Newspaper Page Text
THE
REFORMER
Ptblishkd Eve ay Friday Evening at
FORT GAINER, QA.
rORT OAINKK, OA., JULY 20. I«M.
POPULIST TICKET.
For Oovornor;
J. K. HINES.
For Secretary of State:
Dr A. L. NANCE.
For Treasurer:
V. M. JONES.
For Comj troller General:
W. K. KEMP.
For Attorney General:
J. A. B. M’HAFFY
For Commissioner Agriculture:
,T. B. BARRETT.
For Representative Clay County:
HON. R. M. BROWN.
GORDON: THE FARMER.
At last a farmor—a plain, cloth
gallus, brogan shoo, copperas
es farmer—has made bis appearance
in the Senate of tho United States.
His name E-, John B. Gordon.
Georgia is nia native land; also Ala¬
bama.
Wo know that he is a farmer be¬
cause) he said so himself. Her© are
his very words, spoken a few days
since:
“I am a farmer, and only a far¬
mer !’’ This statement is clear cut
and unequivocal. The easo could
not have been more neatly put if the
said John B. had slapped his manly
chest, lifted his good right hand and
solmenly affirmed, ‘.‘1 am a farmer, a
whole farmer, and nolning but a far¬
mer, so help mo God.”
During these troublous times it is
infinitely pleasant to know that tho
said John aftei various wander
ings, and after divers and sundry ex¬
periments to find out what ho was
good lor, has at last anchored him
'olf to tho plow and proposes, honco
>rlh to raise lits Ebeuezor from tho
.‘ sty cotton row.
Boothed by the reflection, it seems
. ed to realize that this gallant son
itor, who rushed from tho lecture
platform to tho White House to vol¬
unteer his services against Dobs and
hU cohorts; and who then rushed in¬
to the sonat. > chamber to proclaim to
all tho world that ho was a farmer,
“and only a farmor,” is tho same gal
la.id adventurer who has left bolnud
him tho wrecks of so many confi¬
dence games.
South Georgia saw mill and tho
weeping creditors left in the lurch;
southern book companies; southern
life insurance companies; railroading
in Florida; ditto in Alabama, aro a
few of tho evolutionary stagos
through which tho said John B. had
to pass (with much grief to other
people) before he could stand up in
tbo United States senate and proudly
announce, “I am a fanner, and only
a farmer.'’
What boots it now to recall how
the said John B. claimed to bo worth
$10,000 per year as attorney for the
Loubvillo & Nashville railroad f •
Who would care to recall how his
magnetic oratory in behalf of the
dear old South won from tho legis¬
lature of Alabama the most generous
charter she over granted to a rail¬
road, and how* the said John B. then
put the precious documeut in his
pocket and sold it to a Wall street
syndicate ?
What mattors it that he is the
same sonator wh^, luring a foimer
term introduced a ill iu behalf of
tho Hunting* i railroads which
Huntington -a i could bo pushed
through f#r$8o,000r
Who cares if indeed he be the
same magnetic and chiyalric Gorden
who went partners with Ben Butler
in tho Tuscaloosa Land Company,
and wrecked every man and woman
who trusted it!
AH these things belong to the in¬
glorious past—let them lie covered
up in the woodshed.
They are but the outgrown shells,
tho cast off garment, as it were, in
tne progress of the intrepid hav
soeder who defies the whole universe
to ersek a smile when he says:
”1 am a farmer, and only a far¬
mer.”—Daily Press.
To the Hon. John B. Gordon:
D*ar Jack—Your last speech has
indeed filled our hearts with joy.
Tho cup of our happiness is so nearly
*•-’ f’: it we have juRt ordered an*
other 'up.
Wo have admired you at all toe
Tawoufl evolutionary and imperfect
of your progress to develop¬
W© regarded these flittings
your* from one trade to another
merely the preliminary touches of
harper to each string, before he
the chords into symmetrical
bursts of music. When you danced
frogi saw mill to sheep ranch,
and from sheep ranch to a book
agency, and from books to insurance,
and from insurauco to railroading,
and from thence to a railroad attor¬
neyship, and from thence to town
booming, we smile our deep ap¬
proval because we knew that the
humming bitd went from flower to
flower before he could distill tho es¬
sence of all sweetness, and we knew
that, as the humming bird, you were
surejn the long run to hum.
