Newspaper Page Text
THE
T T.
REFORMER
Publisher Eveiiv Fiuday Evening at
FORT GAINES, GA.
< ms o. MANUEV1LL.E, E4IUr.
FORT GAINES GA., NCV- 30 1894
Looking Back ward.
Tho years 1855 and 1856 were
perhapa as prosperous as any wo
ever enjoyed.
A long lino of honest Presidents
had administered out affairs, and the
timo had not yet come when a public
man was despised and ridiculed ii D
studied the interests of Lie common
people. under fear¬
The democratic party,
less and brilliant leadership, had
gone into power, some years before,
pledged to reform the Tariff, to op¬
pose bonds, and to abolish the N.i
tional Bank.
Tito platforms of the party plainly
nnd forcibly demanded each of these
reforms.
Honest congressmen had been
elected, and thoso congressmen had
kept their pledges, as honest men
usually do. The time had not come
when a democratic congressman had
to damage his memory hunting
around tor a promise ho had upt
broken.
The doleful years were yet in the
gloomy future when a great nation
of 67,000.000 people was to find it to
bo tho hardest of jobs to choose
representatives* who were be nest
enough not to do tho very reverse
of what they promised.
In thoso good old times “before
tho war” a platform was written
plainly and obeyed honestly.
Therefore a democratic victory
meant the peformanco of democratic
pledges. Nobody, in those primitive
days of honor and truth, ever dream¬
ed that the time would come when a
democratic victory would menu the
carrying out of republican policies.
Therefore in 1855 and 1856, after
along period ef democratic rule, wo
find that there were prosperous
times. *
The Tariff had been lowered to a
strictly revenue standpoint some
years before, and the Treasury was
full -
No public debt, worth the mention
oxisted, and there were practically
no bonds outstanding.
No National Bank was feeding up¬
on the vitals of tho country.
What party had pat tho Tariff
down to tho revenue basis, put an
end to tho bonded system of Hamil¬
ton, ai d abolished tho national bank¬
ing system which Jefferson and Jack
son hated f
Tho democratic party.
Thus it was, in 1850 and 1856.
How is it now 1
Tho tariff under recent manipula¬
tion, is such a crazy quilt of prohib¬
itive protection and discriminative
free trade, that all our manufactur¬
ing system is out of joint and our
etiues have fallen off; the nation:
banks are in full blast—about 3,0(k
ot them; the bonded system hangs
heavily upon us again, ami ( love
land piles tho load on without pity
and without remorse
What party is doing all this, in
1894?
The'democratic party.
Between tho men who ruled in
1855 and 6, and the men who ride
now, there is tho wide gulf which
separates the honest statesmen,
thinking and working for all, from
the placemen, the spoilsmen, the
paid agents of special interests, who
now hold the reigns of tho govern¬
ment, and drive the whole outfit with
an eye single to the demands of their
millionaire masters.—Daily Press.
Levi P. Morton, the recently elec¬
ted governor of New York has made
affidavit as required by the law of
that state, that he speut $19,760 1
the campaign. Wonder fwhat such
such an affidavit from Forty Cent
Tate would show? Wonder what
the two recent elections cost the
fusionists ot Georgia ? Not lo.-s than
$200,000. This besides free railroad
passes, makes it plain that populism
is an expensive party—to democrats.
The pops haven’t any money, and if
they had, it would not be applied in
that way. They are not dead beats*
either. They pay their railroad fare
and other legitimate expenses like
gentlemen.—Plow Boy.
How do you reckon a conscien¬
tious Christian feels like taking the
Lord’s supper with a member who
has spent valuable time aud money
to induce the ignorant and vicious to
not only vote, but to insult gentle¬
men besides.—Lx
A riea for the Feeble Minded.
To the General Assembly of Geor¬
gia:
According to the last census there
are 637 feeble-minded children in
the state of Georgia between the age
of 6 and 20 years old. I don’t sup
I ose there is a citizen of the state
lit what is surprised at the num¬
ber. Six hundred and thirty-seven
poOv, dear afflicted ones—afflicted
not from any faults or acts of theirs.
No, innocent of the cause, nrovi
deuce alone knows whv. W hat
have we done ? What appropria
lions have our noble, kind-henrted
representatives made for these, the
greatest sufferers ?
