The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-09-26
PLATFORM OF Principles
.kasisaai Labsf Reform Party

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We held thess truths to be self-evident,
that NIL men are crested equal, that they are
endowed BY their Creator with certain ina
tenable rights > that snong them are life.
liberty and the Pursuit of happiness; that
to secure those rights governments are in
stituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed.
That there are bat two pure forms of gov
eminent, the Autoefatic and the Democratic;
under the former the will of the individual
sovereign is the Sapfene law. under the lat
ter the sovereignty Is vested in the whole
people, all other forms being a modification
of the one or the other of these principles,
and that ultimately one or the other Of
these forms must prevail throughout all
civilized nations, and il is now for the Amer
lean people TO determine which of these prin-
ciples shall triumph.
That the design Of The founders Of the Re-
public was 10 institute goyernmensapoa
the priL ciple of absoIute iaherent sovereign
each citizen the largest political and Ieligi-
GUS liberty compatible with the good order
OF society, and secure to each the right to
enjoy the fruits of his labor and talents
that when laws are enacted destructive of
tn eSC eDuSs tDtV STt Wltutut nQFat OIOUInL
force, and it is the right AID duty Of the
people to alter. amend Or abolish them, and
institute such Others, founding them upon
the principles of equity, as to them may
seem most likely to effect their prosperity
and happiness. s.,..,,-.,,
: Prudence win indeed dictate that iwpor
tart laws long established should not be
changed for light and transient causes, and
experience has shown that the American
people are more disposed to suffer whiIe
forms and laws 10 which they have been ac-
customed. But when long train Of legisIa,,
tive abuses, pursuing invariably The same
object, evinces design to subvert the spirit
OF freedom and equality upon which our in
situations are founded, and reduce them to
state of servitude, it is their right-it is
their duty to .abolish such laws and provide
new guards for their future security. Such
has been the patient suffering OK the wealth
producing classes Of the United States, and
such is now the necessity whiof eonstrains
them to put forth an organized and united
effort for maintaining their natural rights,
which are imPerilled by the insiiioas
schemes and nnwafranted aggressions Of
INSCRIPTIONS bankers and usurers by means
Of unwise and corrupt lsgislation.a saf
g We further hoEd-ATbasa ali property or
wealth 10 the product of physical or INTEL
lectual labor, employed IN productive indds
try and In the distribution Of the produc-
tons OF labor; that fabofers ought Or right,
and would, under jnsf monetary system
receive or retain the larger proportion Of.
their productions that The wrongs, oppfes-
sions and destjtution which hb0refs afe suf-
fering In most depart ments o legitimate en-
terprise and useful occupation, do not re-
suit from insutficiency 81 production but
from the unfair distribution Of the products
eflabor between men producing capital aud
labor. \. 1900. vs4 &,
That money is the medium Of distribution
70 Don-producing capital, and producing
labor, the rate or interest determining what
proportion of the products fof labor shall be
awarded 70 capital ier< its use, and whaf 10
labor for its productions; that the power to
make money and fegslate its value Isl an
essential attribute Of sovereignty, the exer-
else ef vhicnis By the OouBtiEatlenIOf the
United StstesJwiseIy and properly grahted to
Congress, and IT u the imperative duty OF
Congress to institute it upon such q wise
nna1ust basis that Il shall be iiiFsctsS under
the control Of the sovereign people who pro-
dpce the value it is. designed to. represent,
measure and exchange, tiist 1t may 6e u cord
rect and uniform standard Of value, and dr4
tribute the products Of labor eqqlahly, bet |
ween capital and labor according TO the |
service or labor performed m tkeit pro-
duction. 10y
That the law enacting the so-callsd, Ma
ti9nat Bsgki1e sySkeui - Ia9 deIstkfz6n by |
r Al a u