, and are suspicious of the Herculean efforts being made by the great banking interests with headquarters in New York, to-“educate” the people against silver. They look with alarm at the rapidity with which the great papers of the country have been bought up and their powerful influence changed from silver to gold. They saw with disgust their legislators in the last congress betray their trust through the corrupt distribution of public patronage. Everywhere the spectacle is presented of the utmost harmony between democratic and republican leaders; almost nothing is being said on the tariff. and each party says the other is all right on the financial question. It is given out squarely through all the official sources of both the old parties that they are a unit on the money question; both are for gold; both are against silver; both are for the distruction of the few remaining greenbacks; both are for bonds, gold bonds, plenty of them, hundreds of millions more than we now have; both are for national banks with their circulation untaxed and loaned to them free by the government; both are against the income tax; both, by their acts have proven a practical unity of opinion and purpose on the stupendous tariff farce.
The voter is athirst for infor mation on the subject of finance and everywhere he is laying aside the goggles of party prejudice and carefully reading with the naked eyes of a free elector the plain, logical statements of fact, and drawing his own conclusions. A marvelous revolution of thought is taking place and as the days go by the disturbance of old ideas is increasing.
The effect on many will be to stimulate them in an effort to have their honest convictions incorporated in the platforms of their respective parties, but the majority will go to the populists and help win victory for the principles of the Omaha platform. Those who carry the fight into the old party conventions will have a warm job on their hands, for this is a battle to the finish, and whichever faction is defeated will bolt, and organize an independent convention. It need surprise no one if in the campaign of 1896 there are two republican and two dem-, ocratic tickets, the conditions being fully as favorable for such a development as were the conditions in 1860. It must be remembered that under such circumstances the peoples party will cut no insignificant figure, for in the last election it polled one-fourth of all the votes cast. It has since made immense growth through the agitation of the coinage question and the natural effect of the crushing defeat of the democracy last fall. With the opposing parties divided and a prospect of success large numbers who have populist sympathies would leave the old parties and vote with them, thus practically assuring their success.
In the event, also, of the formation oLa new party by the silver republicans and democ.-ats the chances of success for the populists are equally as good, for the same support would go to them as though the old parties divided into four parties. Again, if the silver men capture both the old party conventions, it is a settled question that the gold standard men will bolt and unite in the formation of a gold standard party. If but one of the old parties is saved to the goldites, that party will receive the united support of all the banking interests and gold democrats andgold republicans will stand loyally by it shoulder to shoulder. In any event the prospects of victory for the masses though tne people's party in 1896 is flattering indeed. The wrecking of one or both of its great opponents is a foregone conclusion in the minds of every thinking observer, and the opportu-
nityis propitious for winning a glorious victory. On, brothers, on.
No Money Contributed for Silver.
The report that the silver convention at Salt Lake proposed to raise $250,000 a month to push the silver campaign in the East has been the cause of much gossip and discussion. While Mr. W. H. Harvey sat chatting with a group of gentlemen in the Illinois Club Friday night after his debate with Professor Laughlin, this report was referred to and it was jokingly asked how much “Coin” expected to'get out of the silver fund. Said Mr. Harvev:
“Not a penny. That is a good story for my friend the professor to use, and it may be true the gentleman gathered at Salt Lake talked of raising $250,000 a month, but they could not raise one hundreth part of that sum foi a campaign. It is natural for men who have little to talk about the use of money in a campaign. They hear this talk and get the idea that money is the only power that will win. They feel that it is necessary to raise money, and they often plan to do it, but the great trouble is that they are not able to get it themselves, and those who are able are not with them and will not give. I do not believe that the men at the Salt Lake convention can raise SIO,OOO to push their propaganda, and it is not necessary. They have no need for money in such a campaign.” “But where are your rich silver miners of Colorado? They ought to subscribe liberally,” remarked one of the club men. “The silver miners are like the gold miners. They are bullion men and bankers. Their banking interests outweigh their silver interests, and they are with my friend the professor, on the other side, when it comes to giving money. Here is a letter received by a gentleman in Chi cago today from Mr. C. F. Thomas, of Denver. It was handed to me this afternoon to look at. Mr. Thomas is chairman of the Democratic State committee. In reference to just such a scheme as that proposed at Salt Lake Mr. Thomas says.” said Mr. Harvey reading from the letter:
HARD TO RAISE MONEY. “So far as your plan is concerned, it is a most excellent one, but there is no probability that S2OO per month or any other sum will be raised or paid for that purpose among our people. Indeed, I have resolved to ask for no more contributions for the cause, since the most of those who can give bluntly and almost rudely refuse to do so, while those who cannot give need not be troubled with needless importunities. I endeavored last fall to raise some money for the Ohio campaign, and succeeded in getting somewhere. about SSOQ. This was'the best that I could do. The Chamber of Commerce is spending some money in the circulation of Harvey’s books, and that is certainly well spent” (about *IOO a month, said Mr. Harvey, parenthetically). “It proposes to continue this during the summer, and a few democrats here have quietly resolved to do something for the party in Illinois in the event its convention of June 5 comes ont equivocally for free coinage. It is needless, however, to look for any financial aid from Colorado at present. I do not believe that SSOO could be raised among our people, if Bland and Bryan, coupled with Teller and Wolcott, were to make a personal appeal to mine owners for that amount.”
