The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-05-11
Labor Reform Club,

esived BY Osaan & Hapeman, Ottawa, H.
Labor Reform Club.
Wegave briefly IN cur last the proceedings of
the Labor Reform meeting held at the Court
House on Friday evening" ct last week. In
addition to the officers named in our last, F.
A. Boles was elected treasurer.
DR.. Jos. Stout and Capt. Cegswell were ap-
pointed delegates to represent the clab at the
Cincinnati convention.
Speeches were made by Capt. Cogswell and
G. W. Stipp, Esq, aud the following resolu-
tons, being the resolutions ct the late National
Labor Reform Convention at Columbus, Ohio,
were adopted as the platform of the club:
We hold that "all political power 10 inherent
in the people, and free government founded on
their authority and established for their bene.
fit:" that all citizens are equal In political
rights, aad entitled to the largest religious and
political liberty Compatible with the good or.
der of society, as ALEC the use aad enjoyment of
the fruits Of their labor and talent and mo man.
or set Of men, are entitled to exclusive separate
emoluments, privilege or iumanities from
the Government bat in consideration OF public
:ervices;" and any laws destructive Of these
fundamental principles. ere without moral bind.
ing force, AID should be repealed and, beliey.
ing that all evils resulting from unjust legisla.
tion, now affecting the industrial glasses, can DO
removed by the adoption Of the principles con.
tanned in the following declarations, therefore
be it ... -
Resolced, That 1t 10 the duty Of tho Govern.
ment to establish just standard Of distribution
to capital and labor. by providing = purely M.
tional circulating medium, based on ths faith and
resources OF the nation Issued directly to the
people, without the Intervention Of any system
OF banking corporations, which money shall be
legal.tender in the payment of al debts, public
and private, and interchangeable at the option
of the holder for Government bonds, bearing .
rate of interest not to exceed 65-l0O per cent,
subject to future Legislation BY Congress.
2. That the national debt should be paid In
good faith, according to the original contract, ct
the earliest option of the Government without
mortgsging the property of the people, or the fu.
ture earnings of labor, TO enrich few capitalists
at home and abroad.
the Government should be so adjusted a. TO bear
equally on all classes aud interests, and that the
exemption from taxation of Government bonds
bearing extortlonate rates Of interest, ia viola.
lation of all just principles of Revenue law.
4. That the enlightened spirit Of the age de.
mands the abolition OF the system Of contract Ia.
Dor in our prisons and other reformatory insti.
tutiona.
8. That the public lands of the United States
belong to the people, and should not be sold to
individuals nor granted to corporations, but
should be held as a sacred trust for the bene-
fit OF the people. and should be granted free OF
cost to landless settlers only. in amounts not ex-
ceeding 100 acres of land
q. That Congress should modify the tariff go
- to admit free such articles of common use es
we can neither produce nor grow, and levy du-
ties for revenue mainly upon articles Of luxury,
and upon such articles of manufacture as I'VE
having the raw material in sbundancel will as
sist in further developing the resources of the
country
Z. That the presence in our country of Chi.
nese laborers, imported by capitalists in large
numbers for servile use, is an evil entailinR
want and ITS attendant train Of misery and crime
on all classes of the American people. and should
be prohibited by legislation.
3. That we ask for enactment Of the law
by which all mechanics @. day laborers EN-.
ployed by or on behalf of the Government,
whether directly or indirectly through persons,
firms, or corporations contracting with the State.
shall conform to the reduced standard of eight
National employees, and also for an amendment
to the act Of incorporation for cities and towns
by which all laborers and mechanics employed
at their expense shall inform to the same mum.
Der of hours.
3. That tie protection of life, liberty and
property are the three cardinal principles Of the
Government, and the first two more sacred than
the latter; therefore the money necessary for
prosecuting wars should, AS it is required, be ~.
Sessed and collected from the wealth Of the coun.
try, and not entailed burden on posterity.
III. That 1t Is the duty OF the government to
70 exercise its power over railroads and tele-
graph corporations, that they shall not, in any
case, be privileged to exact such rates Of freight
or charges. by whatsoever name, as may bear
nnduly or unequally upon either producer or
consumer. .. ..
II. That, as both history aud experience
teach us that power ever seeks to perpetuate it.
self by any and by all means vt it's command.
aud that its prolonged possession in the hands OF
one person is always dangerous to the liberties
ct 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 aud secured on the other BY . reg.
ular constitutional change in the Chief Execu.
tive OF the country at each qusdrennial election;
therefore. we are in favor Of limiting the oceu.
pancy OF the Presidential chair to one term.
II Resolred, That there should be such reform
in the civil service Of the National Government
as will remove it beyond sll party influence, and
place it in the charge and under the direction
OF intelligent aud competent business men.
H. That We sre in favor Of granting general
amnesty. and restoring the Union vt once on the
basis OF tqu lity of rights and privileges to all.
the impartial administration Of Justice being the
only true bond of union to bind the States to.
rrthrr - restore the affections Of the people
10 the G vein.nsnt