People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 September 1896 — Page 3

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 ibeen basely surrendered by our public tservants to corporate monopelies. The influence of European money changers ;has been more potent in shaping legisation than the voice of the American people, Executive power and patronage have been used to corrupt our Legislatures and defeat the 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 an economic and financial system which shall make us masters of our own affairs, and independent of European control by the adoption of the following declaration of principles. FINANCE. T.We, demand a national money, safe rand 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 unrestrict*ed 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 be speedily increased to an amount sufficent to meet the demands of the business and population of this country, arid to restore the just leuel of prices of labor and production.

Jesse Grant a Populist.

San Diago, Cal., Sept. 4—At the populist county convention to-day a great sensation was •caused by Wade McDonald, one of the delegates, reading the following from Jesse R. Grant, son of Gen. U. S. Grant: ‘•My Dear Judge: I have noticed with much interest your withdrawal from democratic party and espousal of the people’s party. This action meets my approval. since I have concluded to •enroll myself in the same cause. The financial plank in the re publican platform must drive from that party any one who believes as I do. and the anarchical plank in the democratic platform must lose io it any person who believes in the protection of American citizens at home as well as abroad. “The platform of the people's party has, on the contrary no ob jectionable principles and seems to offer a political home that an American can proudly enter. Yours truly, Jesse R. Grant.” Mr. Grant has been a resident of San Diego for several years. He has large property interests here, but has taken little part in public affairs. His letcer provoked prolonged applause in the convention.

Noted Silver Recuits.

The Hon. James L. Evans of this city, for four years a congressman and a life-long republican, has come out for free silver. Mr. Evans has been engaged in the grain business in Noblesville for forty years and has always voted the republican ticket but he says he will give Bryan his cordial support in the present •campaign. He has the following unique offer posted in the office of his grain elevator: “I will contract to buy all the No. 2 wheat you have raised in 1896 at 60 cents per bushel, provided Bryan is elected, and with him a free coinage congress; or I will sell you all the No. 2 wheat you want at 50 cents per bushel, providing McKinley is elected.” In an interview to.day Mr. Evans said: "I will make money on either proposition. If Bryan and a free coinage congress is elected wheat will go above 70 cents. If McKinley is elected and the gold standard is continued I can buyit for less than 50 cents.” Among .he other things he added “While in congress I served on the committee of Coinage, weigus and measures, and I think I then learned just what free coinage of gold and silver means, and ihe experience of years since then has only strengthened my convictions Free coinage -is the only hope for our farmer friends. We can not have prosperity on constantly falling prices, d’nere must be a restoration of the prices of the products of labor before we can nope for

4. We denounce the sale of bonds and the increase of the public interatbearing debt paade 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 Government, itspayme nt of it£ obligations, shall use in option as to the kind of lawful money in which 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 tjie impairment, if not the destruction, of the political rights and personal liberties of the citizens, may 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

a revival of business and a return of prosperity.” The long business experience of Mr. Evans has taught him that labor is the basis of all prosperity, and whenever the prices of the products of labor are low, business languishes all along the line in every avenue of our commercial development.—Hamilton Register.

Gen. Weaver is quoteci as saying that lowa will give a majority of 35,000 for Bryan. ******* Hoke Smith, late Secretary of the Interior under Cleveland has taken the stump for Bryan. ******* The republicans have polled Kansas and find they have 55,000 votes —to get, before they can carry the state. ******* Congressman Bell, of Colo rado, will spend the last two weeks of September campaigning in Nebraska. ******* Geo. L. Vance, Populist candidate for congress in the- Twelfth Illinois district, has been endorsed by the democrats. ******* Capt. W. C. Aldredge, one of the best known Populists in Missouri, is the fusion candidate for representative of his county, Moniteau.

******* The Populists of Denver. Colorado, in convention recently, endorsed Senator Teller and Congressman Bell and favored a fusion state ticket. ******* James Allen, republican candidate for treasurer of Cass county, Mo., a wealthy and influential citizen, has bolted Hanna’s man and will support Bryan. ******* Senator Teller spoke at Colorado Springs, Colo., last week for Bryan and free silver. It was his first speech since the opening of the campaign. ******* The recent growth of free silver sentiment ; n the rural districts of New York, make it not only possible, but probable, that I Bryan will carry the state. ******* l The Populists and democrats are uniting in nearly every county in Oklahoma for the overthrow of the gold standard crowd and they will undoubtedly succeed. ******* 1 The Populists and democrats of Idaho got together recently on a state ticket. It is asserted

THE PEOPLE’S PILOT, RENSSELAER, IND.. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1896.