Not one ccmf; I might tell the
truth and say not one single sympa¬
thetic thought. The blind, deaf and
dumb, insane, slate schools for
bright and ordinary minds, techno¬
logical schools, school at Milledgo
ville for fitting girls for useful fives,
vilitnry •id schools; Tim it is all good, right
. proper. feeble-minded ap¬
peal to one’s sympathy tnoro than
all others. The blind, deaf and dumb
will stay at home, you can chain the
insane if necessary, but these dear
children that cannot work must have
some amusement o* 1 wander aroutul
over the streets.
A friend of mint ■ a son, wIk
in cliihlhood had a lone protract* d
sickness. When physically well \
mother found his mind nff
weakened. lie grew ton
and was of some little assistai.
his widowed mother. He left home
one morning, taking a walk on the
railroad track, and was crushed to
death, brought back to his mother
mangled, bleeding, dead. She had
throe chiMren, two bright, but this
F • afflicted one was her idol. She
i ves a nervous wreck, which
will never end until! God calls her
to come up higher.
Had you established this school
two years ago that young man would
he living today, and in the future be
a support to his mother. American
institutions of this character are di¬
vided into two departments, the ed¬
ucate nal and the custodial. In the
school department the children are
taught in the kindergarten methods,
and in tho ordinary branches, spell¬
ing, reading, numbers, etj., to the
extent of tho child’s anility, Pro
gressiye games, object teaching,
gymnastics- dumbbells, simple les¬
sons in ; fomy. are taught to
dance, and they enjoy themselves
very much.
All of this training is especially
adapted to the improvement of the
feeble minded. ’Those principles of
physiological training of the sensr-s
and faculties of excrcissng tho power
of attention, perception and judg¬
objects ment by instead teaching tho quaiTVs of
of . expecting the
child to absorb knowledge from
books, j • gI- 1 . rc tiw;g i.f tiiv
eye, ear and hands. Of course they
commence on a lower plane. The
progress in many places is slow.
Others soon learn to read, write and
do rather difficult sums in arithme¬
tic. They are carefully taught nior
ally.
Even thoso who cannot talk kneel
by the bedside; the attendant repeat¬
ing a simple prayer. They are taught
to l e pdite and courteous, not only
to teachers and attendants, but to
their classmates. Tho most impor¬
tant training is in industrial occupa¬
tions—manual labor, carpentry, brick
making, painting, snoe in iking, ham¬
mock making, making foot mats of
rope, scrool farming, Is gardening, Tho
\foik beautiful. Washing,
ironing, etc., all are carried tho men
tal training. Boys that are not phys¬
ically strong enough to la ror at;e
taught to crochet, making beautiful
baby shoes of zephyr. The fnrni
: 'ire was covered with a brown rep.
Mhroidered in the Kensington
-a h with white rope linen. Every
C ii l id has a separate bed, the pillow
shams worked in turkey red by these
boys. It giv* s them employment
and they are consequently made
happy by the knowledge that they
are useful.
Some of the ? where the
brightest imbecile ocived, and
where tho industrial training has
been good, state that from 20 to
per cent, of the pupils that at
charged are self-supporting,
who could not manage Mtecet
alone can go with the brightei
minds, assist in business and be sue
cessful. As soon as a child can
bathe and dress himself, then he as¬
sists the younger to do so, lessening
tho expense by having fewer attend¬
ant
Th todial department includes
tho o\ver class of idiots, epileptics
aud insane. JSome are as helpless
as babes; cannot walk or talk and
have to be fed. dressed and cared
for as infants. In the school I vis¬
ited was a blind boy ten years of age.
He sat on a bench, but rocked his
body backward and forward as at
home he had sat in a rocking chair.
He would not let you touch his
hands or Like anything in them. In
a week he was taught to to hold a
small piece of paper, then a caramel,
which he put into his mouth ami
could ate. A bright looking boy of ten
In only say one word—“Mama.”
one week ’earned to say three
words —‘V. a Liv Bible,” h could
not repeat it after the teacher. Bv
asking a new scholar to speak them
he Want caught the words parrot-like.
of time and for fear of ex¬
hausting your patience, 1 .will not
speak of other rases. For this clcs.^
that cannot be taught to be self sus
taining they make them a happy
home, where t..ey can bo useful.in a
quiet way. In one of the institu¬
tions North, one of the inmates has
peeled potatoes for ten years, it
was all he could do nnd ho did
that well. How useful, though in ,
an humble way. t^ome of the
and learn t
dren have musical talent
to play brass instruments. All sing
that can talk.
