The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-06-23
Greenback Labor Platform Adopted
at Chicago, June 10th, 1880.
THE PLATFORM

On reassembling. the platform was reported
as 70 lows:
Civil government should guarantee the Di-
vine right of every laborer t. the results OF
his toll. thus enabling the producers of wealth
to provide themselves with the means for ply
steal comfort and the facilities for ment-l
social and moral culture And we condemn
f as UNIV orthy of our civilization eAe barbAr-
ism which imposes upon the swer!th protu-
GERS state of perpetual drudergv as the price
of bare animal existence. notwithstanding
F the enormous increase OF productive power
the universal introduction of labOr-Sa WIN
machinery, and the discovery of new agents
. for the increase of wealth, the task of the la
horer is scarcely lightened the hours Of toll
are but LITTLE shortened. and few producers
are lifted from poverty into comfort and pecu-
mary independence. The associated mOuopo-
lies, the international syndicate and other
income classes demand dear money and cheap
labor strong Government and hence a
weak people.
Corporate control OF the volume of money
has been the means of dividing society into
hostile classes, of the unjust distribution Of
che products OF labor and building up mono
poles OF associated capital, endowed with
power to cOnhscate private property 1t has
kept money scarce, and scarcity Of money en-
forces debt, trade and publ and corporate
loans debt enEeuders usury and usury ends
. IN the bankruptcy Of the borrower Other re
suits are deranEed markets uncertainty in
IN LnufacturiuE enterprise and agriculture
precautions and Intermittent employment for
. :.
rlsm and crime, and the consequent iutImI-
dation aud djsfrauchisement of the producer
and rapid declension into corporate feudal-
ism. Therefore declare;
!. That the right to make and issue money
Is a sovereign power 70 be maintained by the
people for the common benefit The delega-
ton of this right II corporations is surren-
der of the central attribute ef sovereigntv
void Of constitutional sanction, conferring
upon a subordinate, irresponsible power
absolute dominion over industry and COM
merce. II money, whether metallic or paper,
should be issued and its volume controlled b.
the Government and not by through bank
i1g corporations, and when so issued should
be full legal tender for all debts, public and
private.
should not be refunded, but paid rapidly as
Is practicable according to contract. To en-
able the Government to meet these obligation
legal tender currency should re substituted
for the notes of the national banks, the nation
al banking system abolished, and the unlimi-
ted coinage of silver as well as gold establish
8 Tn, labor should be so protected By
national and State authority as to equaIZe Its
burdens and insure a just Distribution of its
results The Eight hour law of Congress
should be enforced the sanitary condition of
industrial establishments placed under rigid
control; the competition OF contract labor
abolished; q bureau of labor statistics es-
tablished; factories, mines and workshops
inspected the employment of children under
IA years of age forbidden anu wages palu IN
cash.
cbeap labor being simply slavery, the lmporta-
/ fion and presence of Chinese serfs necessarily
( tends TO brutalize and degrade American Ia
Dor; therefore, immediate cps should be taken
+ 10 abrogate the BUEingame treaty
/ 5 Railroad land grants forfeited by reason
/ of non-fulflment OF contract should pe lmme
diately reclaimed by the Government, and
/ henceforth the public domain reserved exelu-
/ siyelv as homes for actual settlers.
G. It's tic duty of Congress 10 regulate inter
/ State commerce, 81 lines of communication
and transportation should be brought under
sueh legislative control as shall sec ure moder-
ate, fair and uniform rates Tor passenger @Id
! freight traffic.
: We denounce as destructive to prosperity
/ and dangerous to liberty, the action OF the old
parties in fostering and sustaining gigantic
land railroad and money corporations and
ers belonging to the government, and yet not
responsible to it for the manner of their exer-
else.
That the Constitution, in giving Congress
the power to borrow money. to declare war e.
raise and support armies, to provide and main
tain a navy, never intended the men who
loaned their money for an interest cousidera.
lion. should be preferred to the soldier and
I sailor who periled their lives and shed their
1 blood ON land and sea in defence of their coun
1 trv. and we condemn the class legislation Of
the Republican party, which, while processing
4 great gratitude to the SOLDIER has most I'M
snstIv discrimi q ated against him and in favor
Of the bondholder.
9 All property should bear its just proper
ton of taxation and we demand graduated
income tax. :,
i 10. We denounce, as most dangerous, tn
efforts everywhere manifest 70 restrict I'M
right Of suffrage.