LAD #23: Populist Party Platform

 

LAD #23: Populist Party Platform

The Populist Party Platform is broken into three main parts, the Preamble, the Platform, and the Expression of Sentiments. In the Preamble, there overall issues America and the government are discussed. The issues of corruption, poverty among the working class, bad working conditions, and the inability to unionize are all mentioned. The devaluation of silver is also mentioned, as is the desire to use silver more to make transactions easier due to a greater supply of currency. Finally, the Preamble concludes with the party's desire to attain equality for all and eliminate injustice and poverty. Next is the Platform. In this section, they state that they are pro-unions, want the money to go to those who earn it and make the products, and that government should own the railroads. They also mentioned some economic policies, like wanting the unlimited use of silver and gold for coins, more money in circulation, a graduated income tax, less money in government, and government banks for the people. They also state that they want telephone and telegraph companies controlled by the government. Finally, they say that they want the excess land given to the railroads to be used for settlers. The last section is the Expression of Sentiments, in which they state they plan to create a free, just, and secret ballot, to use to income tax to reduce other taxes, to make pensions for veterans, improve working conditions, restrict immigration, abolish mercenary groups like the Pinkertons, limit the term amount of the president to one, and more.

This reminded me of the Know Nothing Party because the Know Nothing Party also wanted to restrict immigration. Even though it was for a different reason, the Populist Party also wanted to decrease immigration into America.