The census of 1890 shows that
there are 95,571 idiotic and feeble¬
minded persons in the United States;
637 of that number in Georgia, Ap¬
palling thought 1 That is tar below
the correct figures, for many moth¬
ers will not even admit to themselves
lhat their children are defective.
The schools are not only classed
as chairitable, but economical. A
hundred dollars invested in training
the feeble-minded saves a thousand
in the next generation. Sixteen
states have schools. Besides at the
north the)e are a great many private
schools. The south has one in Ken¬
tucky, so full of their own children
that it cannot take atiy outsiders.
California has a school. We are de¬
pendent on the northern schools.
How hard for a mother to send a
child who has a bright mind so
far away from home, but heart-rend¬
ing to send a feeble-minded one so
among strangers, who cannot tell
how he is treated, whether contented
or er’s happy. How ho misses the moth¬
tender, watchful care. Only
God knows what that mother suffers
from constant anxiety for the afllie
ted dear child.
In the school I visited, Mexico,
Texas, Alabama, South Carolina,
Georgia, were represented Ii < v
1 as Dr. Doren, of the school in
..nbux, O., says, "so great a state
: a.-, Georgia should have a school.
• Do not argue hard times. Stare in
debt ? Retrench expenses some¬
where. Take the 825,000 appropri¬
ated to the soldiers’ encampment.
No kind hearted man will object. Do
not deter it another year or mentn.
Right now make an appropi
bui'd cottages, commen t i a •
scute. You will and in
There are kind, noble-h uv u
who would give land for ■■■: ]
if the subject was presto
in a proper manner.”
If 1 were we 1 ’ d devote my
few remaining in sobering
contributions, i will do all I can, if
you will only make a no itribution. I
pray God may put it in the hearts of
every member to do this inestimable
work now.
Mrs. C. G. Paullin.
The populist \ ote of Texas can be
y placed at 200,000. By 1896
lit tv thousand will be added to these
figures.—Southern Meicnrv, Texas.
The Elections.
As the election roi come in
the populists vote app it s more sat¬
isfactory. The asrer »te vote of
1892 was about 1,042,000, wbi'e so
far as can bo judged from the re¬
turns u;> to date the aggregate vote
at the recent elections will reach
2 . 200 , 000 . This shows a gain of
more than 100 per cent which ought
to satisfy the most sanguine since it
is the aggregate vote which discloses
the growth of a party. In *1890 the
people’s party received less thin
300,000 votes. In 1892 this vote had
grown to 1,042.000. while in 1894 it
has reached 2,200,000. Imag’ne what
will be th* result in 1S9G if this
growth is continued.
When the returns are all in and a
careful analysis made it will be found
that the veal populist vote was in¬
creased in every state, Kansas and
Colorado not excepted. The defeat
in Kansas may be charged princi¬
pally to the settlement Thousands of Oklahoma
and the drouth. of pop¬
ulists from Kansas and Nebraska
went to Oklahoma to get cheap land
to begin life anew'out of dei t. There
were many also who abandoned their
farms because of financial ruin and
drifted to other sections. Mr. Simp¬
son, whose district adjoins Oklaho¬
ma, was defeated for th* reasons
alone,
The democrats, who to some ex¬
tent had voted the reform ticket de¬
serted it almost to a man. This de¬
sertion, together with the emigration,
brought about the populist uefeat.
which would have been a victory
had either of these not occurred. In
Colorado thousands of miners and
operators who compelled were genearlly popu¬
lists were to leave th«
state on account of the mines clo>
Th usands more werecoerc<
Business Men’s League and
ey interests. This, together
dh the unpopularity of Governor
Waite, wrought the disastei.
The legislature is very close, being
ballot, republican by only seven on joint
which means the defeat of
Senator Walcott. In the East sur¬
prising gains have been made.
has disclosed a w n
action which threatens
destruction of the demo
We have five senators *
will be added one from A
lina. In the house, w «-• ;:a v no
oach from Kansr , tska, Colo
rado, Nevada, iv i tnd Texas,
together with five i t.un North Caro
lina, making 11 in all who will be
given certificates of election.
We shall contest in Georgia, Ala¬
bama, Mississippi. Lousiana, Texas,
Kentucky and probably in Tennessee
a n d North Carolina, Uut of these
cootf j «ts we should not get less than
t -two members, which will give
us all told over thirty congressmen.
