The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-10-04
Platform Of the Independent
Party Of Minnesota,


Farbault June 10th 1877.
Mr.. Donnelly from the committee
on resolutions made the following re-
port, which was unanimously adopted:
"Resolped, That we reaffirm the
principles of the National lndepen-
dent Party, as proclaimed at Indian
apolis on the 18th of May, 1876, and
point to the present financial condl-
ton of the American people as the
best evidence of the necessity Tor the
reforms therein demanded
ResoLued, That we charge that the
course of national financial Legislation
for years past has all been III favor OF
the holders of our national bonds and
against the taxpayers:
|. BY changing the terms OF some
of the bonds so that they were made
PAYABLE in gold and silver coin, instead
of "Iawful money of the United
States
9. BY subsequently enactlng that
the same bonds should be PAID III gold
alone.
3. BY Increasing the weight OF the
gold dollar.
A. BY contracting the currency OF
the country. so as to make money more
valuable, and the property OF the peo-
pie less valuable.
5. BY decreeing forced resumption
of specie payments upon the lst OF
January, 1879, thus cOnSlgnlng our al
ready impoverished people to greater
DEPTHS of suffering in the future.
Resoiped That we regard the dem
onetiZation Of American silver com as
the result Ola conspiracy, and crime
against the prosperity and industry OF
the American people, and one OF the
chief causes OF the present suffering;
nd we demand that silver coin be
once more restored by Congress to the
place which it held for over eighty
wears, as legal tender, III all sums,
for all debts public and private.
Resolred, That we endorse the pol
lev of reconciliation and peace pro-
mulgated by the present national
administration, and hail the era OF
good will among all the citizens OF our
common country us suspicious Tor IL
proper consideration of the great
financial questions upon which depend
the prosperity of our people.
Resolved. That we protest against
the financial policy now being enforc-
ed bv Secretary Sherman. Which Is
rapidly increasing the bonded debt OF
the United States by withdrawing
-'greenbacks, the people money and
substituting in their place national
bank notes, based ON hondsupon which
we are taxed to pay interest.
averse to some reasonable and equita-
bic settlement of the so-called Mime
sofa State railroad bonds, we shall
demand of our candidate for Governor,
and of our candidates for the State
Legislature, unequivocal pledges that
they will not favor or support any
proposed settlement of the said bonds
unless the same is first fully and fairly
submitted. at general election, to the
neople of the state for their approval
or rejection.
Resolred. That in the present distress
of the taxpayers of this state we de-
mand the strictest retrenchment III al
public expenditures and reduction
of salaries to correspond with the dl
unfinished incomes of the people.
Resotred. That the recent labor out
breaks. which have interrupted the
the commerce Of the country and
brought the nation to the brink OF
civil war. are the legitimate fruit OF
the pernicious financial legislation
now being enforced. That while we
sympathise with the laboring people
in this great distress, we would say
10 them. that the true remedy fol
their grievances is to be found not IL
violence and crime but in the ballot
box. through support of the indie
pendent party. which alone defends
their rights and proposes a remedy for
their wrongs.