How could any sane man expect
you, Jack, to be good at all trades,
u iless they gave you a chance to
try them all ?
And what of it, if a georgeous
miscellany of people lost every nickel
they put into your various ventures?
Hoes not tho oculist spoil a hatful of
©yes before ho learns the art of sav
ing sight ?
Does not the dentist ravage hun¬
dreds of mouths before ho learns to
save teeth?
How, then, could you bo expected
to roach tbu climax of year career
without strewing tho road with the
wrecks of crude effort and abortive
manipulations ?
Out upen tho envious ! This is no
time for carping criticism. Now
that you have sheddod all imperfec¬
tions and stand forth in the radiant
habiliments of a ‘‘Farmer, and only a
farmer,” wo close tho record of tho
past and look with watering lips to
tho future.
Dear Jack, stick to it!
Don’t take back a word. Tighten
the heel tap if need bo and run tho
coulter still deeper
You are on tho light line; push
ahead !
Take 1’effer by tho whiskers and
dent tho ceiling with him.
Hold the fort—the balance us far¬
mers are coming.
Send mo and tho old lady somo
hayseod. •
Yours truly,
T. E. W.
P. N— Kuojk Peffer’s head off,
the country demands it.
LON LIVlNvioTCN I HE GlDuONiTE.
Some years ago this man courted
old Mother Alliance and she became
infatuated with him, and ho impreg¬
nated her with Peoples’ party ideas;
after whicu tho Peoples’ party came
fourth a healthy and sprightly child.
From some cause or other al ter Liv¬
ingston was in congress ho became
enamored with another young dam¬
sel who was called at that time Alli¬
ance Democrat, but she soon fonutl
the gentleman out and turned him
aside, so he is forced to inake-up
with his first lovo.
Then ho gets Grover Sherman
Tom Reed Carlisle England to do¬
nate $200,000 for tho Atlanta Expo¬
sition, and at once ho brings the
smiles of old lady Democrat to tho
surface which had not been seen in
the district since ho courted Mother
Alliance.
Tho old lady Democrat absolutely
refused to allow his name to bo
called in her household. But she is
now ready to sell all her childrens
birthrights because ho gave her
daughter Atlanta, enough money to
help her buy tho new style exposi
tion bonnet. Now, understand, we
do not object to Atlanta having this
new bonnet. But if a Democratic
mother has to sell the suffrage of
the people to secure the money, wo
think the of girl is about as debased
as the (lideonite.
If the Gideonite had used his . own
money to have accomplished his foul
and seductive purposes it might have
not been quite as bad as it is. But
he gets Grover Sherman Tom Reed
Carlisle England to let him have
their monev; he does not sav to them
that he Will pay it back, but ho says
substance this: If you will let tn^
, have the ,, , I make friends
money can
with old lady Democrat by giving
daughter the money, and there
we will capture them both, and if
want the young girl Atlanta,
can have her, and I will take
old lady.
Shame, shame! upon America’s
Now, Mother Democrat,
have a goodly number of galant
who are ashamed of your ac
and if you go sailing around in
matrimonial carriage with this
when he is arraigned be
the bar of justice as n political
it will bring the mantle of
to your cheeks that will go
you throughout eternity,
KICKERS.
Tho Dally Press.]
The following circular is Vicing ex¬
circulated in the city. It
fully explains itself:
A PROTEST AGAINST THE NOMINATION
OF W. V. ATKISOV.
Atlanta, Ga., J uly 2 1894.
Our Comrade:—The papers of this
city, for party considerations* having
refused to publish the following pro¬
ceedings, we have adopted this
means of putting the matter before
you
Atlanta, Ga., June 25, 1894.—At
an federate impromptu meeting ot tho Con¬
veterans, held this 25th
instant, the following preamble and
resolutions, introduced by B. F.