“Now. that will show you how difficult it is to raise money in the silver cause in what is called by. the gold men the center of the Slliefr Se'iitiment.” “How do you account for such iack of interest?” “It is very simple. As I said, the bullion men are bankers, and they are in reality with the bankers of the East on this question. They may talk silver at home to be with the people, but they are not putting up any money for the cause They are today buying up Denver, and they have already gathered in a good share of it since the hard times began. They are prospering by this depressisn. “But it is reported they have : subscribed liberally to Coin and helped to circulate your books.” TRIED TO BORROW MONEY. I “Not the silver miners and bullion men. I can give you my ;own experience in an effort to .secure money in Denver. A 'year ago. when I was bringing out ’Coin’s Financial School,’ I needed money, and went to Den-
ver to borrow 110,000. had) 640 acres of land in the suburbs of Pueblo and had bankers’ certificates that it had a cash value of 120,000. I had paid $37,000 cash for it, and there was not a dollar’s incumbrance on thd property, and I wanted to borrow SIO,OOO on it. I thought it would be an easy matter, especially in Denver, where the rich silver bullion-owners and bankers lived, and I went to Dennis Sheedy, president of thq Globe Smelter and vice-president of the Colorado National Bank. I presented my proposition to him and offered to give a first mortgage on my property and pay whatever interest he should fix on the money. I proposed to leave it all to him and put up $20,000 worth of property for SIO,OOO in money. But my property had no rental value, and Mr. Sheedy declined to loan me any tnoney on any property that did not have a rental value equivalent to the interest. I took my proposition to other smelters and bankers, with the same result. They all knew that I needed the money in my business, which was publishing silver literature. Now, after such an experience it is ridiculous to talk about these men subscribing hundreds of thousands of dollars for a silver campaign. As Mr. Thomas says in his letter: ‘Those who can give, bluntly and almost rudely refuse to do so, while those who cannot give need not be troubled with needless importunities.’ The silver campaign is not pushed by money. It is the cause of the people, and it has a sentiment behind it that is stronger than any created by money.” “Well, I see that Don Cameron is with you, and has ordered 10,000 books for circulation in Pennsylvania.” “Another canard, pure and simple. Senator Cameron has done nothing of the kind. He did send a list of the members of the Pennsylvania Legislature and an order for one copy of ‘Coin’s Financial School’ to be sent to each of them. That called for about three hundred and fifty copies, I think.”
NOT 73OOMED BY RICH MEN. “My friends, the good men are too generous in their efforts to boom ‘Coin.’ Nobody and no organization is buying the books by thousands for circulation. The news companies and book dealers are handling it in every state in the union, and thousands of people are sending us letters every day ordering single copies, while a good many are ordering one Or two or perhaps a dozen copies sent to their friends. ‘Coin’ is under no necessity for any rich man like Senator Cameron to purchase 10,000 copies for the people. The Pennsylvanians are doing their own buying and paying for their own books. It. interests and amuses me to see the gold monometallists circulating these reports and abusing rich men-for using their money in such a dangerous manner. But they are unjust to their own friends and supporters. They slander the rich men and ought to be more charitable at home in their own circles. ‘Coin’ will circulate just as,well without any family quarrels or false accusations among the millionaires who seem to be suspicious of each other. The books go to New England on New England orders; to the South on orders from that, section, and to New York upon orders from every city in that state. We have no need for a big campaign fund for silver to send this literature out to the people. They are eager to get it and are buying’t for the ms elves.
