People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1896 — The Peoples Party Platform of 1896. [ARTICLE]

The Peoples Party Platform of 1896.

The peoples party, assembled in National convention, reaffirms its allegiance to the principles declared by the founders of the republic, and also to the fundamental principles of just goverment, as enunciated in the platform of the party in 1892. We recognize that through the connivance of the present and preceding Administrations the country has reached a crisis in its national life, as predicted in our declaration four years ago, and that prompt and patriotic action is the supreme duty of the hour. We realize that while we have political independence our financial and industrial independence is yet to be attained by restoring to our country the constitutional control and exercise of the functions'necessary to a people's goverment, which functions have been basely surrendered by ( our public servants to corporate monopolies. The influence of European money changers has been more potent in shaping legisation than the voice of the American people, Executive power aud patronage nave been used ,to corrupt our Legislatures aud defeat tbfc will of the people and plutocracy has thereby been enthroned upon the ruins of democracy. To restore the Government intended by the fathers, and for the welfare and prosperity of this and future generations we de nand the establishment of uneconomic and financial system which shall make us masters of our own affairs, and independent of European control by the adaption of the following declaration of principles. FINANCE. 1. demand a national money, safe and sound, issued by the general Government only, without the intervention of banks of issue, to be a full legal tender for all debts, public and private; a just, equitable and efficent means of distribution direct, to the people and through the lawful disbursement of the Government. - * 2. We demand the free and unrestricted coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1, without waiting for the consent of foreign nations. 3. We demand the volume of circulating medium he speedily irmrappf'd to an amount suflicent to meet the demands of the business aud population of this country, and to restore the just leuel of prices of labor and production.

.4. We denounce the sale of bonds and the increase of the public interstbearing debt made by the present Administration as Unnecessary and without authority of law, and that no more bonds be issued except by specific act of Congress. 5. We demand such legislation as will prevent the demonetization of the lawful money of the United States by private contract. 6. We demand that the Goverpment, itspayrnent of its obligations, shall use in option as to the kind of lawful money in yzhich they are to be paid, and we denounce the present and preceding Administrations for surrendering this option to the holders of Government obligations. 7. We demand a graduated income tax, to the end that aggregated wealth shall bear its just proportion of taxation, and we regard the recent decision of the Supreme Court relative to the income tax law as a misinterpretation of the Constitution and an invasion of the rightful powers of Congress over the subject of taxation. 8. We demand that postal savings banks be established by the Government for the safe deposit of the savings of the people and to facilitate exchange. TRANSPORTATION. 1. Transportation being a means of exchange and a public necessity, the Government should own and operate the railroads in the interest of the people and on a nonpartisan basis, to the end that all may be acorded the same treatment in transportation, and that the tyranny and political power now exercised by the great railroad corporations, which result in the impairment, if not the destruction, of the political rights and personal liberties of the citizens, mav be destroyed. Such ownership is to be accomplished gradually in a mariner consistent with sound public policy. 2. The interest of the United States, in the public highways built with public moneys and the proceeds of extensive grants of land to the Pacific railroads, should never be alienated, mortgaged or sold, but guarded and protected for the general welfare, as provided by the laws organizing such railroads. The foreclosure of existing liens of the United

States on these roads should at snee follow default in the payment' thereof by the debtor companies; and at the foreclosure sales of said roads the Government shall purchase the same if it becomes necessary to protect its interests therein, or if they can be purchased at a Reasonable price; and the Goverment shall Operate said railroads as public highways for the benfit of the whole peopleiaijd not in the interest of the few under Suitable provisions for protection of life and property, giving to all transportation interests equal privileges and eq&al rates for fares and freightn. 3. We denounce the present infamous schemes for refunding these debts, and demand that the laws now applicable thereto be executed and administered according to their true intent and spirit. 4. The telegraph, like the Post Office system, being a necessity for the transmissioiLgf news, should be owned sad operatedoy the Goverment in the interest,of the people. LAND. 1. The true policy demands that the national and State legislation shall be such as will ultimately enable every prudent and industrious citizen to secure a home, and that land should not be monopolized for speculative purposes. All lands now held by railroads and otner corporations in excess of their actual needs should by lawful means be reclaimed by the Government and held for actual settlers, and private land monopo ly, as well as alien ownership, should be prohibited. * > 2. We condemn the frauds by which the land grant Pacific railroad com panies have, through the conivance of the Interior Department, robbed multitudes of actual bonaflde settlers of their homes and miners of their claims, and we demard legislation by Congress which will enforce the exemption of mineral land from such grants, after as well as before patent. 3. We demand that bona fide settlers on all public lands be granted free homes, as provided in the national homestead law, and that no exception be made in the case of Indian reservations when opened for settlement, and that all lands that are not now patented come under thjs demand.

DIRECT LAOI6LATION. We favor a system of direct legislation through the initiative and referendum under open constitutional safeguards. general propositions. 1. We demand the election of President. Vice President and United States Senators by a direct vote of the people. 2. We tender to the patriotic people of Cuba our deepest sympathy in their heroic struggle for political freedom Ahd independence, and we believd the time has come when the United States, the great republic of the wourld, Should Recognize that Cuba is, and of right ought to be a free aud independent State. 3. We favor home rule in the Territories and the District of Columbia And the early admission of the Territories as States. 4. AH public salaries should be made to correspond to the price of labor wad Its-product*, 5; In times of great industrial depression idle labor should be employed on public works as far as practicable. 6. The arbitrary course of the courts in assuming to imprison citizens for indirect contempt and ruling them by in-, junction should be prevented by proper legislation. 7. We favor just pensions for our disabled Union soldiers 8. Believing that the elective franchise and untrammeled ballot are essential to a government for and by the people, the People’s party condemn the wholesale system of disfranchisement adopted in some of the States as unrepublican and undemocratic, and we declare it to be the duty of the several State Legislatures to take such action as will secure a full, free and fair ballot and an honest count. 9. While the foregoing propositions constitute the platform on which our party stands, and for the vindication of which its organization will be maintained, we recognize that the great and pressing issue of the pending campaign upon which the present presidential election will turn is the financial ques tion. And upon this great and specific issue between the parties we cordially invite the aid and co-operation of all organizations and citizens agreeing with us upon this vital question.