Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-04-17
The National creenbackers In

|
our items concerning the Greenback
State Convention, held yesterday, at
Des Moines. Forty-six counties out
of the ninety mine lin the State were
represented, the delegations being
very meagre in numbers. The larg-
est vote taken in the convention shows
Is delegates present. Judge E. N.
Gates, of Jasper county, was made
chairman of the convention, and the
following ticket was nominated:
Secretary Of State-E. M. Farms
worth, of Winneshiek county.
Treasurer of State-M. l.. Devin,
Of Polk county.
For State Auditor-G. V. Swearin-
gen. .-
Register Of State Land Office-M.
harrington.
Attorney General-C. II. Jackson.
M. H. Jones, Of Bloomfield, was q |
candidate for this office aud received |
Is votes.
J. c. Knapp, of Keosauqua, was
nominated for Supreme Judge. AL
exander Runyon for Clerk Of the Su-
preme Court and George w. Ruther-
ford for Supreme Court Reporter.
A good deal of discussion was had
among delegates and . very wide diff
ference Of opinion manifested even
on the greenback question. For in
stance delegate Bond did not believe
in the Toledo, O.. resolutions he
feared they meant reputation. 1t
was apparent that there was very
material variance among members of
the convention - to what were real
ly the sentiments Of the party. One
delegate wanted the recent railroad
law condemned; another wanted
stringent temperance law enacted,
and these positions found strong op-
ponents. They were finally compro-
missed with meaningless resolutions.
None of the more prominent men
of the softs were present, such as
Stubbs, Weaver, Eastman, Ballinger,
WEIGH, sc.
The Register says.it was spiritless
affair and fell far below that of the
last year. The ticket nominated is
largely from the old democratic par
ty. To suppose that Judge Knapp,
for instance, Endorses the platform Of
this party, can only be regarded by
those acquainted with him as other
than huge joke. 1t seems to us that
. decent respect for himself would
lead him to disavow the sentiments
Of the platform.
The following is the platform adop-
ted:
| WHEREAS, Throughout our entire
country The value of real estate is de-
1 prcciated, industry parslyzed. trade
depressed, business income and wages
reduced, unparalleled distress inflicted
upon the poorer and middle ranks of
our people, the land filled with fraud,
embezzlement, bankruptcy, crime
suffering, pauperism and starvation
and
WHEREAS, This state of things has
been brought about by Legislation in
the interest of and dictated by money
lenders, bankers and bondholders
and
WHEREAS, The limiting OF the legal
tender quality OF greenbacks, the
changing of currency bonds into coin
bonds, the demonetizing Of the silver
dollar, the exempting of bonds from
taxation, the contraction of the circu.
lstirg medium, the proposed forced
! resumption Of specie payments, and
, the prodigal waste Of the public lands
were crimes against the people, and
30 far as possible the results of these
, criminal acts must be counteracted by
. judicious legislation
. l. We demand the unconditiona
repeal of the specie resumption act o.
Jan. IA, 1876, and the abandonment
! the present suicidal and destructiv,
: policy of contraction.
Il 2. We demand the abolition Of ma
tional banks and the issue Of full lie
I gal tender paper money by the gov
l. eminent, and receivable for all dues
: public and private.
3. We demand the reconciliation
of the silver dollar, making it a tul
legal tender for the payment OF al
2 coin bonds of the government, anG
!. for all other debts, public and pri
vate, and that the coinage of silve
shall be placed on the same footing a
q that of gold.
3 4. Congress shall provide said mon
r ey adequate to the full employment o
labor. the equitable distribution o
its products and the requirements O
Q business.
5. We demand that Congress shall
not, under any circumstances, author
ize the issuance of interest bearing
t bonds Of any kind or class.
e 6. The adoption of an American
\ monetary system, as proposed herein
will harmonic all differences in re
. gard to tariff and Federal taxation
t distribute equitably the joint earn
ings of capital and labor, secure to tn,
;, producers of wealth the results o
their labor and skill, muster out o
9 service the vast army Of idlers, who
! under the existing system, grow rict
o upon the earnings of others, that ev
. cry man and woman may by theiI
own efforts secure competence, 81
that overgrown fortunes and ex.
: IRENE poverty will be seldom found
: within the limits of our republic.
n Z. The government should, by gen
eral enactment, encourage the devel
opment of our agricultural, mineral
mechanical, manufacturing and com
mercial resources, to the end that la
Dor may be fully and probably en-
ployed, but no monopolies should b.
r legalized.
, 8. The public lands are the common
!, property of the whole people and
9 should not be sold to spectators, mol
granted to railroads or other corpo
lrations, but should be donated to &C
: |tual settlers IN limited quantities.
Il 9. II is inconsistent with the geniuI
and spirit Of popular government tina
= any species of private or corporate
I property should be exempt from bear
!, ing its just share Of the public bur
dens.
10. That while the interests of thu
labor and producing classes through.
tout the nation are identical, North
J, South, East and West and while it il
: an historic fact that the war of the re-
a bellion was inap guratel in the inter.
ests Of a class kindred to that which
.oppresses us; therefore we declare
that the government of the United
:. States shall never. pay any part OF
0 portion of what 10 known as the Con
, federate or rebel debt.
IL. We demand Constitutions
amendment fixing the compensation
of all State officers, including mem
? bers and employees of the General As
: sembly.
Il We demand general reduction OF
all county aud court expenses, with I
reduction Of Offices, to lessen oppres
, sive taxes.
IL IL. We demand that all just and lie
| gal means shall be used for the sup
!" preston Of the evils of intemper
Ance.
Il We invite the considerste judgmen
Q of our fellow citizens of all politica
parties upon these, our principles and
purposes, and solicit the cooperation