The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-06-15

bear equally on all classes and in erests, and
that the exemption from taxation of govern
ment bonds bearing extortionate ltes of in
terest, is violation of all Just inciples OF
revenue laws.
4. That the public lands Of the United
States belong to the people, and should not
be sold to individuals or granted to corpora
tions, but should be held as sacred trust for
the benefit of the people, and should be grant
ed free of cost to landless settlers only, in
amounts not exceeding l6O acres of land.
5. That Congress should modify the tariff
so as to admit free such articles Of common
use as we can neither produce nor grow, and
levy duties for revenue mainly upon articles
of luxury, and upon such articles Of manu-
facture as 1--WE having the raw material in
Abundance) will assist in further developing
the resources Of the country.
6. That the pre- nee in our country Of Chi
nese laborers, imported by capitalists in large
numbers for servile use, Is an evil entailinQ
want and its attendant train Of misery and
crime on all classes of the American people
and should be prohibited by legislation.
7. That we ask for the enactment of . law
by which all mechanics and day laborers en-
ployed by or on behalf Of the government,
whether directly or Indirectly through per-
sons, firms, or corporations contracting with
ard of eight hours a day, recently adopted by
Congress for national employees, and also for
an amendment to the acts Of incorporation for
cities and towns, by which all laborers and
mechanics employed at their expense shall
conform to the same number Of hours
5. That the protection of life, liberty and
property are the three cardinal principles of
government, and the first two more sacred
than the latter therefore the money neces-
sary for prosecuting wars should, as it is re-
quired, be assessed and collected from the
wealth Of the country, and not entailed as q
burden Of posterity.
.. That it is the duty Of the government to
so exercise its power over railroads and tele-
graph corporations that they shall not in any
case be privileged to exact such rates Of
freight, transportation or charges, by whatso-
ever name, as may bear unduly or unequally
upon either producer or consumer.
10. That fitness, and not political or per-
sonal considerations, should be the only re-
commentator to public office, either appoint
i've or elective, and any or all laws looking to
the establishment Of this principle are heart
lily approved.
IL. That, as both history and experience
teach us that power ever seeks to peFpetuate
itself by any and by all means at its command,
and that its prolonged possession in the hands
of one person is always dangerous TO the lib
critics of a free people and believing, too,
that the spirit of our organic laws and the
stability and safety of our free institutions are
best obeyed on the one hand and secured
on the other by regular constitutional
change in the Chief Executive of the country
at each quadrennial election therefore, we are
in favor of limiting the occupancy of the
Presidential chair to one term.
II. That the enlightened spirit of the age
demands the abolition Of the system of con-
tract laoor in our prisons and other reforma-
tory institutions.
Is. That we deem ii expedient for Con-
gress to revise the Patent laws 20 a. to give
labor more fully the benefit of its own inven-
tons
IA. That we demand the subsection of the
military to the civil authority, and the con-
tinement Of its operation to national purposes
alone.
Is. That we are in favor Of granting gen.
eral amnesty, and restoring the Union at once
on the basis Of equality Of rights and priyi-
leges to all, the impartial administration Of
jnstiee being the only true bond Of union to
bind the States together and restore the af-
fections of the people to the government