People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1896 — Page 1

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vol. v.

PEOPLE'S PARTY PLATFORM.

FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES. First —Thatunion of the labor forces of the United States this day consummated shall be permanent and perpetual; may its spirit enter all hearts for the salvation of the republic and the upliftings of mankind. Second—Wealth belongs to him who creates it, and every dollar taken from industry without an equivalent is robbery. “If any will not work, neither shall he eat.” The interests of rural and civic 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 or managing any or all of the 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, as to prevent the increase of the power of the national administration by the use of such additional government employes. FINANCE. First —We demand anational 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 subtreasury 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 and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1. t We demand that the amount of circulating medium be speedily increased to not less than £SO per capita. We demand a graduatad income tax. We believe that the money 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 houestly administered We demand that the 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 ownand operate the railroads in the interest of the people. LAND. Third —The land, including alj the material rescources of wealth, is the heritage of the people, and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes, and alien ownership of land should be prohibited. And lands now held by railroads and other corporations in excess of their actual needs and all lands now owned by aliens should be reclaimed by the government for actual settlers only.

MOVING FORWARD.

Are the Grand Armies of Reform. THE MOST ENCOURAGING NEWS - From Every State and Territory in the tTnion. Harmony All Along the Line.

People’s Party News Bureau, ) Headquarters National Ex. Com. \ ’ Abundant evidence is already at hand to indicate conclusively that the work undertaken by this Burea. will not only fill a “long felt want,” but prove a decided success. One prominent Kansas editor writes: “Your first letter is out of sight.” Another from Texas says: “Your press service will be of benefit and, I believe, appreciated by our readers.” Reports of unrest and general dissatisfaction in the old party ranks, are increasing in every quarter — from Maine to California and from Florida to the Lakes. It is the same story of threatened disruption and annihilation of the old organizations, if they refuse to recognize silver. From present indications the country is on the verge of a great political upheaval, and the People’s party will usher in the millenium next year. James Gunn, of Idaho, People’s Party candidate for Congress in 1894, writes: “We are opening the way for a union of Populist. silver democrats and silver republicans. Chief Justice Houston of the Supreme Court of this state, heretofore an active republican, has, within the last fewdays announced that he would no longer follow the lead of his party, but would act with the silver forces. J. M. Ballentine, democratic candidate for congress at the last election, has announced himself in similar terms.” T. B. Mills<, our candidate for congress in New Mexico in 1894, also writes: “The rank andfileof both old parties will join any independent movement if their parties fail to declare for bi-metal-lism at the ratio of 16 to 1, when they nominate their candid ate for president. Our territory will be fully represented at St. Louis, July 23.” Chairman Bulger of the Washington state committee is out in an address to the populists of his state, advocating the holding of two conventions, one to select delegates to the national convention, and another to nominate a state ticket. The date of the state convention has not yet been fixed. * Chairman Maxwell, of the Illinois people’s party state committee, and Dr. Emrick, chairman of the Illinois silver organization, have agreed to call joint state congressional and local convention to unite their forces all along the line. Chairman Wardall, of the California state committee will soon open headquaters in San Francisco, to organize his state and assist in the Oregon campaign. Several speakers will go from

THE PEOPLE’S PILOT.

FOR THE FREE AND UNLIMITED ODIN AGE OF SILVER ANO GOLD AT THE PARITY RATIO OF SIXTEEN TO ONE WITHOUT REFERENOE TO ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH.

California to Oregon at an early date. Up to this time, 297 delegates have been elected to the national convention, of which number 261 are reported as favorable to a union of ali the forces opposed to the gold standard and present oppressive conditions. At a recent reorganization of the populist central committee in Denver, Colo., Ex Gov. Wait and a few of his friends became dissatisfied with the action of the body and bolted. The California state convention will be held at Sacramento on May 12. A candidate for U. S. Senator will be nominated and delegates selected to the national convention. Francis N. Stacy, a prominent republican pols- - of Minneapolis, Minn., has renounced his allegiance to the republican party and joined the populists. The state central committee of Minnesota, at its recent meeting in Minneapolis elected Ignatious Donnelly and S. M. Owens delegates at large to the St. Louis convention,and made arrangements to call congressional con ventions to elect the other fifty-one de’egates, to which the state is entitled. All other nominating conventions will be postponed until after July 22. George N. Lamphere, editor of the Morehead (Minn.) Daily News, is among the valuable new recruits to the people’s party, Ex-Attorney General D. W. Jones of Arkansas who is canvassing that state as a candidate for governor, subject to the decision of the democratic primaries, in a recent speech at Arkadelphia, said: “I shall bolt the nominee of the Chicago convention, if a gold standard platform is adopted and a gold man put upon it. The populists of San Juan County. Colorado, on March 19, among other things passed the following: •‘We believe that in the national campaign of this year the financial plank of our platform should be made the most prominent. And we believe that such wise and judicious plans should be adopted as will bring about a union of all the reform forces in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the ratio of 16 to 1 independent of the action of any other nation.” Arizona will be represented in the national convention by Gen. Wm. O’Neill, G. M. Porter,Kean St. Charles and John O. White, all excellent men and representative populists. The populist vote of Oklahoma will be increased nearly 1,000 Jjy the adddition of Greer county. With only a little more than 3,000 votes to overcome, our friends in that territory should win this year.

