The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-04-23
THE "NATIONAL" PLAT
FORM.
rom the Grand Rapids Eagle.

duties is to examine the claims Of thi
new party, and decide upon their mer
its. They have what they call plat
form, adopted in a so-called nationa
/ convention, and by state convention
I in several states. IL is the one npsr
which they planted themselves for th'
| spring elections in this state. Let III
look at some of its provisions or reso
lutions, commenting briefly thereon:
/. II Is the exclusive function OF the genera
/ government 10 coin and create money ant
| regulate lts value. All banks issues designed
20 circulate as money should be suppressed
The circulating medium, whether Of gold o
paper, should be Issued by the government
aud made full legal tender for all debts. du
ties, and taxes, IN the United States at IL
stamped value
Whoever will examips the oonstitu
ton Of the United States may learr
that no such function as to ''creats
money" is therein vested in the genera
government. Whoever will exercise q
little common sense, may reach the
conclusion that the function to "crsats
money and regulate its value" involves
the creation Of value by law, which il
Just as absurd as the creation OF meas
ure or of weight by law. That the
making Of paper medium OF circula.
tion" legal tender for debts neither
creates" nor regulates" its value,
has been demonstrated as often as the
experiment has been tried. Value can.
not be stamped" into that which has
no value. The value Of paper curren.
cy, the world over, rests upon its
promise TO pay money, and the actual
or probable fulfillment OF the promise
by redemption.
2. There shall be no privileged eias. OF
credit Official salaries, pensions, bonds,
and al other debts and obligations, public
and private, shall be discharged ln the legal
tender money OF the United States strictly ac-
cOTding 10 the stipulations Of the laws under
which they we're contracted.
There is not now any privileged
class of credit" The bonds are free
for anybody to hold who may purchase
them. Those who hold them are not
exempt from tax, except upon the
bonds, aud upon these, as an offset TO
the tax, they have 10 be content with a
much lower rate OF interest than they
can get or would take for their money
Invested in any other way. To insist
that the bonds should be discharged"
IN the notes Of the debtor, which by
the very terms of this resolution are
not to be paid at all, is simply TO in
sist upon legalizing robbery. There
is not man of business connected
with the national party who would not
spurn a similar proposition in his pri-
vate affairs, and denounce a debtor
who should claim a right TO pay his
mortgage in that way, rs q dishonest
rascal. When il shall be right for q
government 10 treat its creditors thus,
II will be right that every individual
composing the government shall do
the same thing. According TO the
stipulations Of the laws under which
they were contracted" the bonds OF the
United States are payable in coin.
3 The coinage Of silver should bs placed
on the same footing as that OF gold.
That is right and just. But under
tho propositions OF the second resolu-
tion Just above quoted, there should
be no use for coin, either silver or gold
II is out Of place and inconsistent with
the. .rost OF this national platform.
l. Congress should provide said money
adequate 20 the full employment of labor. the
equitable distribution OF it, products, and the
requirements OF business. fixing a minimum
amount per capita 10 the population, az near
a. may be. and otherwise regulating Its vol
une by wise and equitable provisions Of Law,
- THAI the rate OF Interest will secure 70 labor
its just reward
Congress has no such function and
no such duty as that Of provider Of
money adequate 10 the full employ
ment of labor. 1t may provide for the
payment Of government expenses, but
Tor these il must raise the money by
tax. The people must provide it. No
matter what is made legal tender by
congress, whoever wants money must
give for il some consideration. Were
the national bank currency abolished
tomorrow, and were the national
treasury 90 issue greenbacks instead,
the man who wants money must either
sell something for it, or he must hire
il as he does how, either OF banks or
individual brokers.
The clause regarding fixing mini
mum amount" leaves the inference that
there is 10 be no maximum limit. II
is n suggestion Of unlimited imitation.
There caa be no such thing as con.
trolling the volume Of money by law
$50 that the rate Of interest will secure
20 labor its Just reward. All exper-
ience shows that when and where there
is most money ahoat of an uncertain
and huctuating value, the highest rate
OF interest prevails.
4 Its inconsistent with the genius and
spirit OF popular government that any species
81 private property should he exempt FROM
bearing its just share of the public burdens
Of government, aud mouey should be taxed
precisely a. other property, aud a graduated
Income tax should be levied for the tuppor
Of the government aud the payment OF u.
dcble.
or course il is the spirit OF an jus,
government that taxation shall be a.
equally aud fairly distributed as posi-.
BILE, upon all kinds Of property and in
come. But how many of the national
party will show the inside OF theil
pockets 20 the assessor this year that
he may put down the amount in tn,
tax-roll? The income tax has beer
tried and the system condemned, no
because Of its injustice in theory, bu
because its fair execution was found to
belmpossible. There is suit pending
lOHuNl lu u >. NOuIt hkhlnst AnhA
who was sometimes heard of as ere
| former" in the last presidential cam
paign for upward OF $3.50, 900 OF income
tax, which is alleged 10 have been KEEP
back by him many years ngo. Ii is al
/ inquisitorial system, requiring ever,
man TO expose his fnancial affairs Il
the public under oath. But whether i
be good or poor, it is Of minor conse
quence in a political platform.
O. The public lands are the common prop
erty OF the wole people, and should not :
/ sold TO speculators, nor granted 10 railroad
/ or other corporations. but should be donate'
10 actual settlers in limited quantities.
That has been republican doctrin
and practice for ten years and more
IL is cribbed from the republican plat
form.
Z. The government should by general er
| actment. encourage the development of ou
| agricultural. mineral. mechanical. fnanufaC
/ "a ing. and commercial resources, 90 the en-
| that labor may be fully and probably en-
ploycd, but no mOnOpolles should be lega
lied.
That is substantially republican doc
triue also, aud is just what the govern
ment has been doing, 90 far IS wa
practicable, ''by general enactment
under republican administration.
e. All useless Offices should be abolishe,
The most rigid economy enforced In ever
branch of the public service. and severe pur
ishment inflicted upon officers who betray q
trusts repOsed Ia them.
There Is another republican idea. on
that has been lived up 10 and enforce,
No new party is needed for that ar