Nothing but words of encourage¬
ment and determination is heard on
all sides. While some good men
have fallen for the ti Gi, re has
beeu some good men © l to riff
their places. Taken as .* ..hole the
people’s party is the only one that
can point with pride to the methods
and results of election.—National
Watchman.
The people’s party of Ohio cast j
over 75,000 votes at the last election.
T‘ lis a gaiu of over threo hundred
per cent, over the vote of 1892:—Na¬
tiooai Watchman. • ’
Road Notice,
GEORGIA—Ci*at Oonnnr:
Whereas certain petitioners have
made their application to this court,
praying an order granting the establish¬
ment of a new road commencing at a
land line near Harrison's Mill, and run¬
ning the land line directly north, be¬
tween J. M. Harrison and H. U. Harri¬
son and S. D. Coleman, Mrs. Milliner,
W. H. Jackson and W. T. Green, Robt.
Brooks and W. T. Green to a point
about -100 yards north of Robt. Brooks.
Thence leaving said land line following
the old road bed iu front of W. T.
Green's dwelling, continuing said road¬
bed until striking original land iine bo
tween H. M. Green and Mess Horton
A Fuller’s, thence on said fine between
Mrs Anna McKinimie’s and Wllie Me
Kimmie, intersecting the Coleman and
Fort Gaines road at a point near Willie
McKiramie's house, and whereas Com¬
have missioners reviewed appointed and marked for that said purpose
out con
templated , road . and . ported x . to me
r
that said road would be one of
public utility and convenience-Non
this is to cite and and admonish ail per
sous that on and after the 5th day of
November 181)3, said new road will be
granted if no good cause is shown to the
contrary. Given under my hand and
seal this October thed^l^
Clerk Clav Countv Com. Court.
8IIE1HFF SALE.
GEORGIA—Clay Will sold County: house door
be before the court
in said county within the legal hours of sale
—on t.hi , wiStaF" , • ft ,
1894, to the highest bidder for cash the fol¬
lowing property to wit: Lot of land No.
207. The north half of lot of land No. 208.
r i he east half of lot of land No 2,54, and
the north half of lot of land No. 833, con
taming less, in the aggregate aOG* the 1-2 acres, district more of
or and all being in 7th
Clay county, Harriet Ga. Goodman Levied on administratrix as the prop
erty of as
of Samuel Goodman deceased, by virtue of
an execution from Clay superior court in
favor of ‘-The American Freehold Land
Mortgage Compauv, Goodman, of Lcntlon, (Limited, ) '
vs Harriet as administratrix of
Samuel Goodman, deceased. Tenants in
i . don notified according to law. This
*u kith. 181*4.
J AlS. T. MCALLISTER, Sheriff.
—
SHERIFF SALE.
G EORGI A—Clay County:
Will be soid on the First Tuesday house door in De¬
cember, 1894. before tho court in
said county within the legal hours of sale,
to the highest bidder, for cash, the follow
ing property, to wit; The house and lot of
L. K. Mims on which said Mims resides, lo
cated in the town of Fort Gaines, of said
county of Clay; bounded on the north by
the Haskins lot, on the east by an alley, on
the south by a public street, on the west by
Depot sired. The same being tin. house
and lot where J. 0. Weils formerly resided.
Said property levied on as the property of
E. li, Mims, to satisfy a mortgage fi fa is
sued from the superior court ot said county,
in favor of S. ISeiscl & Co., against E. R.
Mins. This 23rd day of October 1984.
JAS. T. MCALLISTER, Sheriff,
SHERIFF BALE.
GEORGIA—Clay Will the County: Tuesday Do-1
be sold on First in
cember, 1894. at the court house in said
county, within the legal hours of sale, to
the highest bidder, for cash, toe following
property to wit: The house and lot of >,T L
Lewis where said N. J. Lewis reside^, «, the
town of Foit Gaines of said county of Clay
—bounded on the north by T. J. Sanders
and an alley, on the ease by Jefferson street
on the south by the lot on which John Wat
son resides and on the west by Wai house
street. Said property levied on as sir prop¬
erty of N. J. Lewis, to satisfy .a mortgage
ii fa issued from the superior court of said
county, in favor of S. Seisel & Co., against
N. J. Lewis. This 23rd day of Oct - her. 1894.
JAS. T. McALL'JoTEK, sheriff.
""citation.