Sawyer, formerly Colonel of tho
Twenty-fourth Alabama regiment,
and supported by hint in a temper¬
ate but ringing speech, were unani¬
mously adopted:
Whereas, by a species of political
hocus pocus, alike revoking to good
morals and destructive of good or
dor, . tlic ,, courthouse thiml • i i le-ricgeis, •
yclept the “men who control,” hove
ignominiously defeated for the gu
Lo oeinatoiiat pin to rial nomination nomination that rnat dictin custin
cnisbed (jioorgian, patriot- and sol
dier, Gen.Clement A. Evans, whose
onlv alleged fault was that in the
tin,;,. times 41,.,4 tn.it 1r tncu ; f vA men . bonis „ on i= U ho A sci\ „ pvv
o<\ his otato too faithfully in a cause
that was losL and furthermore, feel
ing that his defeat, thus compassed,
is a roflochon upon the integrity and
an insult to tho honor of t.ioso who
served with bitn; therefore ho it
Resolved. J, That we regard tho
defoat i r . of c Genoial l^Yans i by tho
methods adopted as an outyago not
quietly Resolved, to be endured.
2, That we .call upon
eveiy Gontouorato \ eteran, and all
cions ot (.onfederate v eterans
throughout the State, to rebuko the
outrage by either abstaining from
i.r ‘
voting ,• for n W Y. \r Atkinson, , - w , no.-.e
greatest claim to distinction IS a
magnificent moustache and a tliuo
sand dollar fee, or else voting for his
opponent, Don. James K. Hines,
whose loyalty to Georgia and her
defenders has never been questioned,
and against whom it has never been
saui that exacted U fcc^ Cl v!,(aj(
from tho State while drawing regular
pav in its service
Resolved 3, That we urge ** all Dem
Crats, whether , veterans , or not, , who ,
bolievo that honest methods sllOlild
obtain in politics as well as in all
other lino.,, to protest against tho
nomination or Atkinson.
On motion, the secretary was in- _
stl-ucted to furnish a copy of these
resolutions to the city papers, with
tho request that they bo published
for the information of all concerned,
R. W. Jones, Sfu’ret President
T, J T 1 MpiY-HFlT occitt.U irv }
’ .
WOMACK DOTS
Womack, Clay County, Ga.,
M it. Editor: —I thought I would
drop^you a few lines from this part
of tho moral vineyard, which you
you may publish if you see fit.
Well, 1 will say everybody is well,
I supposo from living in as healthy
part of Georgia as thero is in the
State. Tho farmeis down here have
killed all the grass, but have reserv¬
ed a small patch up at Washington,
which they thought they would save
for seed.
Wo havo nothing to do now but
cuss gnats and pray for tho demo
crats, and I don’t know which will
do the most good, for both seem de¬
termined to shut his e\ vs, stop his
ears, hump his back and try us
again. But by October tbe weather
will got cooler, and 1 don’t think wo
will be bothered with them any
•>
more.
There aro lots iess democrats than
there aro gnats: did you evsr
0 f it ? Why, sir, they have to hold
their meetings on our days to try to
get a few to hear them, It looks
like by jumping on our day, and im
porting a railroad lawyer who wants
to go to the legislature, and n few
gallons of “tangle-footj” and all the
wire working that they might have
quoth a very good crowd, but it was
to the reverse.
The old party whip has lost its
cracker, and the people have slipped
tho halter and will not be led or
driven any longer by tbe party that
has betrayed them time and again
thank God the people are using their
heads to think with instead of using
it merely as a peg to hang their hat
on. 1 dou’t know of but two demo
crats from Fort Gaines ‘ * to Blakelv iu
several ... miles Ot this, the T> Liver Road, J
and thank God t! ev live in Earlv
county, , but , old « - Early t. , • • and ,
is coming,
don’t you forget it! She has some
half dozen or more preachers two or
more doctors and one merchant at
least, who are working for the Peo
pies' party. 1 think the pops of Early
-II set there.
By the way Mr. Editor, what do
you think when the democrats prora
ises a farmer that if he will stick to
them they will nominate him for tho
legislature, but when the time comes
and they don’t think there is any
farmer votes to catch thev go back
him and nominate a town lawyer,
if it was mo, I would think it)
was iu keeping with the party from
300 pounds of buzzard guts in
the White House down to the street
corner wire-puller.
