The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-10-27
PLATFORM

Or THE NATIONAL GREENBAcK-IlABoR PARTY or
THE UNITED STATES, ADOPTED AT CHICAGO,
JuNE 3, 1880.
/. That the right to make and issue money is
q sovereign power to be maintained by the peo-
pie for the common benefit. The delegation
Of this right to corporations IL surrender OF
the central attribute Of sovereignty, void OF
constitutional sanction, comforting upon sub
ordinate irresponsible power and absolute do
minion over industry and commerce. All
money. whether metallic or paper, should be
issued and its volume controlled by the Gov
eminent. and not BY Or through banking cor
porations, and, when SO issued, should be
full legal tender for all debts public and pri-
vate
Q. That the bonds OF the United states
should not be refunded, bnt paid ~ rapidly as
practicable, according to contract. To enable
The Government to meet these obligations.
legal-tender currency should be substituted
tional-banking system abolished, and the nm
limited coinage Of silver, a. we'll ~ gold, cs-
tablishcd by law.
8, That labor should be so protected by
national and State authority ~ to equalize its
burdens. and insure inst distribution Of its
results the cight-hour law Of Congress should
be enforced the sanitary condition Of indus
trial establishments placed under rigid control !;
the competition OF contract convict labor abol-
ished: bureau of labor statistics established |;
factories, mines and workshops inspected !;
the employment OF children under IA years Of
age forbidden, and wages paid IN cash.
4. Slavery being simply cheap labor, and
cheap labor being simply slavery, the importa-
ton and presence OF Chinese serfs necessarily
tends to brutalize and degrade American labor:
therefore immediate STEPS should be taken 70
abrogatc the Burlingame treaty.
). Railroad land grants forfeited by reason Of
non-fnltllmcnt Of contract should be immedi-
ately reclaimed by the Government, and hence
forth the public domain reserved exclusively as
homes for actual settlers.
8. II il the duty Of Congress TO regulate in
ter Statc commerce. All lines Of comlnunica-
ton and transportation should he brought nm
der such Legislative control as shall secure mod
crate. fair and uniform rates for passenger and
fret hit traffic.
I. We denounce az destructive to prosperity,
and dangerous to liberty, the actions Of the old
parties in fostering and sustaining gigantic
land, railroad and money corporations and mo-
nopolies invested with and exercising power
belonging to the Government, and not respOn
siile to II for the manner Of their exercise.
4. That the constitution, giving Congress thu
power to borrow money, to declare war, to raise
and support armies, to provide and maintain
navy, never intended that the men who loaned
their money for an lnta rest consideration should
be preferred to the soldier and sailor who
ncrled their lives and shed their blood ON land
and sea in defense OF their country, and w
condemn the cruel class legislation of the Re
publican party which, while processing frea,
gratitude to the soldier has most unjnstly dis
cr.minatcd against him and in favor or thu
bondkoldeF.
o. All property should bear its just proper
ton of taxation. and We demand u graduated
income tax.
10. We denouncc as most dangerous the Of
forts everywhere manifest to restrict the rig hit.
Of suffrage.
IL. We are opposed TO an increase OF The
standing army in time OF peace, and the in.
sidous scheme TO establish an enormous mill
itary power under the guise Of militia laws.
IL. We demand absolute democratic rules
FOR the government OF Congress, placing al
representatives of the people upon an equal
footing, and taking away from committees
veto power greater than that Of the 3iesi.
dent.
Is. We demand Government OF the people,
by the people and for the people. instead Of q
Government Of the bondholdcrs. by the bond
holders and for the bondholders, and we de-
nounce every attempt to stir mp sectional strife
rs an effort to conceal monstrous crimes
against the people.
IA In the furthcrance OF these ends we ask
the cooperation of all fair-mindcd people.
We have no quarrel with individuals, wage no
war upon classes, bat only against vicious in
stitutions. We are not content to endure fur
Their discipline from our present actual rulers,
who having dominion over money, over trans
portation, over sea and land, and largely over
the press and the machinery OF Government
WELD nnwarrantable power over our institu
tons and over our life and property.