GEORGIA—Clay County:
To all whom it may concern:
Mrs Rachel A Lindsay having in due
form applied to tin* undersigned for guard¬
ianship Lindsay, of minor the person of the and property John Lindsay, of Lena
late
diseased.—Notice is heaeby given that her
application will be heard at my office on the [
1st Monday in December 1894. This Nov. J
5th, 1894. R. T. FOOTE, Ordinary.
NOTICE.
TcOIr ILtrr Fkiexds ant> Gt. t stomhbs :
I am still on hand at my Old Stand,
ady to serve you to the Best Grades of
hiskies. To those whom I have earn¬
ed over during summer season, I must
say that my obligations are now due,
and must he met. I need what you otve
me and am compelled to have it. So,
please cail and settle, as the demands
on me forces me to make this request of
you without delay. Respectfully,
ang 24 L. S. Cohen.
CITATION.
GEORGIA—Clay County:
A. C. Chapman has applied for exemption
of tion personalty of Homestead, and setting and apart I will and valua¬
Ten o'clock Wednesday, pass upon
same at a. nn, on
12th dav of December, 1894, at my office,
li. T. FOOTE, Ordinary.
Your Subscription is
due! Come pay it!
Notice, Notice I
The month of October, a time and
asou of the year when everybody is
cpected to make an effort to settle, is
p. n us. I have been very lenient to
•. Vors and have asked them for
as it tie a.- necessity would per
;e. uml now that I have outstand¬
ing obligations that must be met, i re
spectfully urge all who are due me any¬
thing o call and settle. I need the
money—must have it, and I ask my
friends to come and settle with me.
Very Eespectfullv, HURST.
J. L.
W. L. Douglas
S3 SHOE NOSQUEAKING. IS THE BEST.
And other Epee salt lea for
Gentlemen, Ladies, Boys
and Misses are the
Best in the World.
• ^ \ See descriptive advertise¬
ment which appears la this
BSbK. i paper.
Take no Substitute. \
Insist on having W. L. |
DOUGLAS’ SHOTS,
aUm&fr with name and price!
• * P3SJP ' stamped on Bottom. Sold by
A. M. WALLERSTEIN.
Now is the time to pay vonr sub
scription.
STATE PLATFORM
Of flip Peoples’ Parly—Read and
Reflect.
Wo hereby renew our unqualified
endorsement of the national platform
of the Peoples’ party, and we favor
in the Slate of Georgia the following
1
. .. . „
convict i*. lease , aoontion or which the present prosli
the system
tutfcs to greed of -private avarice
ujl /fftDerUVnr \dnb?tinn ^ of \V " i
u- H,i n e\ <M ( l he tv.ate w* 1 i horselr should keep
possession other prisoners and should
employ them upon the public roads
aml not allow Ti them Yr brought in com
pettrnm d „ with honest tree T. labor.
2. We favor the furnishing of nri
, sch ool hooka bv the State to
I -s a ^ .. . hm'dens , put “
‘"°\ P‘ e hv toe frequent changes upon our of text- neo- ,
books. \\ e also favor th© payment
of the teachers monthly,
3. We favor the enactment of an
linpe rvorte<l Australian ballot inw to
1>e so framed as to allow illiterate or
blind voters to receive aid in the
preparation of their ballots, when
they so desire, from the managers of
election.
4. We emphatically condemn the
practice, of late becoming so preva
'“»• of •!«>>*«
passes from railroad corporations.
We intend this condemnation to a P'
ply to tilO executive, leMshiti VO mid
judicial branches of our national and
s ’ ; ite government.
5. Be ieving, as we do, that * h esc
eternal c-iic rii tit principles prim-qnes are are necessary necessary i<> to
S°°d government and to 1 he preset 1 -
vation of our republican institutions:
and, believing that a supremo ut-ces
R j tv ‘ o’v exists fora 1 determined ' and l
'
° l| ul zea , . , - the ,
»‘ l cor
rupt despotism . ot centralized wealth,
this we hereby pledge ourselver anew to
sacred i ,sk, and we invit** the
earnest co-operation of all good citi¬
zens, irrespective of party; and upon
these unit' d efforts in behalf of tlr?
cause or constitutional _ liberty we
reverently invoke the blt-ssin«s of
Almighty ° ^ God.
C. II. Ellington,
Chairman P.atform Committee.
——
IG I^A-TsT S -
IA F. GUNN,
AD«.