Mr. Editor, I see some are an¬
nouncing their names as candidates
in your paper but they don’t say
what party they are iu or whether
they are independents, A demo
eratie candidate onght to get the
democratic vote; the Peoples’ party
candidate ought to get the populist
vote, and the independent candidate
ought to get their vote.
A man in no party is like the man
who is a democrat because dad was
one is a touch-me-not and the other
a what-not.
Well, I close by saving if this
misses the waste basket I mar t v
my luck again. Respectfully,
S. G.
READ AND REFLECT.
Mil Editor:
That r fed an abiding interest iu thegen
erul welfare of the people of Fort Gaines
£“) fcclv y ''™$ at home here km,wn among * mv l friends t . and
sympathizers, I and being anything thus free the and easy,
can sav or write m fear of
God His that, will in ajjy righteous special wav blessing advance
cause, or promote a to
our poopic. little Therefore I cheerfully that ask you
for a space in your paper 1 m;tv
call the attention of the citizens of onreom
nmmty to two things upon which depend
Ike f future happiness, success viz.. and Religious progress
0 !iny < tnvn or community,
and Educational advantages — Our churches
and schools.
M e would all rejoice to fee every legiti
thp io £ n fiUed %v ith brighter LJs, and
standing upon a more solid basis than over
before. Yes, wewould rejoice to sec Fort
Gain. 8 i-iae up in its true strength and put
itself on a mvel. it not above* m every par
ticular with anv town of it» size in South
west Georgia. 'Thw can only be done in my
judgement throught the means of educa.
«l‘ d work. Tho eyeaof
and .safe course. r J’he heads and hearts—
especially hearts, of men and women must
'»»* jEewselves, educated, this or they life can the uever prove to
in nor one tocomo,
ihat Jite is worth living. ouch people may
have a fewungarded, and foolish
on earth, but with this short life, their
works will go down to the shades of oblivion,
or °. ,, ly lin - er bel,in i ?n tl u : 11:emo 7 ? f ru 'f
1 - 1 1
vnin and spoil their lives!
School and church work is what every
town and community mostly need, With
ont ^ } can f nl Y -^e a dark future, before
£ think I can see a shed bright, its radiant now sun that
will quickly tise and beams
around us.
Fo \ l Uahl( * s | s Wifully located God
. has done much to give it a lovely natural
appearance. Its river and railroad ad van ta
ges; the fine farming lands that surround it,
owned and cultivated by a very superior
ed citizens, aud in fact every claim, other blessing
Bible that our neighbors can day make it pos
for it to see a better of greater en
hari>i,)es8 * educational
Yet, with all these blessings to stimulate
and encourage, if we sit down and, fold our
strong arms and rest in the ruinous and tin
poverishing shades of do nothing, live to
oat an d (!ftt to live, all of the grand possibil¬
ities lying out before us will pass away like
the morning dews before the vising sun.
Iam truly grateful for past advance¬
ments. We have not entirely slept over our
rights, but we have fallen far short of the
victory might liaye we might attained—we have won—the scarcely glory ought we
to
take time to look back. May all ourshorj
comings, our neglect in tbe great work be¬
fore every man, woman and child, be hid¬
den foreyer in the light of future days - ]0iii!8
If we can only have the united, constant,
earnest, intelligent efforts of tho whole peo¬
ple under the leadership of our great Cap¬
tain, our school, churches and town would
rise like a long suppressed volcano,
aud enjoy a blessedness, a name, a sweeter
tone, a richer enchantment and purer do
lights May than I we appeal have ever in the enjoyed before. of
not name our
splendid town; the in the name of the of our sons and
daughters, future, and in the name Him sweet certain
in name of who lives,
that wc ma y liye for His glory, for such an
effort. Go- \ is not purposeless. He m^ans
something in all he does. Dear parents, if
lie meant no more when he gave
you that prattling boy, or girl, He certainly
meant for you to do -what you could for the
immortal, the thinking part—the mir, I and
the soul of your child. You shou id i’c
grateful for, and proud of the gift, and
strive to put in quick motion the grand ele
ments of manhood or womanhood that may
be locked up iu his or her bosom.
