The weekly clarion., 1874-06-18
THE NEW PARTY PLATFORM


place In the calendar of important events.
4 On that day New Party was born and
received its baptismal conservation IN the
great States of Indiana and Illinois.
This organization is the outgrowth OF
what is popularity known as the Farmer
Movement, though it embraces in accord
ance with the designs of its projectors,
the laboring and industrial classes gen.
erally, and the opposers of special privi-
leges and monopoly of every vocation.
Conventions were held at the capitols OF
those two States concurrently in conform
ity to previous notice. They were nu-
merously attended by an earnest and
intelligent, body of delegates who evi-
IDENTITY have undertaken the work OF
Reform, with determination to carry ii
forward to a victorious conclusion. They
formally took the name OF INDEPENDENTS
by which they will henceforward be
known.
Platforms were adopted and full tick
cts were nominated for the State officers,
to be filled in October.
The delegates and candidates were
composed of men from both the old
parties, in about equal proportions.
/ Having severed their connection with those
parties on the assumption that on neither
could reliance be placed, they have de
nounced both as unfit to be trusted, and
have put themselves in an attitude of
defiance to both.
In arranging the details of Platform
it was feared the Financial Question
would be a rock on which the Re
formers would split. But these appre-
tensions have proved to be groundless.
| The sentiment was so overwhelming in
favor of what is called imitation, that
resolutions embodying the idea Of an
increase of currency were passed without
discussion.
! The Platforms are somewhat crude
and lack the symmetry and completeness
characteristic of the Older and more
experienced organizations but if the
infant does not ''die aborning," and the
movement should prove a success, these
defects will be remedied in time.
This much we have said as an intro
duction to the resolutions, without in
tending to commit ourselves to them as
a whole, or to the movement, further than
to express our good will for every we'll
meant endeavor to Danish corruption,
reduce expenditures, break down monop-
! oily, and afford remedy for the tnan-
cial depression under which the pro-
ducing classes are suffering accomplish
these ends the masses are desperately
unerringly point the way ere long. We
disapprove of, whatever there is in the
resolutions which SAVIOR of er pest tacto
legislation, or interference with vested
rights, and agrarianism which is scarcely
less to be deprecated than the abuses Of
monopoly.
THE INDIANA PLATFORM.
In making this call and presuming to
enter into complete competition ,Cith both
parties, we should give to the world our
our reasons os well as the remedies we
propose Tor the wrongs OF which we
complain. Starting then with the maxim
| that our Government is founded on the
sovereignty and consent of the governed,
and its purpose to protect property and
enforce natural rights, we acknowledge
the broad principle that difference of
opinion is no crime, and hold that pro-
gress toward truth is made by diff
ferences of opinion, while fault lies in
bitterness of controversy. We desire a
proper equality for farmers, protection
for the weak, and restraint upon the
strong; in short, y-distributed bur
deDs and justly-attributed powers. These
are American ideas, the very essence of
American independence, and to advocate
the contrary is unworthy of the sons and
daughters Of an American Republic.
For cur business interests we desire to
bring producers and consumers, farmers
and manufacturers, into the most direct
and friendly relations possible. We
urge no aggressive war against any other
interest whatever; on the contrary, all
our acts and all our efforts, so far as bust
ness is concerned, are not only for the
benefit of producer and consumer, but
also for all other legitimate orders that
tend to bring these two parties into speedy
and economical contact
What, then, are the instrumentalities
by which these wrongs are inflicted ?
First, banking and monied mOnOpolies,
by which, through ruinous rates of in
terest, the products of human labor are
concentrated in the hands of non-produ-
GERS. This is the great central source of
these wrongs, in and through which all
other monopolies exist and operate
Second, consolidated railroads, and other
transit monopolies, whereby all industries
are taxed to the last mill they will bear
for the benefit of the stockholders and
stock -jobbers. Third, manufacturing
monopolies, whereby all small operators
are crushed out and the prices Of labor
and products are determined with mathe-
matical certainty in the interest of the
capitalists. Fourth, land monopolies,
by which the public domain is absorbed |
by few corporations and speculators |
Fifth, commercial and grain monopolies, |
speculations, and enriching the bloated |
corporations on human necessities.
We propose to restore the Government |
to It's original purpose, and, as far as
possible, to remedy those evils and re-
move their results first, by abandoning
the gold basis fdlL0cy and establishing |
monetary system based on the faith and re-
sources of the Government Of the nation, IN /
harmony lOih the genius of the GOUernneat, |
and adapted to the erigencies of legitimate
commerce. To this end, the circulating |
notes Of the National and State Raots