Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-08-21
EICALs,

Tbe Following is the platform OF
principles adopted by the Convention
held at Des Moines last Wednesday:
WHEREAS, Political parties are form
cd to meet public emergencies, and
when they have discharged the duty
which called them into being. they
may become the means Of abuses as
gross as those they were organized to
reform Now whereas, both the po-
litical parties have discharged the OBJ
legation assumed at their Organization
and being no longer potent as instru-
ments for the reform of abuses which
nave grown up in them, therefore we
deem it inconsistent TO attempt TO ac-
complish a political reform by acting
with, and in such organizations There
| fore
Resolved. That we in free Conven-
| ton do declare as the basis of our flu
ture political action: That all corpora
tons are subject to legislative control;
! that those created by Congress should
be restricted and controlled by Con-
gress. and that those under State laws
should be subject to the control respec.
( lively Of the States creating them that
such legislative control should be in
express abrogation of the theory of
the inalienabie nature of chartered
rights, and thst 1t should be at all times
so used as to prevent the monied cor
porations from becoming engines of
oppression; that the property of all
corporations should be assessed ty The
same officers and taxed at the same
rate as the property Of individuals.
That the Legislature Of Iowa should
BY law fix the maximum rates of
freight to be charged by the railroads
OF the State, leaving them free to COM
pete below the rates.
That we favor such a modification
of our banking system as will extend
its benefits to the whole people, and
thus destroying all monopoly now en-
jOyed by favored few.
That we demand q general revision
of the present tariff law. that shall
give us free salt, iron, lumber, and cot
ton and wooden fabrics, and reduce the
whole system to revenue basis only.
That we will not knowingly nomi-
nate any bad men to office, nor give
place to persistent seekers therefor, but
will freely seek for ourselves compc-
tent officers, as heretofore political
leaders have sought Office for them
selves and that we will nominate
only those known to be faithful and in
sympathy with these declarations, and
will, at the polls, repudiate any candi-
date known to be unfit or imcompc.
tent
That we demand the repeal of the
'back-salary law, and the return to the
u. s. Treasury of all mDuey taken
hereunder by the members Of the last
Congress. aud OF the members of the
present Congress. We demand re-
peal Ofthc law increasing salaries aud
the fixing Of lower and more reason
able compensation for public, officers,
believing that until the public debt is
paid aud the public burden lightened
the salaries Of our public servants
should be more in proportion TO the
rewards of labor in private life.
That we are opposed to All future
grants Of land to railroads or other
corporations, and believe that the pub
lie domain should DO held sacred To
actual settlers, and we are in favor of
law by which each honorably dis
charged soldier or his heirs NAV use
such discharge in any Government |
land officein full payment for quarter |
section ofunappropriated public lands. |
That the officers who betray their |
pledges Of trusts are unworthy Of re-
newed confidence, and those who
criminally tribe with the public funds |
must be punished as criminals. regard |
less OF their previous influence or the !
political importance of their bonds
men.
That we are in favor Of strict con-
of our Constitution by our
Supreme and other courts, and are OBJ
posed to the exercise of all doubtful
powers by judicial or other officers.
RESOLVED, That in the corrupt Tam
many steal, the Credit Mobilier fraud.
=. ..-e--s>.A~AAAla. sx--azzinlllo and [
official embez2lcments, and the hun
drcds of other combinations, steale,
frauds and swindles, by which Demo-
cratic and Republican Legislators,
and office-holders have
enriched themselves, defrauded the
and impoverished the people,
we find the necessity of independent !
action, and the importance of united
effort, and cordially invite all men of
whatever calling, business, trade or
vocation. regardless of past political
views, to Join us in removing the evils
that so seriously affect us all.