Newspaper Page Text
THE
REFORMER
TcnatlD fivnt FMdat Evening at
PORT GAINES, GA. *
TORT QAINtS, Qfc, AUGUST 10, 1894
POPULIST TICKET,
For Governor:
J. K. MINKS.
For Secretary of State:
Dr. a. Ii. NANCE.
For Treaanror:
(J. M, JONF.S.
Comptroller General:
tV. ft. KEMP.
Tor Attorney General:
J. A. ft. M’HAFFY
Tor Commissioner Agriculture:
J. B. BARRETT.
l*or Representative Clay County:
Hon. r. m. brown.
BEHOLD YOUR CANDIDATE!
Now that Mr. Atkinson has
formally nominated as tho
bearer of the Georgia democracy,
may b© weN to examine closely
*eo what manner of man he is.
In order to ho perfectly fa ; r,
to avoid all appearances ot
ness or partisan prejudice, wo
only give tho ostimato which
placed upon him by his own
How he is sized up by tlie men
are expectod to support him, and
whose votes ho is to be electod,
elected at all.
The Augusta Chronicle of May
says:
ATKINSON’S RECORD.
These points in Atkinson’s
as a legislator are furnished by
exchange that gives indisputable
dence of their correctness. It is
Atkinson’s record, puro and
AGAINST OLD SOLDIERS.
Mr. Atkinson in all his
boasts of his love for the
veterans, and of his efforts in
behalf. How does this rocord
|»ared with theso professions ?
voted against the acceptance of
Soldiers’ Home in any form:
The house journal for 1889,
1003, shows that ho did not vote
a bill to amend the acts in
to disabled confederate veterans.
AGAINST SCHOOLS.
Mr. Atkinson dodged tho vote
the bill to establish a
xehool fund, aud provide for
payment of the samo into the
ury—House Record, 1890,
1094.
AGAINST TIIF. FARMER.
Mr. Atkinson is bogging the
ers to stand by him. Why
be do to. What has he done
them ?
Tn 1889 he voted against tho
ction of fertilizers,
* nod to protect the
iraud and
Record 1889, page 875.
In 1889 Mr. Atkinson
against a bill to a allow farmers
t»!e»d failure of consideration
purchase of worthless
House Record 1889, page 1030.
He dodged the vote on a bill
declare all obligations to pay at
tiey’s fees upon auy note or
evidence of indebtedness void, unless
a plea be filed by the defendant
and aot sustained—House
1899, page, 1052.
FOR FRAUDULENT BONDS.
la 1893, while speaker of
house of representatives, Hon, W.
Atkins*n came down out of
speakers's chair, and made a speech
In favor of tfee payment of
of bonds which the State had
diated.
FOR CORPORATIONS.
Mr. Atkinson dodged the vote
ihe important bill to enlarge
fiowers of the railroad commission.
That bill was considered
by the railroad commission (n
to enable them to protect the
against unjust diacriminations and
extortionate charges of railroads.
The Dawson News of June 13th,
sayst
RING RULE.
Some people seem surprised at the
strength Col. Atkinson has devel¬
oped in this campaign, says tho
Gwinnett Herald If they stop to
consider a moment they will find no
ground for snrpriae.
It is a well known fact that there
is a great ring in Georgia. It has
b««o organized for four years, and is
compose of leading politicians all
over the state. Its footprints could
t** soma four yww ago when the leg
aiitmttw and entered ca
tho election of .ts officers. Two
years ago it had grown to such pro¬
portions that no man who was not
in the combination could expect to
bo elected to any office by the gen¬
eral assembly. This log-i oiling,
horse swapping, trading spirit had
complete control. Good men were
defeated. Good men who saw that
their only hope of success vfas in
sharp trading retired from the race
iti disgust This corruption was pub¬
licly denounced by the press at the
time ns a disgrace to the state, and
Rs the beginning ot the disintegra¬
tion of the party in the state.
The great mass of the people who
arc not informed did not behove ,it.
They thought this iiue and cry came
from disappointed men, but they
were mistaken. The ring rule that
controlled the legislature in the se¬
lection of state officers permeated
eyery section of the stato. It was
very appropriately referred to by
Mr Atkinson in his circular as “the
men who control.” Its organization
is fouud in every county in Georgia
today.