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 seasonable price; and the Goverment shall operate said railroads as public highways for the benfit of the whole Sle and not in the interest of the few ir suitable provisions for protection of life and property, giving to all transportation interests equal privileges and equal 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 transmission of news, should be owned and operated by 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 monopb 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 bonafide 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 this demand.

that the reason Senator Dubois and the free silver republicans were not recognized was because they refused to go into the combination except as regular republicans. 1 ******* New Jersey silver democrats required the gold democrats to take an oath to support Bryan before allowing them to vote for delegates to the state convention. ******* A call has been issued by the “middle of the road” Populists of Illinois for a state convention, to be held at Chicago on Sept. 15, for the nomination of a State ticket. ******* A favorite trick of the goldbug press is to keep repeating the stale story that the free silver sentiment is dying out. There is little danger of anyone being deceived w it. ******* Chairman Bradley, of Texas, has issued an address to the Populist voters, in which he states that he will make the present campaign the warmest ever known in that state.

******* Hundreds of prominent republicans in Nebraska are espousing the cause of free silver, and the friends of Mr. Bryan claim he will carry the state by not less than 15,000 majority. ******* It is postively asserted that a considerable portion of the S2O, 000,000, that Mark Hanna secured from Wall Street has been used to pay dividends on metropolitan goldbug newspapers. ******* The democratic and Populist committees of Indiana have beer trying for some time to arrange a division of electors in that state, without success. The final attempt will be made Sept. 17. ******* Ex-Senator Finn, of lowa, heretofore one of the strongest republicans in that state, will take the stump for the fusion ticket and the Populist nominee for Congress in the Eighth district. ******* The union of the silver forces in California, on presidential e'ectors, has been completed. The democrats get five of the electors and the Populists four. This insures California for Bryan. ******* Quite a large number of facr tories in various sections of the

DIRECT LAGIBLATION. We/avor 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 and independence, and we believe 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 and 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. All public salaries should be made to correspond to the price of labor and its products. 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 injunction should be prevented by proper legislation. 7. We favor just pensions for our disabled Union soldiers. 8. Believing that the electee franchise and untrammeled ballot are essential to a government for and by the people, the People’s party condemn the wholesale system of disfranchiserhent 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 question. 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.

country are closing their doors and throwing their workmen out of employment. This is a part of the political play adopted by the gold power to intimidate the voters and force them to support the republican nominees. ******* M. W. Wilkins, editor of the New Charter, San Jose, California, refuses to support Bryan and has joined the Socialist Labor party. He is thoroughly consistent and all bolters should follow his example. **** * * * The few Populist papers that refused to support Bryan imme diately after the National Convention have generally fallen into line and are now supporting the regular nominees. Any other course would be suicidal ******* The Bryan Free Silver club of O'Neill, Neb.,' has issued a challenge to the McKinley club for a discussion of the money question between two members of the respective clubs; such discussion to take place every Saturday evening. ******* The Populists of the Third Virginia district have postponed their nominating convention until after the democratic convention is held. In the Fourth district the Populists have nominated Col. J. Tiiomas Good for congress.

******* Clarence D. Kiem, of New Jersey, one of the leading Socialists in this country, has withdrawn from that party and joined the Populists, in order, as he says, ho more speedily secure relief from existing oppressive conditions. *******’ Senator Allen, of Nebraska, Chairman of the committee appointed by the National Populist convention to notify Mr. Bryan of his nomination, announces that he will call the committee together for that purpose at an early date. ******* C. B. Sampson, president of the Topeka. Kansas, Paper Company, one of the oldest business men in that city, and a lifelong republican, in a newspaper article repudiates McKinleyism and announces his intention to vote for Bryan. ******!* , Hon. W. H. Robb, editor of the Daily American, of Creston, lowa, has b»en nominated for ’congress by the Populists of the 1 Eighth district, against W. P.