Who knows what powers may be conceal
ed behind the mischievousness of your pre
cions boy, or what sweet graces of woman
hood slumber in the bosom of that
but neglected girl. Our neighbors, seem
wide awake to these responsibilities. Cole
raan, Bluffton, Abbeville and others near
our our doors doors are are fast last moving moving up. Shall we
sleep while others work 1 Ne.ver. Let us
be up and doing. Follow our examples, neighbors in¬ ?
No; let us lead them. Let strides our
fluences, and religious while encourage will still
them to greater efforts, wc
lead in the glorious work.
The doors of our school will again soon be
thrown open, let parents be ready to give
it their hearty support, sympathy and en¬
couragement; fully cooperate with our
teachers, do your whole duty and you will
see happy results. But after all, the grand¬
est institution on earth; the one above, all,
most precious and priceless— is the church
of God. To it all men can turn for light,
that is more penetrating than arthousand
suns could be. Light that can and does
shine shine into into the the darkesUcomcre darkest comers of of earth earth 'and and
into into the tho gloomiest gloomiest sad sad eat est hearts hearts that that ever ever
beat in human bosoms,
Above all things let every Christian Christian turn tarn
to tj> the the building building up up of of our our churches. churches. Make Make
them stiong, bold and Consistent. Give to
them them your your temporal tempera! support, suprort, your your influence, influence.
Payers prayers and and unalterable unalterable love, love, and and when when you you
lave ^heavenlv^vsian gone to the unseen 6 ^votwchildrenl^ft and unknown
keldnd, win turn with pride and satisfaction
for the lovely sunbeams of hope, of the
school and church that papa and mamma
loved, and toiled for, and imperishable which they
fullv their left behind as an L. legacy, C.
to loved ones, H.
-
^SOXICE ’ JNX)TICE f
Parties wishing to breed their
S. mares to REBEL, the best
SSuSfflf ££
Fee reasonable and satisfaction guaran¬
teed. Ward k Chambers.
CHAMBERS & TEXMLEE
Arc prepared to do all kinds of Car
riage Wagon, Harness and General Black
Smith work. Anyone having anything
their interest to give them a trial. Shop
near tho calaboose,
Subscribe for The Kffobmr.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
are authorized to announce J. B.
? V gia Bussey’s Senate, as subject ^candidate for tho Geor¬
to the action of the
party, of Eleventh District.
For Tax Collector.
Thanking my friends for j;upport and
be myself faithful before in the you future with a in guarantee the past,
as as
the discharge of my duties of Tax Col¬
1 again offer my service, and resocet
ask the support of the voters ox mv
W. R, HARRISON. *
I hereby announce myself for Tax Col¬
of Clay do manual' county. labor, I am physically should un
to and the
with people the of position, ('lav county I will see discharge fit to honor the
of said office to the best of mv ability,
H D. HAISTEN.
For Tax Assessor.
I of hereby Clay amraonco myself for Tax Asses
r county, and if re-elected, prom
is<i a fiiithful discharge of the duties of my
their Thanking the voters of Clay for
past support, I respectfully ask to
remembered again. T, It. DAVIS.
MELON CARDS.
GEO. E, MARKS, JOS. KITTINER.
MARKS & 1!ITTlN’Ki?
. . .
• • • • MERCHANTS,
Whosale Fruits & Produce,
Poydras Street, NEW ORLEANS. LA.
Metropolitan Whitney Nat’i Bank Bank of New Orleans, La.
of New Orleans, La.
Ghas. J. Church & Co.. Bankers, Green¬
Mich.
N. W. Mather, Banker, Howard City,
Bradstreet's Mercantile Agency.
— EDWARD BLTLSTEIN, —
(Successor to Bcilstem & Spangler,)
WHOLESALE PRODUCE
Merchant,
531 Liberty St. Pittsburg, Pa.
F. GUNN,
PRACTICING PHYSIC!AN,
jp€F*Offiec next to Wallerstein’s.
J. M.JjATCHETT,
Physician and Druggist,
FORT GAINES, GA.
Also nice line Statiotioy. School Books
Paints, Oils, Varnishes and Perfumery
All sizes gi asses eut. Prescriptions fille
or night with accuracy and dispetch.