It is not Atkinson, but the ring,
that is handling the wires, and,
shrewd politicians that they are, they
are working it well. j-h-ery office
from U. 8. Senator down, it is said,
is pledged to men inside the combin
nation, and if they succeed no man
need apply for a place who is not in
the ring. It is, a battle for tho con
trol of the f-tato as long as the demo¬
cratic party remains in power.
The gubernatorial contest has only
served to show tho people the truth
of the charge publicly made two
years ago. It is well understood that
if Atkinson succeeds tho combina¬
tion is a success; if he fails, it goes
to the wall.
Hero are tho words of the Consti¬
tution under date of June 1.
THE YELLOWSTONE KIT,
The Constitution has taken pains
since the opening of the gubernato :
rial campaign to give Mr. Atkinson
fair treatment in its editorial col¬
umns. We have made no charges
against him and, and have criticised
him only as justified by facts, Wo
havo published what others have
said about him as we havo published
what others havo said in his behalf
Wo havo set forth our preference in
a dignified way. Every reader' will
bear evidence to this fact, and this
in the face oi Mr. Atkinson’s vindic¬
tive and malicious campaign against
Atlanta, in which ho has made a
quixotic fight against an imaginary
ring which ho and his claqu rs crea¬
ted for their own purposes.
We havo been unduly
tive in the interest of democratic
harmony, and havo not discussed
this man moro vigorously on the
same account. But since he has
thrown harmony to tho wind under
the hallucination that ho has already
“whipped General Evans,” ho must
be met in his own manner and fed
out of his own spoon. Ilis puerile
attacks on Atlanta havo dono no
harm tkau tho assault of the gnat
on the cow’s horn No city can pros¬
per without encouraging the opposi¬
tion of a class of mean, selfish peo¬
ple, who abuse without cause and
who live only to pull themselves up
by pulling others down.
We have been urged on several
occasions to take a moro aggressive
positiou against this curlv-headed,
Yellowstone Kit statesman, but we
have desisted uutil, iu the i nterest of
democratic harmony, it becomes a
necessity to meet him with his own
we&pons, lest, by his vindictive
course, he put tho party in a position
where it will meet witu serious trou¬
ble in the fall election.
Our proforcnce for General Evans
has always been as pronounced as it
is now. We know both men. Mr.
Atkinson is daily emphasizing his
unfitness for the office of governor.
As a member of the legislature, his
official functions were such that he
could do but little harm to tho state,
but, during his service, he demon¬
strated conclusively that he is not
the man to merit gubernatorial pro¬
motion. Uo voted aud worked
against allowing the oxtensiou of the
Marietta & North Georgia railroad
into Atlama at a time when it had
the money in hand ready to complete
tho work in thirty days. The result
has been that the people between
Marietta and the Tonnessee line are
now compelled to pay almost double
freight, express and telegraph
chargos and the development of one
of the richest sections of Georgia has
been materially retarded. He was
aotive in his fight agaiust the Twitty,
bill because, perhaps, it might affect
his fees.
In a public speech at Columbus,
Judge J H Martin, as honest and
upright a judge as ever sat on the
bench iu Georgia, declared ou his
word a* a man-that Mr. Atbaseu
a trade by which to exchange
vote, as a member of the legisla¬
and that he, Judge Martin, not
willing to meet Mr. Atkinson’s
the latter voted against him.
is the assertion of an honest
upright man, and if Mr. Atkin¬
has denied it, we have not heard
it. Mr. Atkinson has not only
traded v - y • for the election of
judges and’solicitors general, but vir¬
tually boaii?- ot it.
He took a fee—we might say fees
—while a member of the legislature,
notwithstanding the constitutional
inhibitation against one man receiv¬
ing double pay from the stato. In
the special referred to there was so
much doubt about the propriety
of accepting tl»e fee that two law¬
yers had to be consulted before he
was satisfied of its legallity. The
question as to whether it was vvriit
or wrong for him to deprive the r v
ernor of Georgia of his information
or assistance for the state in a mat¬
ter of vital importance, and which,
as a member of tho legislature, came
under his official observation, never
entered his head. What he wanted
was tho one thousand-dollar foe, and
the constitution of the stato was no
consideration so long as ho got it, for
ho knew that he would not have to
pay it back on demand, aud the moral
aspect of the question has never to
this day dawned upon him. It. was
no doubt tho biggest fee he ever got,
probably moie in cash than he had
ever made in one year practicing
law Wo make no vague statement
on the subject, for what we say is
based on the information of his law
partner, Mr. P. S. Whatley, of New
nan, who says so, and ho ought to
know.