The populists in the Indian Territory are anxious to know whether they will be entitled to representation in the national convention. Under the call they will be entitled to four delegates, the same representation allowed every other teritory. George F. Washburn, member of the national executive committee, from Massachusetts, who has been spending the winter in Florida, has returned to Boston and will look after the interests of the party in the East. The state committee of Nebraska, will meet at Hastings, April 17, to fix the time and place for holding the state convention, to select delegates to the national convention. The delegates from the seventh Ohio district to the St. Louis convention are W. H. Crawford and M. W. Whitney. They are in favor of Coxey’s good road and non-interest bearing bond bills. The state committee of Florida meets at Qcala, April 4, to fix the date and place for the state convention. Col, A. C. Fisk of Denver, Colo., is getting out another large edition of his new book, “Statesmen Three,” which promiees to have as phenomenal sale as “Coin’s Financial School.” The work retails at 25 cents and can be had through the People’s New Bureau. Mr. Fisk is now in New York city, lecturing and organizing silver leagues. In the death of Judge J. E. Lincoln of Liberty, the people’s party of Missouri has lost one of its ablest and most earnest men. He was favorably spoken of as a candidate for the governorship. -The loss of such men as Nugent and Lincoln is one that the party feels keenly at a time when strong men are needed. The state committee of Virginia meets at Richmond, April 2, to select delegates to the national convention and fix the time and place foi; their state convention. The refusal of the legislature to modify their infamous election law is giving us a boon in Virginia. Reports from Alabama are of a cheering nature. The state election occures the first Monday in August and with a reasonably fair count we will win by an overwhelming majority. The democrats of Alabama are divided on the money question and the populists want several speakers of national reputation, to help them during the campaign. In Tennessee, the situation is considerably

RENSSELAER, IND., THURSDAY, APRIL 9. 1896

mixed. The populists will make great gains no matter what action is taken by the old parties in theij state and national conventions. The nominating convention in Tennessee convenes July 25th. The people's party of the fifth congressional district, of Arkansas in mass convention at Eureka Springs, March 18, after reaffirming the Omaha platform adopted the following: “Whereas, there are millions of American citizens who differ with us upon some of the principles as set forth in the people’s party platform adopted at Omaha, Neb., but are heart and hand with us upon the question of finance, the great problem of the day, the question affects every American citizen; therefore, be it ‘'Resolved, That, while we demand the free and unlimited coinage of silvei and gold at the rate of 16 to 1. and we believe that all money should be issued by the government, and be a full legal tender for all debts, public and private, and that without the use of intervention of banking corporations, yet we believe that under the pressing circumstances of the hour our people, in national conventions assembled, should, for time being, so modify the platform that the majority of the people who are with us upon the great question of finance can step on it and under the banner of the people’s party march on to victory. Reform publishers desiring to receive a news letter from this bureau are requested to make application at once, and mail a copy of their paper, to be placed on file during the campaign. By so doing a complete list of our publications can be obtained. So universal and wide-spread is activity in the ranks of the people’s party, and so hearty has been the response to our call for reports, that the Bureau finds itself in possession of more material than can readily be compressed into a new letter. We note with satisfaction the earnest and enthusiastic tone of our correspondents, the disappearance of personal and local dissension, the giving up of hobby-riding and the training of our party guns upon the enemy, rather than upon