PRACTICING P HYSIGIAN,
^©“Office next to Wallcrstein’s.
m
I
A4
C9& 1
J. L. HURST,
Hancock St., FORT GAINES, GA.
Encouraged by the prospects of good
crops, the Proprietor oft his well
known and populai estab¬
lishment, has ordered,
and has on hand,
a large stock of
ans si tr.'r'jxm Spin v‘
Q
WILD-CAT CORN,
CH AMPAGNE liYF,
WINES OF ALL KINDS
t COLD BEER,
TOBACCO & CIGARS.
His friends mkT >atrons are requested
to call. aug 3
m
PEOPLES’ PARTY PLATFORM i
ADOPTED BY THE OMAHA .CONFERENCE OF LABORING
PEOPLE, JULY 4, 1892.
A S8EMBLED upon t c one hundred and sixteenth anniversary of the declaration
.aA. of independence, t rr w Peoplts’ party of America, m their first national conven
tion, invoking upon their action the blessing of Almighty God, puts forth ih
ot people of this country, the following preamble and declit
conditions which surround us best justify our cr-operation. We meet in thO
midst •, of a nation brought to tho verge of moral, political and material ruin. Cor
rup> ion dominates the ballot box, the legislatures, the congress, and (ouches evert
the ermine of the bench. The people are demoralised. Most of the States havO
been compelled to Jsolato the voters at tlie polling places to prevent universal intirtl
!<it!tlon 01 ' bribery. The newspapers are largely subsidized or muzzled, public opinion
silenced, business prostrated, our homes covered with mortgages, labor impover
tehed. and the lands concentrating in the hands of the capitalists. The urban work
nuu are denied the right of organisation for sell-protection; imported pauperized
labor beats down their wages; a hireling standing aimy, unrecognized by our laws,
is established to shoot them down, and they are rapidly degenerating into Etifopeah
conditions. I lie fruits of the toil of millions are boldly stolen io build up colossal
fortunes for a few, unprecedented iu the history of tnarkind, and ihe possessors of
these, in tin n, despise the republic and endanger liberty. From the same .prolific
mode of governmental injustice we breed the two great cl-e 'n s—turnips und million)
aii es.
Tim national power to create money is appropriated to enrich bondholders. A
vast public debt payable in legal tender currency has boon funded into gold-bearing
bonds, thereby adding millions to tho burdens of tho people
THE OLD PARTIES ARRAIGNED.—Silver, which has boon accepted ns coin
since the dawn of history, lias been demonetized to add to the purchasing power of
gold by decreasing the value of all forms of property, as well as human labor, au4
the supply of currency is purposedly abridged to fatten usurers, bankrupt entorpiises
and enslave industry. A vast conspiracy against mankind has been organized o i twV*
continents and is rapidly taking possession of the world. If not met and overthrowtl
at once it forebodes terrible 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 j allies foi power and plunder, while grievous wrongs have been indicted upon
1 the people. Wo charge that the controlling iniluenees dominating both thoso par
; ties have permitted the existing dreadful conditions to develop without serious effort
to prevent or restrain them. Neither do they now promise tie any substantial ro
form. Tiny have agreed togethei to ignore in tho coming campaign every issue but
one. They propose to drown tho outcries of plundered people with tho uproar of ft
sham battle over the tariff, so that capitalists, corporations, national banks, rings,
> rusts, watered stock, the demonetization of silver und the oppressions of the usurers
may he all be lost sight of. They propose to sacrifice our home - ?, wives arid children
the altar of Mammon; to destroy tho multitude in order to secure corruption funds
from the millionaires.
Assembled on tho anniversary of the birthday of the nation, and filled with the
spirit of the grand generation who established our independence, wo seek to restore
the government of the republic to the hands of "the piuin people,” with which c’tiss
it originated.
