Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-11
Principles of the National Labor
Party.

Party.
St. Louis, 10. The declaration of prin-
ciples with which the National Labor Party
propose to 90 before the country next year
rs a political organization, is as follows -
Referring to call for a national convention
to nominate president and vice-prcsident.
They say, in making this call and presuming
to enter into completion with the existing
parties, it is right that we should give to the
world our reasons as well as our remedies
which we propose for the wrongs of which
we complain, starting them with the maxim
that our government is founded on sovereignty
and consent of the governed and that pur-
pose is to protect property, and enforce ma
tional rights, and thus give to all an oquita-
BILE chance in the race of life that land,
water, air and all the material elements are
common gifts, governments being only trus-
tees to guard against their application, and
that as trustees they have no right to ALLEVIATE
them, without the consent of owners. 1t is
fully given that all classes of legislation,
whereby these original and common elements
or proceeds of the same are enhanced by in
telligent labor, are perverted from their
original design, and made to inure to the
benefit of non producers and injury of the
producers; is wrong and subyersive of the
purposes of good governments, that all able
bodied, intelligent persons should contribute
to common stock by fruitful industry, sum
or quantity equal to their own support and
legislation, and should tend as far as possible
TO an equitable distribution of surplus pro-
ducts. If these propositions are true, our
government is wholly perverted from its true
design, and the sacred names of Democracy
and Republicanism synonyms of despotism,
and the parties represented thereby as new
organized engines of oppression. crushing out
A.
facts in this benefcient country of unlimited
resources, with the land annually groaning
beneath the products Of human effort. The
mass of people have no supply beyond their
daily wants, and are compelled under these
unjust editions in sickness and misfortune,
to become paupers and Migrants. Pauperism
and crime are the prevailing questions in all
modern craftsmanship, and it is with these
we have to deal. How far these evils are
connected with abuses inflicted on labor, Il
superficial craftsmanship seems not to per-
ceve. Chattel slavery has been abolished, but
the rights and relations of labor stand Just
where they did before emancipation. In re-
spect to division of its products, the differ
ence lies only in the methods of abs;racting
the results, and concentrating them in few
capitalists, who are now masters and dicta-
tors of terms, and thus all labor is practically
placed in the same condition of the slave be-
fore his emancipation. In thus placing it the
interests of all labor become common, and
they must fight their battles in unity if they
would succeed. What then are the instru-
mentalties by which these wrongs are in
fiicted? First banking and monied monopo-
lies, by which through ruinous rates of in
terest, productions of human labor are
concentrated in the hands of non producers.
This is the great central source of these
&I oh aI1 h.,
lies exist and operate. Second, consolidated
railroads and other monopolies, whereby all
industries taxed to the last mill they will
bear for the benefit of stockholders and stock
iobbers. Third, manufacturing monopolies,
whereby small operators are crushed, and the
price of labor and its productions are deter
mined with mathematical certainty in the in
terest of capitalists. Fourth, land monopo-
lies, by which the public domain is absorbed
by the few spectators. Fifth, commercial
and grain monopolies, specializing enrich their
bloated corporations on human necessities.
We propose to restore the government to its
original purpose, and as far as possible to
remedy these evils and remove their results.
FIRST, by establishing a monetary system,
based on facts and resources of the nation, in
harmony with genius of the government and
adopted exigences of legitimate commerce.
To this end, the circulating notes of National
and State banks, as well as all currency that
are not full legal tender should be withdrawn
from circulation, and a proper currency is
sued by the government, which shall be
legal tender in payment of all debts, public
and private, dues on imports included, and
declared the lawful money of the United
States. This currency or money is to be in
Interchangeable at the pleasure of the holders
of government bonds bearing three per cent.
In hn
the privilege of taking the money or bonds at
their election resuring to Congress the right
to regulate interest on bonds, and the value
of the currency so as to effect an equitable
distribution of the products of labor between
money or nonp producing capital and produc
tive industry. Second, by paying the ma
tional debt in strict accordance with the laws
under WHICH it was originally contracted;
gold where specifically promised, but all
other forms of Indebtedness, including the
principal of the tive-twenty bonds shall be
discharged at the earliest option of the gov
ernment, in legal tender currency or lawful
money of the United States, without funding
it in long bonds, or in any way increasing
gold paying and untaxed obligations ofthe
government. Third, by preserving the public
domain for actual tillers of the soil.
Fourth, by a tariff revenue alone, believing
as we do that the reduction of interest to adj
lust rate, will do more to increase the re-
wards of labor and encourage the develop
ment of agriculture, mineral, manufacturing
and mechanical resources. Fifth, by re-
straining, or if need be, abolishing corporate
monopolies under its interdicting class of
legislation and combining national legislation
to such objects, subjecting military to civil
authorities, reduce the army to a peace stan
dard and combining Operations 10 national