People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1896 — Page 1

Three Months for Ten Cents. } ® June ' Bi

ypvwmu* ms*. ''IHMHHMMPWK' 4mm m . , • Sen Jnn| 15.

VOL. V.

PEOPLE'S PARTY PLATFORM.

• FOUNDATION PBINCSPLE*. First—Thatunion of the labor [force* 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 uplifting* 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 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 Eer cent, per annum to be provided as set forth in the sub•easury 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. We demand that the amount of circulating medium be speedily increased to not less than SSO per capita. We demand a graduatad income tax. mr.' We believe that the money of the country should be kept as much a* possible in the hands of the peoplj| and hence we demand that all state and national revenues nail 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 Warnings of the people and to facilitate exchange. % r-i TRANSPORTATION. Second—Transportation being a means of exchange and a public necessity, the government should own and operate the railroads in the interest of the people. LAND. Third—The land, including all 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.

PEOPLES PARTY NEWS.

The Prospects Bright and Such as to Enthuse. THERE IS EVERY INCENTIVE TO WORK. * ’ i, "I -/ - • tr Republican. Divided In Oregefti and Elsewhere. Democrats at Daggers Points " ™ Everywii&ie. * t People’s Party News Bureau, / Headquarters National Ex. Com. \ St. Louis, Mo., April 14. The news that reaches headquarters these days is all good news. Everything seems to be coming our way. Notwithstanding the extremely hard financial conditions, our people can take hope. There is certainly a brighter day just ahead. At no time since the meeting of our national committee in January, has so much encouraging news been received at headquarters as during the weekending April 11. Up to that date 405 delegates had been elected to the national convention. Of this number 360 are instructed, or favor a union with all the reform elements opposed to present conditions. The attention of our people is now directed chiefly to Oregon and Virginia where events are rapidly shaping themseves so that the People's party may score a victory. In Oregon Gen. Weaver is doing great work, speaking daily to crowded houses. The democrats there, aseverywhere else, hopelessly divided on * the money question, are fighting with pen and ink while the republicans, having resorted to more ener getic measures, are showing broken heads and demolished ballot boxes as results in their primaries. Gen. Weaver writes: “Pennoyer’s nomination for mayor of Portland was made in an orderly, quiet and open convention large in size and witheut a dissenting vote.” The Populist state committee of Utah will meet at Ogden, June 20. The state convention will probably be held in July to name presidential electors, a candidate for congress, anew state committee and select delegates to the national Convention. I In Florida the democracy is becoming demoralized. The gold standard advocates are making desperate efforts to carry the state. The Populists, while appearing quiet are firm and advancing all along the line. 0 Probably ninety per cent of them favor the Omaha platform, but they are willing to take all free silverites into the party. All reports from Maine agree that in case Speaker Reed fails to secure the Republican nomination for the presidency the Fopulists will receive large accessions froth the republican ranks in that state. Expressions from every section are generally favorable to deferring state, congressional and

THE PEOPLE'S PILOT.

FOR TW| FREE AND UN UNITED Out NAPE OF SILVER AND GOLD AT THE PARITY »*TK> OF SIXTEEN TO ONE WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH,

Sir Archibald Allison in History of Europe, Says:

“The suspension of specie payments by the bank of England in 1797 led to the use of an enormous amount of irredeemable paper money. “The result is magical. “It terminated in a blaze of glory and a flood of prosperity which has never before, since the beginning of the world, descended upon any nation. “Prosperity, universal and unheardof, pervaded every department of the empire. “Agriculture, manufactures and commerce increased in unparalled ratio. "The landed proprietors were in affluence. “Wealth to an unheardof extent was created among the farmers. “Our exports, imports and tonnage nearly doubled, and the condition of the people was one of extraordinary prosperity. “From 1797 to 1819 no financial embarrassments of any moment were experienced and in vain Napoleon waited for the stoppage of England’s financial resources. “But the resumption of specie payments in 1819—the change of the financial system from legal tender paper to metal money—was ruinous to all the industries of England. The distress became insufferable, and in Manchester sixty thousand men, women and children assembled, demanding blood or bread; and many were killed and many were wounded by British troops.” .