$3 SHOE OUCLAS
IS THE BEST,
NO SQUEAKING.
And other specialties for
i Gentlemen, Ladles, Boys
and Misses aro the
rthr i Best in the World.
?' Seo descriptive advertise¬
LVw ment which appears la tuts
i paper.
Wk Take no Sabstltnte.
A., k
£-Y.r Insist on having W. L.
DOUGLAS’ SHOES,
gUpr stamped with name bottom. and Sold price by
on
A. M. WALLHIIUSTEIN.
Rule Nisi.
Maud R. Simpson, vs Clay March Superior Term Court,
II. B. Wash. I8J4.
Present, the Honorable James Griggs,
judge of said court.
It appearing to the court by tbe petition
of Maud K. Siir.pson that Lord on the 1891, I7th H. < ay ‘ B. of
June, in the year of our
Wash of said county', made aud delivered to
Maud K. Simpson to secure the payment of
said instrument executed aud delivered to
he: . .cu of mortgage, whereby he conveyed
to '• lota of land Nos. 352,353, 362. and
U7 1 ; acres of lot 163; all being in 7th Dis
triet of Olay county containing said 725 H. acres, B.
more or less, conditioned that if
Wash should payoff and discharge effect, said
mortgage according to its tenor and
that then said deed of mortgage and said
note should be void. And it further ap
pearing that said note and mortgage <e
main unpaid: It is further ordered, that
said H. B, V ash pay into this court by the
first day of the next term thereof, the prin
cipal, interest, attorney’s fees show and cost due,
on said Maud R. Simpson or cause to
the contvaty, if there be any; aud that cn
failure of said H. Bi Wash so to do. tho
equity of redemption in thereafter and to said mort
gaged premises be forever barred
and foreclosed.
If. E. Kennon, Petitioners Attorney.
J, M. Griggs Judge S. C. P. C.
GEORGIA—Ciay County.—I, J. W. Sut
live, Clerk of Superior Court in and for said
state aud county, hereby certify that the
above and foregoing is a true and correct
copy of the Rule Nisi gianted at March
term 1894, of said court in case of Maud R.
Simpson vs. H. B. Wash. SUTLIVE, This May S. 23rd,
1891. J. W. C. C.
TYBEE RAILROAD.
We beg to advise that the Savanngh &
Atlantic R. R. (better known as the Ty
ThiS? is being ™ repaired, and i°y
last August,
^a^S^mer Gustos ^ heretic
fore> Contract caI i b for t ]j e runn i ng of
trains over that road on the 1st oi May.
* 10 summer schedules will bo put ^in
as soon <vs possible, duo notice
which will be given.
Conecctions are requested to prepare
trip tickets to be placed on sale
in previous years.
W. F. Shellmak, J. C. Haile,
Traffic Man gr, G. P. A
FOR THE
REFORMER!
PEOPLES’ PARTY PLATFORM.
AlloriKi) M THK OMAHA COXEEHEXCE OF 1.4BOKIXC*
PEOPLE, JVL\ 4, 1892.
ration Z^ °' ^ t ’° Watry ’ the
The conditions which surround us best justify our ec-operaf Ion. We meet in tho
midst of a nation brought to tho verge of “’V moral, political T’™"-»J*3So. and material ruin SZ Cor
IK"Si.£2Kefs*; 't neb. b tT, I he people *?i“• are demoralized. f - Moat of tho States have
c ,h0 voters at the polling places to prevent universal lntim
Jilnn , „ -. l’* ., b 1 ho
silenced, i°\ bnsin ss * 5 * prostrated, “©wepapom our homes are largely covered subsidized with mortgages, or muzzled, labor public turnover opinion
ib.u il, and the lands concentrating in the hands of tho capitalists. The urban worV
'r he nght of ©vKaniration for Belt-protection; Imported pauperized
hrt. }aboi bents down n their wages: a hireling standing airny, unrecognized bv
is esdablwhed to shoot them down, and they our lawr
conditions I ho fruits of the toil of millions are rapidly degenerating into European
fmtunes for u few, unprecedented in the history are boldly stolen to build up colossal,
ihi turn, despise of mankind, and rtio possessor* of
sc, in tho republic and endanger liberty. From tho same prolific
mode of governmental injustice we breed tho two great classes—tramps and million
J h ,! na i io ,’! 1 po 7. Cr t< ! croa{p monoy 5s appropriated to enrich bondholders. A
vast v _ t pubjic t , i{ debt payable , in legal tender currency has boon funded into
bonds hereby adding millions to the burdens gold-bearing gold-nearing
oin.rW" °LD PAimES of tho people
smu, tho dawn of history, ARRATGNED.—Silver, which has boon accepted as coin
gol.t by has boon demonetized to add to tho purchasing power of
lnV!! decreasing the value of all forms of property, as woll as human labor, and
rl . y °- c d » ri fnoy £ ispurposedly abridged to fatten usurers, bankrupt enterprises
eonth C '. ' :, 2 oJ°„ V arK a | 18 . US rapidly y ; vn taking f t . c°nsplraey possession against of the mankind world. If has been met organized and 0 i two
lir bo dC8 not overthrown
, ' 1 f ^rriblo social convulsions, tho destruction of civilization, or tho
istabhi.muent of . an absoluto despotism.