NO FUND IN EXISTANCE. “And. gentlemen, if any of you are able to run down and corner that $250,000 si’ver fund I should like to be informed. 1 should like to see it. I have never found such a fund behind silver, and when I wanted to Fublish ’Coin’s Financial School’ made pretty diligent search for the backers of silver who had the money to push such a campaign and help to arouse the people. I could not find them in Colorado or any silver state. I had a written contract with an Ogden (Utah)- banker to whom I had loaned money time and again, in which he agreed to loan me $5,000 on safe securities worth four times that amount. I was never to draw more-than *2.000 ata time. I got *I.OOO of that money and he went back on his contract and left me in the lurch. I have no faith in any man who has money subscribing to a fund for a silver campaign, and these report* are used by the gold men to creaie the impression that it is not a sincere conviction' with
the people but a fictitious boom created by paid agents.” Mr. C. S. Collins, of Little Rock, Ark., was in the circle about Mr. Harvey, and be gave some experiences in trying to raise the money for the bimetallic club of that city, which were' very similar to those of Mr. Harvey. He had thought it necessary to send out paid agents to arouse public sentiment ip the cause he represented and he had canvassed the city for money to do this work. He failed absolutely; could not raise S2OO. and after his failure made the discovery that he needed no campaign fund, -for the people were with him and were buying “.Coin's books by the thousands.
Bicycle Livery.
Albert Overton, with Ellis & Murray, has a few wheels which he will rent at reasonable rates.
Separator for Sale. Separator and stacker, almost as good as new, at a bargain. v Address, D M. Worland, Rensselaer, Ind. Hungarian Seed for Sale. I have for sale at my place, 1| miles north of town, good Hungarian seed at 75c per bushel. Alfred Donnelly.
THE WINDSOR.
B. F. Furguson sells the Windsor bicycle, a strictly high grade wheel, for less money than any one on the market. Call and get prices before purchasing elsewhere.
Card of Thanks.
Miss Doty desires to thank the soloists who so kindlj added to the success of her entertainment by their renditions, and to many others who assisted her in the work.
Short Order Restaurant.
T. H. Robertson has opened up a first class restaurant next to Huff’s jewelry store in Rensselaer, where he will serve meals as ordered at all hours. He solicits a share of the public's patronage and assuring all that they will be given the best of service and courteous treatment.
Celebrate the Fourth at Rensselaer.
There will probably be a gun club contest, as the Iriquois Gun Club is a strong organization, and in a position to make it a splendid feature. The matter will be acted upon at once and it is more than likely that a number of the best clubs in Indiana will be in attendance.
A Summer Resort at Home.
The proper way to enjoy life during the summer months is,to resign the blistering cook stove z to a condition of inocuous desuetude and purchase a gasoline stove of Warner & Son. They have the Monarch and Reliable, the two leading favqrites; handsome, convenient, absolutely perfect in construction, and safer than coal or wood. Every stove guaranteed to give satis faction. Prices within reach.
Crayon and Water Portraits.
Do you want something beautiful in portraits? Crayon and water colors of superior quality can be ordered at the Pavillion now. These are none of your free crayon offers, but in connection with'photographs the portraits can be secured at very reduced rates. One dozen cabinet photos and a 16 by 20 crayon portrait, very lifelike, for $5.00. One dozen cabinet photos and a beautiful water color, portrait, 16 by 20, for $6.50. An agent will soon wait upon you at your homes and show you samples. Deal with those only who have proven reliable. ———M■* The Iniatiative and Referendum should become a fundamental part of every municipal charter. . Reader, if you are pleased with the Pilot as it now comes from the new press, won’t you ask that neighbor of yours to take the best paper printed in Indiana.* Remember a cdpy of “Coin’s Financial School” is given free with each subscription. The prestige of being a city is a matter of importance to a town the size of Rensselaer. It has weight with men seeking investment '»• lauds, manufacturing or ho;..