connty nominations until aftey the national convention. Editor J. R. Norman of the Southern lowa Educator writes: “I am getting all of the Populist and silver dailies yet I like the plan of your News Bureau and believe it should be liberally patronized. The Populists and free silverites in lowa will have no trouble in uniting if the former are consistent and the latter sincere.” The secretary of the Virginia state committee in a special to this Bureau says: “The meeting of the state Committee at Richmond on April £ tjhe largest knpwp in the histpry of the pbrty in the state. Every district was repreV sen ted and many prominent members of the parish besides the committee, were in attendance. Extreme partisans Ip is losing its hold upon Jne voters. The si|ver contingent is growing stronger and stronger, influential democrats and republicans publicly declare that they will not support on the money question. Straddleism seems to have had its day. We have good chances to carry several districts. If not by majorities, by pluralities. The state committee selected thirteen delegates at large to the national convention, among them, Gen. Jas. G. Field, Peoples party candidate for vice-presi-dent 1892, Major Mann Page, president of the National Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union, Col. Robert Beverly, E. R. Cocke, Peoples party candidate for governor in 1893 and J. A. Hobson. A sub-committee composed of delegates to St. Louis was selected to issue a call for a state convention immediately after adjournment of the national convention. The committee issued a ringing address reaffirming the Omaha platform, but inviting the cooperation of all citizens and organizations favoring a distinctive American policy of finance through the free coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1. Government issue of money and opposition to bonds, and instructed the delegates to the national convention to use all honorable endeavors t© secure a union of such forces. On April 16 the Peoples party of Maryland will hold their state convention to elect delegates to the national convention. Letters received from all the leaders in that state indicate that Maryland will follow Virginia in sending a strong conservative delegation to the national convention. On the 17th inst. the Nebraska state central committee will meet at Hastings to fix the time and place fOr a convention to elect delegates to the national convention. Nebraska will undoubtedly send as strong a delegation to the national convention ss any other state. Ex-Governor Waite of Colorado denies bolting the action of the Denver reorganization committee and says: “It is the reorganizers who have bolted.” The ratio against the Governor, however, seems to be about 14 to 4. ; r It is reported, on what seems to be good au-” thority, that Senator Allen of Nebraska has written a letter to Governor Holcomb of that state, declining to be a candidate for the presidency. Nebraska however, has other strong men. Senator Tillman of South Carolina is making a tour of the western states, speaking in the interest of the white metal. It is pretty generally believed that the Senator is more of a Populis,

RENSSELAER. IND„ TgUKSDAY, APRIL 16. ,1896.

than Democrat and will lead a bolt from the democratic national convention and join his forces with ours at the St. Louis convention. Governor Stone of Missouri and ex-Governor Boies of lowa seem to be working in harmony with Senator Tillman. f 'he self-styled committee on sound currency, wi h headquarters in Wall street, are at their old tri ks again. In order to accomplish their dastai lly work of fastening the gold standard, with its attendant evils, upon- the people they offer to sei i free of charge, either “plate” matter or so J>lenaents to ajl old party sheets they are £bl9 tfi subsidise ip that manner. public beware eg this yf|low tinted literature. J. H. Lathrop of Topeka, Kansas, is perfecting arrangements to run' special trails from several points ip Kansas for the accommodation of delegates and others who desire to attend the national convention in July. Similar arrangements will also be made in other states. Kean St. Charles, editor of “Our Mineral Wealth” of Kingman, Arizona, and a delegate to the national convention, writes: “Three Peoples party papers are now being published Arizona; one at Phoenix, one at Bisbee and “Our Mineral Wealth” at Kingman. Three of the four delegates to the national convention favor a financial plank and the initiative and referendum, if necessary, to bring the reform forces together. For my part the financial plank is good enough until tne administration of government affairs is taken out of the hands of the “shylocks.” Then reform can be carried out along the whole line. All Americans who no longer believe in the many working for the few must join together.” From Georgia Tom Watson writes: “The first contest for ’96 occured between Democrats and Populists in Georgia this week. Screver county heretofore Democratic went Populist by 507 majority. T. C. Bateman, candidate for governor of Maine in 1094, writes: “The spring elections here show immense gains for us. Els worth, the home of Senator Hale, the two old parties fused to beat us and we tied the vote. In Norway where I had 26 votes two years ago, we had 337 this spring!! From South Dakota Henry S. Volkmar encloses printed form for organization of Peoples party leagues with which good work is being done in his state. He regrets that the form may seem “tame to old time Populists but reports that they arq bringing in the dissatisfied old party voters. This Bureau will soon undertake to fill orders for literature and .^^.cfcoperate with state and local committees in the matter of railroad transportation and hotel accomod£tiosjjfor those desiring to attend the national convention. A. R.

odd Fellows Favor free Silver.