THE WAIt IS OVER.—Wo assort our purposes to be 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 wel¬
fare and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posteiity." We declare
ttmt this republic can only endure as a free government while built upon the love of
the whole people for each other and for the nation; Unit it cannot be pinned together
by bayonets; that tho civil war is over, and that every passion and resentment which
grew out of it must die with it, and that we must be in luct, as we are iu uanio, 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 erf
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; the results are falling prices, the for¬
mation of combines and lings and the impoverishment of the producing classes. We
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 the ease of the postal service) as rapidly and as far as
the good sense of an intelligent people and the teachings of experience shall jUstity;
to the end that oppression, injustice and poveity shall eventually cease in the land,
THREEFOLD DECLARATION.—While our sympathies as a party of reform *
are naturally upon the side of every proposition which will tend to make men intelli¬
gent, virtuous and temperate, we nevertheless regard these questions, important ch
they are, as secondary to the great issues now pi easing for solution, and upon which
not only our individual prosperity but the very existence of free institutions depend}
and we ask all men first differ he)pus to the determine conditions whether wo which are it to is have n admiidetered, republic To
administer before wo as to upon to be
believing that the forces of reform this day organized will never cease to move fort*
ward until every wrorg is remedied ami equal rights and equal privileges securely
established for all the men and women of the country. We declare therefor -:
1. That the union of tho labor forces of the United States Ibis day consiimaterif
shall be permanent and perpetual. May its spirit enter into all hearts for the salva¬
tion of the republic and the uplifting of mankind.
2. Wealth belongs to him \^ho creates it, and every dollar taken from industry
without an equlvolent is robbery. "If any will not work, neither shall he eat.” The
interests of rural and civic labor are the same; their enemies are identical.
8. We believe that the time has come when the railroad corporations will either
own the people or the people must own them , anil should the government enter upon
the work of owning and continuing any or ail ruiWoruls wo should favor an amende
merit to the constitution by which all persons engaged in the government service
shall be placed under a civil service of regulation of the most rigid character, so as to
prevent the increase of the power national administration by tho use of bUcU addi¬
tional government employes.
The Planks of the Piatform.
1. Wo demand a national currency, safe, sound, and flexible, issued by tho gon
srai government only, a full legal tender for all debts, public and pi ivote, and that dis¬
without the use of • eking corporations; a just, equitable and efficient means of
tribution, direct to the people, at a tax not exceeding 2 of percent., tie provided, ns set
forth in the'subtreasury plan of the Farmers’ Alliance, some belter system; also by
payments in discharge of its obligations for public improvements,
a. We demand free and unlimited coinage of silver und gold at the present ratio
of 10 to 1.
b. We demand that tho amount of circulating medium bo speedily increased lo
not less than $50 capita.
c. We demand a graduated income tax. much possible in
d. We believe the money of tlie country should be kept as ns
tho hands of the people, and hence we demand that all State and national revenue
shall be limited to tho necessary expenses of the governm-nt, economically and
honestly administered. postal banks established by ihe government for
c. We demand that savings be
safe deposit of the earnings of tho people and to facilitate exchange.
2. Transportation being a means of change and a ptiii a necessity, the govern¬
ment should own and operate the railroads in the inter A of the people.
а. The telegraph and telephone, like the poslylhcf- system, being a necessity for
the transportation of news should be owned and operated by tho government in tho
interest of the people. wealth, is the heritage of all
3. The land, including all the national resources of
the people, arid should not be monopolized for speculative purposes, and alien own¬
ership of land should be prohibited. Ail 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 the government and held for actual settlers only. have been
SUPPLEMENT TO THE PLATFORM.—Whereas other questions of the
presented for our consideration, we hereby submit the following, not as a part
platform of the Peoples' party, but as resolutions expressive ot the sentiment of this
convention: and ■
1. Resolved, That we.demand a free ballot and a fair count in all elections
pledge ourselves to secure it to every legal voter without Federal intervention
j through the adoption by the States of the uuperverted Australian or secret ballot
system. derived from graduated income tax should be
2. Resolved, That iho revenue a the domestic indus¬
applied to a reduction of the burden of taxation now resting Upon
tries of the country. cx-L
8. Resolved, That we pledge our support to fair and liberal pensions to n!of\
soldiers and sailors. under
4. Resolved, That we condemn the fallacy of protecting American labor
the present system, which opens our ports to the pauper and criminal classes ot the
world, and crowds out onr wage earners; und we denounce the present ineffecti ve
laws against contract labor, and demand the further restriction of undesirably iofffiu
gration. cordially sympathize with the efforts of organized working
0. Resolved, That we
men to shorten the hours of labor and demand a rigid enforcement of the existing
eight-hour Jaw on government work, and ask that a penalty clause be added to the
said law.
б. Resolved, That we regard the maintenance of a large standing army of merce
naiies. known as the Pinkerton system as a menace to our liberties, and we demand
its abolition; and w r e e ndemn 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 n-form press the legislative system known as the initiative and referendum.
8. Resolved, That we favor a constitutional provision limiting the 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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