PERU, Indiana, August 15th, 1896. Messrs Phil Armour & Co., Chicago, 111., DEAR SIRS: Your offer of 50 cent's worth of meat and a Mexican dollar in exchange for an American dollar received, but we can do as well with our patrons. We can offer 50 cents worth of meat and $2 worth of Portuguese three percent gold bonds in exchange for a silver dollar. Our patrons say the bonds must be good, as Portugal has been on gold standard since 1853—twenty years before the other enlightened nations of Europe —aud its national debt has only increased 100 per cent, without any war since that date. Average wages paid all citizens in Portugal is 17 cents per day. In your letter you say all we need is "a little gold, improved banking facilities'' and "confidence." Portugal has a "little gold," the world has had its "improved banking facilities" since 1853, and we can supply the "confidenceso the bonds are certainly good. We can continue to give you 50 cents worth of meat and $2 of Portuguese gold bonds after Bryan is elected. Will you continue to give 50 cents worth of meat and a Mexican dollar in exchange for an American silver dollar after Bryan is elected? Yours Truly, Columbian Meat Market, Peru, Ind. P. 8. We see the London Times quotes Mexican bonds at 91 1-2; Portuguese 3 per cent, gold bonds at 26 1-4.

Hepburn, the silver-tongued railroad, attorney. Mr. Robb is a magnificent man, a splendid campaigner, and his prospects for success are very bright ******* Notwithstanding the strong “middle of the road” ground taken by the Missouri Populists heretofore and especially by the delegation in the National Convention, arrangements for “fusion” have been or are being made with the democrats in almost every,county in the state where the republicans are in power.

Did Well on Mere Credit.

Special to the Chicago Record. Creston, lowa, Sept. 7 C. W. White, claiming to be from Rensselaer, Ind., is in jail here.. White has the appearance of a prosperous farmer and is a smoothe talker. Became here about a week ago and made a deal for 640 acres of land, agreeing to pay S4O an acre. He gave a check for $450 on the State bank of Rensselaer, Ind. It was learned Saturday that he had no money there. On the strength of his land deal here he succeeded in borrowing quite an amount from different citizens.

SILVER TICKET WINS.

Arkansas Elects Jones Governor by a Majority 0/80,000. The election in Arkansas Monday was practically a victory for principle rather than party, as both democrats and populists united to show their devotion to the free silver cause and rolled up a majority of 80,000 for Daniel W. Jones, the democratic candidate, this effectually counteracting any influence that the Maine election may have had on the public mind. The democrats elected the full state ticket. There was a complete republican ticket in the field and the populists and prohibition ists named candidates for gubernatorial honors. Prior to the election democratic leaders strained every nerve to make their men win by a large majority in order to counteract the moral effect of the 39.000 majority secured by the.republicans in Vermont. The populists of Ark ansas were induced to scratch their candidate and cast almost a solid vote for Jones. Lots in the Leopold addition in jro ximity to the court house are very 1 much sought for at present by local real estate buyers. Everybody needs an Aermoter, the nest windmill made. Sold by Judson 11. Perkins. Call on him. at office in MoDcuald’s poultry market.

Aptly Answered.

Persons who have a coughing spel, every night onjjaccount of a tickling sensation in the throat, may overcome it at onee by a dose of One Minute Cough Cure. A. F. Long. Mrs. Imes has received her first selection of fall millinery among which are some beautiful new designs. See her new walking hats and sailors, and other popular styles. Since the Reformation, no such general religious awakening has been experienced as that which marks the closing years of the nineteenth century and the question discussed in the September Arena by I. N. Tayler, “Is a Universal religion Possible?” is one that has. exercised many minds. While of course, all discussions of this nature must be merely speculative in character. Mr. Taylor handles the question in such a broad, comprehensively, and unorthodox manner that his paper cannot fail to be of great interest to all those to whom the great subject of religion appeals.

A. R.

The September Arenk contains a paper by James Malcolm, on “A Remarkable Statistical Report,” which discloses revelations as startling as did Mr. Stead’s “If Christ came to Chicago.” It deals with the statistical report recently issued by the Illinois Bureau of Labor Statistics, and points out the frightful injustice done to the great industrial population of the country your present unfair system of taxation, which multiplies the burdens of the poor man by adding to his already too heavy load that which should be borne by the rich man. This paper should be read throughout the length and breadth of the land, and the question it discusses should be agitated until a just and equitable system of taxation is established. In the September Arena Rev. B. W. Williams discusses the “Evils of Land Monopoly,” and in a short but pithy paper shows the baleful results which flow from monopoly in land—the gift of the Creator to his creatures, but which has been wrenched from them by grasping syndicates and private monopolists. Mr. Williams points out the extent to which foreign landlordism prevails in the United States and gives a long list of the names of foreign dukes barons and earls, also of American syndicate and private monopolists who own vast tract of land .1 in this country, with the number 'of acres held by each which is 'very suggestive,

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