The following editorial is taken from the March 1896, number of the Odd Fellows Souvenir, the national organ of the great fraternity of Odd Fellows. In a personal interview with the editor we are informed that this editorial is the result of much consideration by many of the most conservative members; that this question has been under consideration for more than a year and the official data at hand is so convincing s, that it is useless to attempt to claim that tiiie pres-

ent monetary conditions are working great injury to the order. In pa r t, editor M. F. Dowd said: “The present monetary condition has been a great injury to our order. The official data received at this office show that we lost in 1803, 36,886 members by suspension for non-payment ol dues and in 1894 the number dropped was 48,539, a total of 85,225 for the two years, and it is believed that the official reports for 1895 when' completed will show nearly as many suspensions as in the years 1893. 4 combined. In 1893 we initiated 72,807, while 1894 we initiated 63,845, a decease of nearly 9,000. We have about 800,000 members in the United States and territories.” “Yes, they are all voters. Before a man can become an Odd Fellow he is required to sign a contract which is bindiug alike upon himself and the order, hence it is necessary that he should be 31 years of age. When the situation is properly understood I believe the American people will demand free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. The Souvenir does not handle political questions, i. e., from a partisan stand point, nor is the question of finance a partisan question in auy sense of the word. It is, however, a question that vitally affects the great order of Odd Fellows. This is a great benevolent institution and anything that retards tfie progress of the order is a subject entitled te the fullest consideration. A contraction of our currency makes money dear and thus increases the burden of our members. If the purchasing power of money becomes great the price of labor and the products of labor be come less valuable: hence, if the purchasing power of the American dollar is twice as great under the gold standard as it would be under free coinage of both gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 then it will be twice as hard for the members to pay their quarterly dues under the present gold standard as it would be under the free coinage of both gold and silver. It is also twice as hard for those outside of the order to pay the price of admission. When we look over the reports of the various jurisdictions and see the thousands of brothers who are being suspended from the benefits of the order by their inability to pay their dues it is simply appalling. The order now pays out for relief about three and one half mil-. lion dollar4*rraualiy. If the present conditions continue ifOnly a spatter of time when there will have to be a sliding scale—this sliding scale will he to decrease the number of dollars paid for the xelief of members and families of deceased members or increase the dues of members—that the present of dues is as as high now as the members can pay goes without saying. Then the only thing left will be to decrease the benefits. It is argued that we should have only the kipd of money that will pass in all parts of the world. Nothing can be more absurd. Our gold eagles as are now coined are not accepted at their face in all countries of the world and never have been—never will be. It is more difficult to pass gold money in the United States than it is apiece of American silver. Another objection urged against the use of silver is its weight. While a silver dollar is much heavier than a gold dollar it is also true that a laboring man can carry home all the silver dollars he can ever hope to obtain for one week s wages, and if any of our laboring people should desire to make a European voyage they will not object to paying the necessary exchange for money that will be accepted to bear the necessary discount at the other place. WhSJ the Amerjpan people want is enough money keep the Ipborißg classes employed and transact the business of the country, and any money coined, by the United States is honest money, and it is certainly unpatriotic to stamp any of it as anything else. When the greenbacks were first issued by the government there were those who said it was both dishonest and and yet a patriotic people accepted them as money. After the third of a century the back is still accepted and no one wants them more than the banking fraternity, who were tla& original objectors to the issuance. If a bfjjt passes the next congress restoring silver to its place in our currency, i. e., free coinage of gpjj and silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, a patriotic people will accept both for all demands and our members can then find employment and be able to pay their dues. Every Odd Fellow in America should work and vote for-foee coinage of both gold and silver. r \ \ i o-a Generf-l Fitzhugh Lee has been appointed to the important office of Consul General at Havana. It is expected that President Cleveland will give him secrefinstructions to investigate the status of the Cuban revolution. It is safe to say, however, that the United States will “remain neutral” through the overflowing Cuban sympathies of its “marble hearted” executive. ~,7 Secretary Carlisle is a prime fovorite for the honorary nomination which is to be made at Chicago.

Send The PILOT Jo "-—••I* HEfOHBOR; , JUNE 15.

NU&PER 41.