The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
NATIONAL STATE PLATFORM.

/. We indorse and reafiirm the declara- !
tion OF principles of the National party
adopted Al Toledo, February -, 1878.
=. The want of harmony OF sentiment on
the financial question on both the Repub-
liean and Democratic parties, renders it alb |
solnteiy necessary that those who demand
financial reform should abandon old organ
izations and unite together in the Ma
tional Greenback Labor party, 10 save bus
ine-s men from bankruptcy, the working
classes from starvation, the whole country
from revolution, and the Nation from re-
pudiation.
3. We denounce as crimes against the
people, the law making the greenback only
a partial legal fender; the act creating the
National Banking scheme; the act chang
ing currency bonds into coin bonds; the
act exempting 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 for the indefinate
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 usurers 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
ernment shall issue full legal tendor pa
per money, adequate in volume for the en-
ployment of labor, the distribution of its
products, the requirements of business, and
for the payment of interest 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 private property; the pas
sage OF graduated income tax; the unlimet-
! ed coinage OF gold and silver, and sthe 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-
: slst robbery are destructive of the true in
t terests of both. We denounce alike the
communism which demands an equal div
ision of property and the infamous fnan-
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
g of statistics should be established and com
q petent persons be appointed to enquire in.
to and protect the condition and wages oi
l the working classes in all departments Of
industry, that wise, ijudicious and equitable
r laws may be enacted in regard to the hours
q of labor and the employment of minors in
manufacturing establishments.
Z. The public lands should be sacredly
set apart for the homesteads of actual set
e tiers, and such legislation should be had
as>will encourage and aid the landless in
securing homes.
s. The contract system ofemploying the
inmates of our prisons works great injus
}, tice to mechanics and manufacturers and
r should be abolished.
8. The importation of servile labor from
:, other countries should be prohibited undel
. the seyerest penalties-whi the emigra
ton Of the liberty loving from other land
= = should be encouraged.
- 10. We depreciate and denocnce all Sc
ditions and violent measures, and appea
= only to the good sense, love of justice ant
! patriotism of the people, and invoke then
;; to redress their cruel and outrageous wrong
= only through the ballot box.
! II. We demand proper sanitary safe
guards and regulations for workshops
mines and factories.
u, u. We favor the enactment of laws Civ
o ing mechanics and laborers a first lien o
all descriptions of their work for thei
full wages
13. That we are opposed to any furthe
issue of interest bearing bonds of tn
~ United States for any purpose whatever.