The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-02-29
National Labor Convention.
The candidates-The Platform.

The candidates-The Platform.
The National Labor Reform Party
met in Convention at Columbus on
the 2lst inst, and after the election OF
officers adjourned over till the next
day. There were $50 delegates in at
tendance.
On Thursday morning the conven-
ton reassembled, and the Secretary
read the following report on
bso PLATFORM.
We hold that all political power
Inherent in the people, and free gov
ernment founded on their authority
and established for their benefit. That
all citizens are equal in political rights,
entitled to the largest religious and
political liberty compatible with the
good order of society, as also the use
and enjoyment of the fruits of their
labor and talents; and no man or set
of men Is entitled to exclusive separa-
bic endowments and privileges, or i'm
munities from the Government, but
in consideration of public services !;
and any laws destructive of these fun
damental principles are without moral
binding force, and should be repealed.
And believing that all the evils re-
sulting from unjust legislation now
affecting the industrial classes can be
removed by the adoption of the prin-
ciple contained in the following de-
claration; therefore,
ResolUed, That it is the duty of the
Government to establish a Just STAN
dard of distribution of capital and la
Dor by providing purely National
circulating medium, based on the faith
and resources of the nation, issued di-
rectly to the people without the inter-
vention of any system of banking cor
porations, which money shall be legal
tender in the payment of all debts,
public and private, and interchangea-
Bile at the option of the holder for
Government bonds bearing a rate of
interest not to exceed 3-65 per cent.
subject to future legislation by Con-
gress. 3 7sat64d 81 sLJ l5ot
ReSolUed, That the national debt
should be paid in good faith accord
ing to the original contract, at the ear
liest- option of the Government, with
out mortgaging the property of the
people or, the future eXigence of labor
teienrich a few capitalists at home and
abroad y il3nsasd .l!3oia aosgfig9 -
- Res diced, That justice demands that.
the burdens of government should be
sosadjnsted as to to bear equally on
all classes and nthat the exemption
from taxation of Government bonds
bearing extravagant rates of interest
is a violation of ALL ast principles of
revenue laws. hsia 9loA3 sdJ Ia8n1
Resolred, That the public lands of
the United, States belong to the peo-
pie, and should not be sold to indi-4
viduals OF. granted, TO corporations,
but should be held as sacred trust
for the benefit of, the people, and
should be granted to landIess settlers
only, in amounts not exceeding 160
acres of land. - - s,a,5s.a.,.
/, ResoEUed, That, s Congress should
modify the tariff so as to admit free
such articles of common use as we can
neither produce nor grow, and lay du-
ties for revenue mainly upon articles
of luxury, and upon such articles, of
manufacture as will, we having the
raw materials, assist in further deVel-
Oping the resources of the country.
ResolUed, That the presence in our
country of Chinese laborers, import
ed by capitalists in large numbers for
sefvile use, is an evil, entalling want
and its attendant train of misery and
crime on all classes of the American
people, and should be prohibited by
legislation ee-s4-s
ResoEUed, That we ask for the enact
ment OF a law by which all mechanics
and day-laborers employed by or on
behalf of the Government, whether
directly or Indirectly, through per-
sons, firms or corporations, contract
ing with the State, shall conform to
the reduced standard of eight hours a
day, recently adopted by Congress for
National employees, and also for an
amendment to the acts of incorpora-
tiOn for cities and towns by which all
laborers and mechanics employed at
their expense shall conform to the
same number of hours
Resolced, That the enlightened spir-
it of the age demands the abolition of
the system of contract labor in our
prisons and other reformatory insti-
tutions.
Resozced, That the protection oflife,
liberty and property are the three car
dinal principles of government, and
the first two are more sacred than the
latter; therefore, money needed for
prosecuting wars should, as it is re-
quired, be assessed and collected from
the wealthy of the country, and not
entailed as a burden on posterity.
ResotUed, That it is the duty of the
- ~ Il.
over railroads and telegraph corpo-
rations, that they shall not in any case
be privileged to exact such rates of
freight, transportation, or charges by
whatever name, as may bear undulv
or unequally9 upon the producer or
consumer. s;i@tft tfs.3f5f ei .4it
Resozced, That there should be such
a reform in the civil service of the
National 6 Government as will remove
it beyond all partisan influence, and
place it in the charge and under the
Intelligent and competent
business meH.5 .ra sih . 5f9fA ~ |
y Resolred, That as both history aud
experience teaches US that power ever
seeks to perpetuate itself by every and
all means, and that its prolonged pos
session in the hands of one person is
always dangerous to the interests of
a free people, and believing that the |
spirit of our organic laws aud the sta /
bility and safety of our free institu- |
tions are best obeyed on the one hand |
and secured on the other, by regu-
lar constitutional change in the Chief |
of the country at each election; there /
fore, we are in favor of limiting the |
of the Presidential chair to |
one term.
Resolced, That we are in favor of
granting general amnesty and restor-
ing the Union, at once on the basis of |
equality of rights and privileges to all, I
the, impartial administration of jus
tice being the only true bond of union /
to bind the States together and restore