HERE'S YOUR GOLD BASIS BANK. “Paper Currency Good Around The Entire Globe.” Jh To Retire The Legal Tender Notes, Treasury Notes, Gold and Silver Certificates. Two Kinds of Gold Basle Paper Money With Xo Gold Behind Them, Neither Kind A Full Legal Tender. About the most infamous proposition ever submitted to the American Congress is that contained in a bill now pending, a full text of which is given below. It is ingeniously drawn to deceive the people, but a careful inspection reveals the fact that it practically provides for a privately issued paper currency without even one per cent of gold behind it. The law provides that there shall be nine per cent of gold behind the deposits, (and even that need not be gold, but paper money of other banks,) but nowhere is there any specified amount of gold, or even silver required to be kept in reserve to redeem this new kind of paper money. A critical inspection of the bill will show that part of this money has nothing but air behind it and is no the wild cat and red dog currency c/f the\old state banks. Here is the bill. / 54th CONGRESS, TJ T} A J Ist Session, tl . 11. 0442. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. February 24, 1896. Mr. Fowper introduced the following bill which was referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency and ordered printed. A BILL Totake the United Slate. Government out of the banking bu.lnew, refund the national debt, reform the currency, and to Improve enr banking system. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be four ministers of finance appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, whose term of office shall continue for a period of eight years,

and whose salary shall be ten thousand dollars per annum. Two of said ministers shall always represent each of the two leading parties. The terms of the first four ministers shall be for two, four, six, and eight years, respectively, after which each appointment shall be for a full period of eight years. Sec. 2. That the Comptroller of the Currency shall, with said ministers, constitute a board of finance, of which he shall be the presiding officer, and said board of finance shall have the supervision of all national banks in accordance with existing rules or any others that may be hereafter established by them. Sec. 3. That any national bank now doing business, or any other financial institution doing a similar business, or any number of persons may, in accordance with existing law so far as the same is consistent with this Act, organize upon the following terms and conditions: In any corporation described as aforesaid shall deposit with the United States Government any of the United States bonds now outstanding, or any that may be hereafter issued under existing law, which, at their market value, shall exdeed the capital of saidjcorporation by five* per centum, the United states Government shall issue to said corporation, in lieu of said bouds so deposited, two per centum United States Government equal in amount to such market value, both principal and interest of said new bonds being payable in gold; and said new bonds shall thereupon be deposited with the United States Government, and circulation known as United States Government bond notes shall be issued to said corporation in an amount equal to the paid-up capital of said corporation in denominations of ten dollars or multiples thereof. Sec. 4. That said United States Government bond notes shall be legal tender for all debts, public or private, except in payment of duties on imports, which shall be paid in gold coin; and said United State Government bond notes shall be redeemed in gold coin when presented for payment at the bank of issue.

Sec. 5. That at the same time that said corporation shall deposit United States Government bonds as aforesaid it shall also deposit with the United States Government United States legal tender notes or gold certificates, or both, of such an amount that it, together with the gold said corporation has on hand, will equal fifteen per centum of its deposits; and the United States Government shall deliver to said corporation gold coin in lieu of said legal-tender notes and said gold certificates. Said corporation also deposit at the same time, with the United States, United States Treasury notes or United States silver certificates, or both, which,.with the silver coin then held by said corporation, shall amount to ten per centum of its deposits, and the United States Government shall deliver to said corporation in lieu thereof silver coin of an equal amount; and said legal-tender notes, gold certificates, Treasury notes, and silver certificates shall be thereupon canceled. Said corporation shall thereafter keep as a reserve twentyfive per centum of its deposits in the following kinds of money: At least sixty per centum of said reserve shall be in gold coin, and the remaining forty per centum of said reserve may be in silver coin: Provided, however. That in lieu of one-half of such coin reserve cash on deposit in reserve cities, or United States Government bond notes other than . its own, may be held. Sec. 6. That any corporation organized under this Act may, with the permission and under the supervision of the board of finance, issue its own circulation, which shall be furnished by the United States Government and be known as United States national-bank notes. Said United States national-bank notes shall be issued in denominations of five dollars and multiples thereof, and may be issued only in the following manner and upon the following conditions: First. Every bank issuing United States nation-al-bank notes shall at all times maintain against the amount of notes outstanding a reserve corre- - spending to that required against its deposits. Second. Said bank may issue an amount of notes equal to ten per centum of the average individual deposits of the preceding six months, upon which issue, or any portion thereof, the bank shall pay to the Government in full legal tender money one-half of one per centum per annum so long as said ten per centum or any portion thereof remains outstanding. (a) Said bank may issue a second amount equal to ten per centum of said deposits, upon which said corporation shall pay to the Government in like manner one per centum. (b) Said bank may issue a third amount equal to ten per centum of said deposits, upon which said corporation shall pay to the Government in ( like manner two per centum (c) Said bank may issue a fourth amount equal

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