^ e J iCLV f v ' itlu ‘ SS0,J for more than a century the struggles of tho two great polit¬
ical •, i parties foi power and plunder, while grievous
the people. Wo charge wrongs lmvo been inflicted upon
that tho controlling influences dominating both these par¬
ies have permitted the existing dreadful conditions to develop without serious effort
to prevent or restrain them. Neither do they now promise us any substantial
lorm ‘ h, -y havo a 8 r0(Hl togethei to ignore in ro
‘ , j hey the coming campaign ovory issuo but
one. propose to drown the outcries of plundered people with the of
sham battle over the tariff, that capitalists, corporations, upronr n
so national banks, rings
trusts, watered stock, the doraonc;, ation of silver and tbo oppressions of tho usurers
may bo all bo lost stght of. They p"opose to sacrlftee our homes, wires and children
from timmilHonaireT° n5 t0 Jestro ^ t5 ° ,nultIlu do in order to secure corruption funds
Assembled on tho anniversary of the birthday of tho nation, and filloi with the
spirit of the grand gonoration who established our Independence, we seek to restore
originated 01 *** °* tilC re P u ^ ltJ to tho hands of "the plain people,” with which o’osh
it
OVER.—We assert our purposes to bo identical with the purposes
of tho national constitution—"To form a more perfect union, establish justice, in¬
sure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general wol
tare and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our postei ity.” Wo declare
bat this repub he can only endure as a free government, while built upon th-o lovo of
the whole people for each other and for tho nation; that it cannot bo pinned together
by bayonets; that the civil war is over, and that every passion and resentment which
grew out of it must die with it, and thut wo must be in fact, as we aro in name, one
united brotherhood of freemen.
country finds itself confronted by conditions for which thero is no precedent iu
tno history of tho world—our annual agricultural productions amount to billions of
collars In value, which must within a few weeks or months be exchanged for billions
of dollars of commodities comsumed in their production; the existing currency sup¬
ply is wholly inadequate to make this exchange; tho results arc falling prices, the for¬
mation or combines and rings and the impoverishment of tho producing classes. Wo
pledge ourselves that if given power wo will labor to correct these evils by wiso and
reasonable legislation in accordance with tho terms of our platform.
" ° believe that tho powers of tho government—in other words, of tho people
should be expanded (as in tho caso of tho postal service) as rapidly and as far us
the good sense of an intelligent people and tho teachings of experience shall justify
t° the end that oppression, injustice and poverty shall eventually in the land. '
THREEFOLD cease
DECLARATION.—While our sympathies as a party of reform
are naturally upon tho side of every proposition which will tend to make men intelli¬
gent, virtuous and temperate, wo nevertheless regard these questions, important as
they are, as secondary to the groat issues now pi easing for solution, and upon which
not only our individual prosperity but tho very existence of free institutions dopond;
and we ask all men first help us to determine whether we are to have a republic to
administer before we differ as to the conditions upon which it is to be administered,
believing that the forces of reform this day organized will never cease to move for¬
ward until every wrong is remedied and equal rights and equal privileges securely
established for all the men and women of the country. Wo declare therefore:
1 . I hat tho union of tho labor forces of the United States this day conaumatcd,
shall bo permanent and perpetual. May its spirit onter into all hearts for tho salva¬
tion of the republic ami the uplifting of mankind.
