The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-09-12
NATIONAL sEArE PLATFORM.


l. We indossa and reaffrn HE deelara- |
tion Ct principles Of abe National party
adopted aE Toledo, February %, 1878
2. The want Of harmony of sentiment on |
the financial question on buth the Repub- |
iican and Democratic parties, renders it ab
solutely necessary that those who demand
financial reform should abandon old organ |
izations and unite together in the Na-
tional Greenback Labor party, 10 save bus
mess men from bankruptcy, the working
classes from starvation, the whole conntTy
from Eevolution, and the Nation from re-
pudiation.
5. We denounce as crimes against the
people, the law making the greenback only
a partial legal tender; the act creating the
National Banking scheme; the act chang
ing currency bonds into coin bonds; the
act exenpting coin bonds from taxation;
the act repeating the income tax; the act
demonetizing silver; the act for issuing in
terest bearing bonds for the purchase Of sill
yer bullion to be converted into subsidiary
coin; the act for the forced resumption of
specie payments; the act foE the indefnate
increase of the National Bank circulation,
and the enormous contraction Of the vol
| ume of the circulating medium-and we
| recognise the financial legislation of the
Government from the commencement of
| the civil war, as the arbitrary condition of
a syndicate Of bankers usurer5 with the
single and settled purpose of robbing the
many to enrich the few.
4. To remedy and counteract the evils
| complained Of we demand that the Gov
erDment shall issue full legal tendor pa
per money, adequate in volume for the en-
| ployment of labor, the distribution of it's
products, the requirements of business, and
| for the payment of inteTest-bearing bonds
as fast as redeemable; the withdrawal and
cancellation of bank notes designed to cir
culate as currency; the non-exemption from
taxation from all p ivate property; the pas
sage of graduated income tax; the unlimet-
ed coinage of gold and silver, and the re-
peal Of the specie resumption act; all legal
lied monopolies abolished, and their es-
establishment in the future prohibited.
5. We recognise the mutual dependence
Of capital and labor and depreciate all at
tempts to antagonize them. Combinations
of capital to rob, and strikes of labor to re-
sist robbery are destructive of the true in
terests of both. We denounce alike the
communism which demands an equal div
ision of property and the infamous finan-
cial legislation which takes all from the
many to enrich the few. We demand cheap
capital and we'll paid laboR, in the place
of dear capital and cheap labor.
6. To secure the rights and protect the in
terests Of employer and employed, bureaus
of statistics should be established and COM
petent persons be appointed to enquire in.
TO and protect the condition and wages OF
the working classes in all departments Of
industry, that wise, judicious and equitable
laws nug be enacted in regard to the hours
! | - 1oE,, a 1.oo
manufacturing establishments.
7. The public lands should be sacredly
set apart fox the homesseads of actual set
tiers, and such legislation should be had
as Will encourage and aid the landless il
securing homes.
8. The contract system ofemploying the
inmates Of our prisons, works great inius
tice to mechanics and manufacturers anC
J should be abolished.
8. The importation of servile labor from
r other countries should be prohibited unde
the seyerest penalties-while the emigra
> tion of the iberty-loving from other land
should be encouraged.
Ia We depreciate and denocnce all Sc
! ditibns and violent measures, and appea
only to the good sense, love of justice AM
J patriotism of the people, and invoke then
! to redress their cruel and outrageous wrong
only through the ballot-box.
y II. We demand proper sanitary safe
!. guards and regulations for workshops
mines and factories.
;. II. We favor the enactment of laws Civ
+. ing mechanics and laborers first lien O
i all descriptions of their work for thei
full wages.
i IS. That we are opposed to any furthe
4 issue of interest bearing bonds of tn
4 United States for any purpose whatever