This man wants to be governor of
Georgia! In fact, a freak of his im¬
agination h.as ct-iised him to believe
that ho is governor now and in an
unguarded moment, ho has opened
the vial of his wrath against every¬
body who has dared to oppose him,
and has raised the lid of Pandora's
box iu his effort to let out the devils
of discontent and involve tho party
in ruin, just so long as he cau be
nominated.
Of the 350 delegates to the guber¬
natorial convention, only about one
hundrod have been elected, and not¬
withstanding Mr. Atkinson’s efforts
to bunch his counties, General Evans
has nearly one half of those already
chosen. Yet this bombastic upstart
announoes with the flourish and sol¬
emnity of an eastern despot that he
has “whipped General Evans” from
the face of tho earth—a man whose
blood has beeu shed for the state of
Georgia, a man who gave five of the
best years of his life to her service,
a man whose name is above reproach
and whose honor and integrity are
beyond question. Having whipped
General Evans, Mr. Atkinson an¬
nounces now that he proposes to
crush tho Constitution, and that he
proposes to wind his coils generally
around anything that is for, of or iu
Atlanta.
In s• • t<* - ** a governor of Georgia
wo believe ti the people should
turn their t'. • • to a man whose hon¬
esty, tice integrity, beyond truth, cavil virtue and jus¬
Is are Mr- or question.
Atkinson such a man ? Let
the record speak for itself. Through
the dangerous machinery of his or¬
ganization ho has lit a fire at tho
very foundation of democratic hope
and the safeguards of democratic
justice and democratic liberty, it is
one of the principles upon which our
free institutions are founded that
every qualified man is entitled to one
vote, aud yet, with the utterlv effrontery ignored of
a the ward rights despot of he peoplo has
the to sp v •: ot
themselves, paign and has that based it makes his cam¬
upon the idea no
difference how he gets the votes of a
county, or whether or not the people
are disfranchised, just so long as a
delegation It this is policy sent which up for allowed Atkinson. five
was
voters in Coffee county to steal the
vote of that county in the a meeting
held thirty miles from county
seat, and this is but one of dozens of
other incidents of the same sort,
Fannin being the worst.
Will the people rise to their rights?
Will they resent tne attacks being
made on their liberty ? Do they
realize the danger of the situation ?
“Have you read affidavits?” asks the
Clay County Democrat. Yes, Mr Dem¬
ocrat, the public has read the affidavits,
and they are not affidavits of “pistol
toters,” as you wonld have the reading
public believe in yonr article. You are
trying to mislead the peopla One of
these men swears that he was oue of the
election managers in Fanniu, another
swears that he is a Justice of the Peace.
Tox Bankston was one of tho delegates
to the state convention, Dr. Carlton was
another, Who howled them down ?
CoL Hammond is a democrat, who
howled him onfc of Fort Gaines ? Mr.
Horace Moore, or this place is a demo¬
crat, who refused to pul lished his card?
If this is the character of your democ¬
racy, don’t you think it is high time to
throw a curtain over the whole business,
retire to Buzzard Bay, where yon can
enjoy the blessedness of your Father?
Citation*
To County;
all whom it may concern:
Harriet Goodman has in duo form ap¬
to the undersigned for a twelve
support for herself and her minor
Kosa Lee Goodman, oat of the
Of Sattael Goodman, decease V
I will pass on said application on
first Monday in September, 1894.
under my hand and offioial signa¬
this August 6th, 1894.
R. T. FOOTE, Ordinary,
STATE PLATFORM.
Of the Peoples’ Party—Read and
Reflect.
Wo hereby renew our unqualified
endorsement of the national platform
of the Peoples’ party, and we favor
in the State of Georgia the following
reform:
1. The abolition of the present
convict lease system which prosti¬
tutes to the greed of private avarice
the State’s sovereign right to punish
her citizens for violation of law. We
believe the State herself should keep
possession them of her prisoners public and should
employ upon the roads
and not allow them brought in com¬
pel “on with honest free labor.
2. V’ ver the furnishing of pri¬
mary s,; ol books by the State to
avoid the burdens put upon our peo¬
ple by the frequent changes of text¬
books. We aiso favor the payment
of the teachers monthly.