2. Wealth belongs to him who creates It, and every dollar taken front industry
without an ctiuivolont is robbery. ‘If any will not w®rk, neither shall be eat.” The
interests of rural and civic labor are the same; their enemies are identical.
3. Wo believe that tho time hasconte when the railroad corporations will cither
own tho people or the people must own them, and should tho government onter upon
the work of owning and conttolling any or all railroads we should favor an amend¬
ment the constitution by which all persons engaged in tho government scrvico
shall prevent be the placed increase under of the a civil service of national regulation of tho most rigid character, so as to
tional power administration by tho use of such addi¬
govornmeht employes. ,
.A
A , The Planks of the Platform.
1. M e demand a national currency, safe, sound, and floxiblo, issued by tho gen¬
eral government*onljr, a .full legal tender for all debts, public and private, and that
without the use of banking corporations; a just, equitable and efficient moans of dis¬
tribution. direct to thQ people, at a tax not exceeding 2 percent., be provided, as set
forth in thejsubtroasury plan of the Farmers’ Allianeo, or some better system; also by
payments in discharge or its obligations for public improyements.
d. We demand freo and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at tho present ratio
of 10 to 1.
b. Wo demand that tho amount of circulating medium bo speedily increased to
not less than fp’50 capita.
c. VVe demand a graduated income tax.
d. Wo believe the money of the country should bo kept as much os possible in
t he hands of tho people, and henco wo demand that all State and national revenuo
shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government, economically and
honestly administered.
c. We demand that postal savings banks be established by tho government for
safe deposit of tho earnings of the people and to facilitate exchange.
2. Transportation being a means of change and a public necessity, tho govern¬
ment should own and operate the railroads in tho interost of the people.
a. The telegraph and telephone, like the po&tofiiee system, being a necessity tot
the transportation of nows should be owned and operated by the government in the
interest of the people.
3. Tho land, including all the national resources of wealth, is the horitag# of ail
the people, and should not be monopolized for speculative purposes, and alien own
r-liip of land should be prohibited. AH land now held by railroads and other oor
; orations in excess of their actual needs, and all lands now owned by aliens, should
be reclaimed by the government and held for actual settlers only.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE PLATFOltM.-Whereas other questions have been
presented for our consideration, wo hereby submit the following, not as * part of
platform of the Peoples’ party, but as resolutions expressivo ot tho sent! a ont of thhh
convention: f
pledge 1. Resolved, ourselves That we demand a freo ballot and a fair count in all elections aiid
to secure it to every legal voter without Federal intervention
through the adoption by the States of the unporverted Australian or secret ballot
system.
applied 2. Resolved, That the revenue derived from a graduated incomo tax should be
to a reduction of tho burden of taxation now resting upon the domestic iudufu
tries of the country.
3. Resolved, That we pledge our support to fair and liberal pensions to ex-Union
soldiers and sailors,
4. Resolved, That we condemn the fallacy of protecting American labor under
the present system, which opens our ports to tho pauper and criminal classes of tho
world, laws and crowds out our wage earners; and wo denounce tho present ineffective
against contract labor, and demand the further restriction of undesirable immi¬
gration.
5. Resolved, That we cordially sympathize with the efforts of organized working,
men 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 clauso be added to tho
said law.
6. Resolved, That wc regard the maintenance of a largo standing army of merco
naries, known as tho Pinkerton system as a menace to our liberties, and wo demand
its abolition; and we condemn tho recent invasion of the territory of Wyoming by
the hiered assassins of plutocracy, assisted by Federal officials.
7. Resolved, That we commend to tho favorable consideration of the people and
the reform press tbe legislative system known as the initiative and referendum.
8. Resolved, That we favor a constitutional provision limiting tbe office of Pres*
ident and Vice-President to one term, and providing for the election of Senators of
the United States by a direct vote of the people. *
9. Resolved, That we oppose any sudsidy or national aid to any private corpora-,
tion for any purpose.
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