The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-13
Platform of the Indiana and Illinois
Farmers Tor Changers, we sHpp0se).

"
Farmers Tor Changers, we sHppose).
In making this call, and presuming tt
enter into competition with existing parties
! il is meet that we should give to the WorC
orr reasons as well as the remedies we pro
pose for the wrongs of which We complain
Starting, then, with the maxim that oHl
| Government is founded on the sovereignty
and consent of the governed, and lis purpose
is to protect property and enforce natural
rights, we acknowledge the broad principle
that difference of opinion is no crime, and
hold that progress toward truth is made By
difference Of opinion, while the fault lies in
the bitterness of controversy.
We desire a proper equality, equity, and
fairness; protection for the weak, restraint
upon the strong; in short, justly distributed
burdens and justly distributed powers.
These arc American ideas, the very essence
Of American independence, and to advocate
to the contrary is unworthy Of the sons and
DAUGHTERS of IN American republic. For
orr business interests we desire to bring
producers and CONSUMERS, farmers and man.
ufIctlIrerS, into the most direct and friendly
relations possible. We wage no aggressive
warfare against any other interests whatever.
On the contrary, all our actSand all our efforts,
so far as business is concerned, are not only
for the benefit Of the producer and consul
mer, but also for all other Legitimate inter-
ests that tend 10 bring these two parties
into speedy and economical contact. Hence
we hold that transportation companies OF
every kind are necessary to our success
that their interests are intimately connected
with our interests, and harmonious action Is
mutually advantageous. We shall therefore
advocate for every State an increase in every
practicable way OF facilities for Transporting
cheaply to the Scaboard, between home pro-
ducers and consumers. all the productions
of our country.
We adopt as our fixed purpose TO open
out the channels III natures great arteries,
that the likelihood OF commerce may flow
freely. We are not enemies Of railroads.
narigable and irriGating canals, nor any
corporation that will advance otf industrial
interests, but are friendly TO all aDorIng
classes But we hold that all class lcSlsa-
ton, whereby these original and common
elements, or the proceeds OF the same, en-
HANGED by intelligent labor, are perverted
from their original design aud made to
inure to the benefit Of non-proGucers
aud to the injury OF producers, is
wrong and subqeIsive OF the pur-
poses of good government. That all able
bodied, Intelligent persons should contribute
to tile common stock by useful industry
sum or guarantee equal to their own sup
port, and legislation should tend rs far rs
possible t. the equitable distribution Of the
surplus products. Ii these propositions are
true, our Government is wholly perverted
from lis true design, and the sacred names Of
democracy and repuolicanism are tue syn
- nd n rad
thereby. Us nos organized, are engines of op-
preston, crushing out the lives Of the people.
We need only point to the facts that in this
with land annually grooming beneath the
products of human effort, the mass of the
people have no supply beyond their daily
wants, and are compelled from unjust condl-
tons in sickness and misfortune TO become
paupcrS. Paupelism and crime are the per-
pleying questions of all modern statesman
ship, and it is with these We have to deal.
How far these evils are connected with
abuses inflicted on labor superficial states
mauship seems not 10 perceive. Chattcl
slavery has been abolished, but the
rights and relations of labor stand just where
they did before the emancipation in respect
to division of its products, the difference
lies only in the methods of abStracting the
results and concentrating them in the hands
of few capitalists. Capital is now master,
and dictates the terms, and thus all laborers
are practically placed in the same condition
as the slave before his emancipation. In
thus placing them the interest of all laborers
becomes common, and they must fight the
battle in unity if they would succeed. What,
then, are the instrumentaiities by which these
wrongs are inflicted?
FIRST. Banking and moncyed monopolies,
by which, through runous rates OF interest,
The products of human labor are concentra-
ted in the hands of non-producers. This is
the great central source of these wrongs in
and through which all other monopoles eX-
ist and operate.
Second. Consolidated railroads and other
transit monopolics, whereby all industries
are taxed to the last mill they will bear for
the benefit of stockholders and stock job
bers.
Third. Manufacturing monopolies, where
By all small operators are crushed out, and
the price Of labor and products are deter
mined with mathematical certainty in the
interest of capitalists.
Fourth. Land monopolies, by which the
public domain is absorbed By a few corpora
tons and spectators.
Fifth. Commercial aud grain monopoles,
specializing and enrichipg bloated corpora
tons on human necessities. We propose to
restore the Government to its original pur-
pose, and as far as possible to remedy these
evils and remove their results, first by aban-
doning the gold. base tallacy and establishing
a monetary system based on the faith and re-
sources OF the Government Of the nation, in
harmony with the genius Of the Government
and adapted to the eXtgencics Of legitimate
commerce, to this end, circulating notes
of national and State banks, as well
as all local currency, be Withdrawn from cir
cuation, and paper currency issued Dy the
Government which shall be legal-tender IN
payment of all debts, public and private,
| duties on imports included, and declared
equal with gold, the lawful money OF the
United States this currency or money tc
| be interchangeable ut the pleasure of the
holders for Government bonds 6earinga low
rate of interest, say 3 65-l00, the Government
creditors to have the privilege of taking th'
money or the bonds, at their election
reserying 10 Congress the right Il
regulate the rate of interest on the bonds
and the volume of the currency, s.
as to effect the equitable distribution OF tn
products of labor between money or nou
producing capital and productive Industry
and by payilg the national debt, in strict a.
cordance with the laws under which IL Wa
originally contracted, in gold, where It WI
specifically promised: but all other indeb