3. Wo favor the enactment of an
unperverted framed Australian allow ballot illiterate law to
be so as to or
blind voters to receive aid in the
preparation of their ballots, when
they so desire, from the managers of
election.
practice, 4. We emphatically becoming condemn tho
of late so preva¬
lent, of public officers accepting free
passes from railroad corporations.
We intend this condemnation to ap¬
ply to the executive, legislative and
judicial branches of our national and
state government.
5. Be ievinjf, as wo do, that these
eternal principles are necessary to
good government and to ihe preser¬
vation of our republican institutions:
and, believing that a supreme neces¬
sity now exists for a determined and
organized struggle against the cor¬
rupt hereby despotism of ourselver centralized wealth,
this we pledge and invite anew tho to
sacred task, we
earnest irrespective co-operation of of all good and citi¬
zens, party: upon
these united efforts in behalf of the
cause of constitutional liberty we
reverently invoke the blessings of
Almighty God. H. Ellington,
C.
Chairman P.atform Committee.
JURY LIST.
List of Grand Jurors drawn to serve for
Fall Term of Clay Superior Court:
A C Sutton. A S Mills,
J C Neavos, P Tinsley.
R D Dozier, J T Jones.
W H Mandeville, J E Womack,
M W L Burney. Hobbs, J 8 R Belcher, Radford
A A /
Josh McLendon, J G H Uuattlebaum.
J T Pritchett, W L Beard,
W P Worth v, T C Sutton,
E W N M McKeithan. Speight. J W F McLendon, Davis.
C
.T T P M Sharp, Killingsworth, T. J F M Porter, Brown,
*
B F Lokey, C V Morris.
L J Day. B F Griuisley.
Traverse Jurors for first week:
J O Griffith, J H Hamilton.
R II Duke, C T Humphries,
T J Sanders, J W Foster,
J L Hurst, J J Johnson,
H T Flowers, J A Shaw,
F P Garrett, J A Gasset t,
Lewis J Harris, Hartley, II J R W Askew,
H Moore,
W D Kind say, S Sternberg,
H J Long. J L Ward,
Wm Fiiin, jr., A J Womack,
W M Melton. J S Watson
A S Brown, Jas Forrest,
B P McKinnon, W II Pate.
W T Crcddello, R M Brown,
J A Murphy, E E P L La Ingram. Prado,
C C Cooper,
Frank Landon, R L McLendon,
Tarverse Jurors for second week:
H H Hart, J M Sanders,
C C Dozier, Amos McLendon,
O G Phillips, A W Parker,
NJ Lewis, W F Smith,
1 J Farmer, jr., M H Crawford,
B .T Dawson, J F Creel,
J E Mitchell, J W Saveli,
v'v J Perkins, J C Hartley.
J A Harris, W E Lightfoot,
J M Martin, C A Hancock,
H A McKinnon, M R Watson;
W F Morris, E E Royal,
J I Ingram, Jno McKinnon,
W H Jackson, Bela Jenkins,
D B Jernigan, E S Jones,
Thad Fordham, A M Holmes,
J J Fulton, Jno Fain,
W H Harrison, S P Creel.
Saloon!
J. L. HURST,
Hancock St.. FORT GAINES, GA.
Encouraged by the prospects of good
crops, known tho and Proprietor of this well
lishment, has popular estab¬
ordered,
and has on hand,
a large stock of
WHISKIES.
WILD CAT CORN,
CHAMPAGNE RYE,
WINES OF ALL KINDS,
ICE-COLD BEER,
TOBACCO A CIGARS.
His friends and patrons are requested
to call. aug 3
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WV-.'VWVWW VV\^AVVVVVVVWVNVVW
W E Bussey's are authorized as a candidate to announce for the Geor¬ J, B.
Democratic gia Senate, party, subject to the action of the
of Eleventh District.
For Tax Collector.
placing Thanking myself my before friends for -with past support aud
be faithful iu the you future a in guarantee
to as as the past,
in tho discharge again offer of my service, duties of Tax Col¬
lector, 1 my and respect¬
fully ask the support of the voters of my
county. W. R. HARRISON^"
I herebv announce myself for Tax Col¬
able lector of Clay county. I am physically should un
to do manual labor, and the
good with people of (Hav county see fit to honor
me the position, I will discharge the
duties of said office to the "best of my ability,
H I). HAISTEN.
For Tax Assessor.
1 hereby annuonce myself for Tax Asses¬
sor of Clay county, and if re-elected, prom¬
ise a faithful discharge of the duties of my
office. Thanking the voters of Clay for
their past support, I respectfully ask to
be remembered again. T, K. DAVIS.
MELON CARDS
GEO. E, MARKS, JOS. RITTINER.
HARKS & RITTINER
COMMISSION . . . .
• • • • 'MERCHANTS,
Whosale Fruits & Produce.
H3 Poydras Street, NEW ORLEANS, LA.
References:
Metropolitan Whitney Nat'l Bank of New Orleans, La,
Bank of New Orleans, La.
Clias. J. Church & Co,, Bankers, Green¬
ville, Mich.
N. W. Mather, Banker, Howard City,
Mich.
Bradstreet's Mercantile Agency.
— EDWARD BEILNTEIN, —
(Successor to Beilstein & Spangler,)
WHOLESALE -:- PRODUCE
Commission Merchant,
531 Liberty St. Pittsburg, Pa.
PHYSICIANS.
D. F. GUNN
PRACTICING PHYSICIAN,
^©“Office next to Wallerstein's.
DR. J. M.JKATCHETT,
Practicing Physician and Druggist,
FORT GAINES, GA.
Also nice line Ftationey. School Books
Paints, Oiks, Varnishes and Perfumery filfc
All sizes gi asses cut. Prescriptions
day or night with accuracy and dispctcli.
W. $3 L. Douclas
SHOE NO IS SQUEAKING. THE BEST.
And other specialties for
Gentlemen, Ladies, Boys
and Hisses are the
M t Best in the World.
r-f' See descriptive advertise¬
I'J ment paper. which appears in this
Take no Substitute.
gjl: Insist
on having \V. L.
k DOUGLAS’ SHOES,
with name and price
- ' stamped on bottom. Sold by
A. M. WALLERSTEIN.
Rule Nisi.
Maud It. Simpson, vs I Olay March Superior Term Court,
II. B. Wash. 1894,
Present, the Honorable James Griggs,
judge ot said court.
It appearing to the court by the petition
of Maud It. Simpson that on the 17th day of
June, in the year of our Lord 1891, H. B.
Wash of said county, made and delivered to
Maud R. Simpson to secure the payment of
said instrument executed aud delivered to
iter deed of mortgage, whereby he conveyed
to her lots of land Nos. 352,353. 362. and
117 1-2 acres of lot 163; all being in 7th l)is
trict of Clay count” containing 725 acres,
more or less, coudiu med that if said II. B.
Wash should according pay off its and discharge effect, said
mortgage to tenor ami
that then said deed of mortgage and said
note should be void. And it further a|>
pearing that said note and mortgage re¬
main unpaid: It is further ordered, that
said H. B. Wash pay into this court by the
first day of the next term thereof, the prin¬
cipal, interest, attorney's fees and cost due
on said Maud Ii. Simpson or show cause to
the contraty, if there be any; and that on
failure of said H. Bi Wash so to do. the
equity of redemption in and t« said mort¬
gaged premises be forever thereafter barred
and foreclos?d.
R. E. Kennon. Petition©Ys Attorney.
J, M. Griggs Judge S. C. F. C.
GEORGIA—Clay County.—I, in and J. W. Sut- said
live, Clerk of Superior Court for
state and county, hereby certify that the
above and foregoing is a true and correct
copy of the Rule Nisi granted at March
term 1894, of said court in case of Maud R.
Simpson vs. H. B. Wash. SUTLIVE, This May C. S. 23rd. C.
1894. J. W.
TYBEE RAILROAD.
We beg to advise that the Savanngli &
Atlantic R. R. (better known bavanDah as the Ty
bee F R. ), running from to
Tybee, Ga., which was damaged and by
storm last August, is being repaired,
will be in operation in time to handle
the usual Summer business as hereto¬
fore. Contract calls for the running of
trains over that road en the 1st of May.
The summer schedules will be put in
operation as soon as possible, du e notice
of which will be given. requested to
Conecctions are prepare
round trip tickets to be placed on sale
as in previous F. years. J. C. Haile,
W. SHEI.LMAX,
Traffic Man’g’r, G. P. A
SUBSCRIBE FOR THE
REFORMER!
__... r^i&sxm&mmn titm*m :>
PEOPLES’ PARTY PLATFORM.
ADOPTED BY THE OMAHA CONFEKENCE OE LABOltlNG
PEOPLE, JULY i, 1892.
A SSEMBLKD upon the on© hundred anil sixteenth anniversary of the declaration
JTX ot Independence, the Peoples’ parly of America, in their first national oouven
moldconditions midst of a nation brought which to surround the verge us of best moral, justify political our cc -operation. and material We meet in the
SISV.Smin^?f ^K te th ba rl[ box tho ruin, t'or
ot ' legislatures, the congress, and touches cvcft
the ermine of the v bench. u The people are demoralized. Most or the States havo
Pf°M d 1o ls Vr! ll ° tho V()lors at th0 polling: places to prevent universal inthu
,K b ° ry « e ' v 5papers lire largely subsidized muzzled,
fc j 7> T s ' pro8tratrd our hon,es covered with or public opinion
»! m i nr :i n< Ju , <nu 'T raUn ’ in thc bands of mortgages, labor i ~ povor
Vr denied , the ( ' S tho capitalists. The urba a work
m n , are righ of organization for self protection; Imported pauperized
a >or boats down tlioir wages; a hireling standing aimy, unrecognised bv our laws,
:s established to shoot them down, and they are rapidly degenerating into European
conditions, i ho fruits of the toil of millions are boldly stolen to build up colossal
fortunes for a few, unprecedented in the history of mankind, and Hie possessors of
these, in turn, despise the republic and endanger liberty. From tho same prolific
inode ui governmental injustice we breed the two great classes—tramps and million
(III to, •
The national powoi* to eroato money is appropriated to enrich bondholders. A
vast . public ms debt , ,, payable in legal tender has been funded
bonds, thereby adding millions currency into gold bearing
FHL OLD to the.burdens of tho people.
PAR TIES ARRAIGNED.—Silver, which lias been accepted us coin
since • tho dawn of history,
has been demonetized to add to the purchasing power of
gold by decreasing the value of all forms of property, as well as human labor, and
the supply of currency ispurposcdly abridged to fatten usurers, bankrupt enterprises
ami enslave industry. A vast conspiracy against mankind has been organised o two
continents and is rapidly taking i
at U forebodes terrible possession of the world. If not met and overthrown
once social convulsions, the destruction of civilization, or tho
establishment of an absolute despotism.
We have witnessed for more than a century the struggles of tho two great polit¬
ical , , patties .. foi , power and , plunder, while grievous have been
the people. Wo charge that wrongs inflicted upon
tho controlling influences dominating both these par¬
ties have permitted tho existing dreadful conditions to develop without serious effort
to prevent or restrain them. Neither do they now promise us any substantial ro
form - 1 have agreed together to ignore in tho coming campaign every issue but
one . 1 hey propose to drown the outcrios of plundered people with the uproar of a
sham battle over the tariff, so that capitalists, corporat ions, national banks, rings
trusts, watered stock, the demonetization of silver and tho oppressions of tho usurers
may bo all be lost, sight of. They propose to sacrifice our homc 3 wi’-es and children
on tho altar of Mammon; to destroy the ,
from multitude in order to secure corruption funds
the millionaires. *
Assembled on the anniversary of tho birthday oT tho nation, ami filled with tho
spirit of the grand generation who established our independence, we seek to restore
the government of the republic to tho hands of “tho plain people,” with which e’ass
it originated.
THE WAR IS OVER.—Wo assert our purposes to bo identical with the purposes
of the national constitution—“To form a more perfect union, establish justice, in¬
sure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general wel¬
fare and secure the blessings of* liberty for ourselves and our postot ity.” We declare
that this republic cun only endure as a free government while built upon the love of
the whole people for each other and for the nation; that it. cannot be pinned toget her
by bayonets; that the civil war is over, and that every passion and resentment which
grew out of it must die with it, and that we must bo in fact, as we are in name one
united brotherhood of freemen.
Our country finds itself confronted by conditions for which there is no precedent in
the history of the world—our annual agricultural productions amount to billions of
dollars 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 are falling prices, tho for
mation of combines and rings and the impoverishment of the producing classes. Wo
pledge ourselves that if given power wo will labor to correct these evils by wise and
reasonable legislation in accordance with the terms of our platform.
Wo believe that the powers of the government—in other words, of tho people—
should be expanded (as in tho case of the postal service) as rapidly and as far as
the good sense of ail intelligent people and tho teachings of experience' shall justify,
to tho end that, oppression, injustice and poverty shall eventually cease in the land,
THREEFOLD DECLARATION.—While our sympathies as a party of reform
aro naturally upon the side of every proposition which will tend to make men intelli¬
gent, virtuous and temperate, we nevertheless regard theso questions, important RS
they are, as secondary to the great issues now piessing for solution, and upon which
not only our individual prosperity but tho very existence of free institutions depend;
and wo ask ail men first help us to determine whether we are to havo a.-wpnbiic < v
administer before wo differ as to the conditions upon which it is *;rbo administered J*
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. We declare therefore;
1. That tho union of the labor foreos ot tho United States this day consum&ted,
shalf bo permanent and perpetual. May its spirit enter into all hearts for tho salva¬
tion of tho republic and the uplifting of mankind.
2. Wealth belongs to him who creates it, and every dollar taken from industry
without an oquivolcnt is robbery. “If any will not work, neither v:.n ke oafchi The
interests of rural and civic labor are the same; their enemies are id. ..: ai.
8. Wo believe that tho time has come when the railroad corporations will either
own the people or tho people must own them, and should tho government enter upon
tho work of owning and controlling any or all railroads wo should favor an amend¬
ment to the constitution by which all persons engaged in the government service
shall bo placed under a civil service regulition of the most rigid character, so as to
prevent tho increase of tho power of national administration by tho uso of such addi¬
tional government employes.
The Planks of the Platform.
1. Wo demand a national currency, safe, sound, and flexible, issued by the gen¬
eral government only, a full legal tender for all debts, public and private, and that
without the uso of banking corporations; a just, equitable and efficient means of dis¬
tribution, thejsubtreasury direct to the people, at a tax not exceeding 2 percent., be provided, as set
forth in plan of the Farmers’ Alliance, or some better system; also by
payments in discharge of its obligations for public improvements,
a. Wo demand free and unlimited coinago of silver and gold at tho present ratio
of 10 to 1.
b. We demand that the amount of circulating meclium.be speedily increased to
not less than $50 capita.
c. We demand a graduated income tax.
d. We believe tho money of the country should be kept as much as possible in
the hands of the people, and hence wo demand that all Stato and national revenue
shall be limited to the necessary expenses of the government, economically and
honestly administered.
e. We demand that postal savings banks be established by the 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 the interest of the peoplo.
a. The telegraph and telephone, like tho postoffice system, being a necessity for
the transportation of news should be owned and operated by tho government in tho
interest of tho pooplo.
3. Tho land, including all the national resources of wealth, is the heritage of all
tho people, and should riot be monopolized for speculative purposes, and alien own¬
ership of land should bo prohibited. All land now held by railroads and other cor¬
porations in excess of their actual needs, and all lands now owned by aliens, should
be reclaimed by tho government and held for actual settlers only.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE PLATFORM.—Whereas other questions havo been
presented for our consideration, wo hereby submit tho following, not as a part of tho
platform of the Peoples’ party, but as resolutions expressive ot the sentiment of this
convention:
1. Resolved, That we demand a free ballot and a fair count in all elections and
pledge ourselves to secure it to every legal voter without Federal intervention
through the adoption by the States of the unperverted Australian or secret ballot
system.
2. Resolved, That tho revenue derived from a graduated income tax should bo
applied to a reduction o! tho burden of taxation now resting upon the domestic indus¬
tries of the country.
3. Resolved, That we pledge our support to fair and liberal pensions to ex-Union
soldiers and sailors.
the 4. Resolved, That we condemn-the fallacy of protecting American labor under
present system, which opens our ports to tho pauper and criminal classes of tho
world, and crowds out our wage earners; and we denounce the present ineffective
laws 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 dornand a rigid enforcement of the existing
eight-hour law on government work, and ask that a penalty clause bo added to the'
said law.
6. Resolved, That we regard the maintenance of a largo standing ariry of merce¬
naries, known as the Pinkerton system as a menace to our liberties, and wo demand
its abolition; and we condemn the recent invasion of the territory of Wyoming by
the hiered assassins of plutocracy, assisted by Federal officials.
7. Resolved, That we commend to the favorable consideration of the people and
the reform press the legislative systqm known as tho initiative and referendum.
8. Resolved, That we favor a constitutional provision limiting the office of Pres¬
ident and Vice-President to one terra, 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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