The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-02-02
PLATFORM

Or THE NATIONAL GREESBAcK-LABoR PARTY o.
TIE UNITED STATES, ADOPTED AT CHICAGO
JUNE y, 1850.
|. That the right to make and issno money Ia
Z sovereign power to be maintained by tho pco-
pie for the common benefit. The delegation
Of this right to corporations 10 surrender Of
tho 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 OF paper, should 30
crnmcnt. and not by or through banking cor
porations aud, when 80 issued, should be Z
full legal tender for all debts, public and. pri-
vate.
2. That the bonds Of the United States
should not BIO refunded, but paid as rapidly %
practicable, according TO contract. To enable
lcgal-tcnder currency should be substituted
for the notes Of the national banks, the ma
tional-banking system abolished, and the I'M
limited coinage Of silver, ~ well - gold, o.
tabished by law.
national and state authority as to equalize its
burdens and insure just distribution OF its
results the eight-honr law Of Congress should
be enforced the sanitary condition of indus
trial establishments placed under rigid control |;
the competition OF contract convict labor abol-
ishcd bureau Of labor statistics established |;
the employment Of children under II years Of
ago forbidden, and wages paid III cash.
4. Slavery being simply cheap labor, and
cheap labor being simply slavery, the importa-
ton and presence OF Chinese serfs necessarily
bends to brutalize and degrade American labor,
abrogate the Burlingame treaty.
5. Railroad land grants forfeited BY reason OF
non-fulhllment Of contract should DO immcdi-
ately reclaimed by the Government, and hence
forth the public domain reserved exclusively a.
homes for actual settlers.
8. It is the duty OF Congress TO regulate In
ter-State commerce. All lines Of communica-
ton and transportation should be brought UNI
der such Legislative control - shall secure mod
crate, fair and uniform rates for passenger and
freight traffic.
Z. We denounce as destructive to prosperity,
and dangerous to liberty, the actions Of the old
parties III fostering and sustaining gigantic
land, railroad and money corporations ana mo-
nopolies, invested with and exercising powers
belonging to the Government, and not respon-
sible to 1t for the manner Of their exercise.
.. That the constitution, giving Congress the
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 m interest consideration should
be preferred to the soldier and sailor who
peried their lives and shed their blood on land
and sea IN defense Of their country, and we
condemn the cruel class legislation OF the Re
publican party which, while processing great
gratitude to tho soldier, has most unjustly dis
eliminated against him and in favor OF the
bondholder.
Q. All property should bear its lust proper
ton Of taxation, and we demand a graduated
income tax.
10. We denounce az most dangerous the ef-
forts everywhere manifest to restrict the rights
OF suffrage.
IL. We are opposed TO an increase or the
standing army IN time OF peace, and the in
sidious scheme TO establish an enormous mill
itary power under the guise of militia laws.
IL. We demand absolute democratic rules
Tor the government Of Congress, placing all
representatives Of the people upon an equal
footing. and taking away from committees
veto power greater than that Of the Presi-
dent.
Is. We demand Government OF the people.
by tire people and for the people, instead Of q
Government Of the bondholdcrs by the bond
holders and for the bondholder., and we de-
nounce every attempt to stir up sectional strife
rs an effort to conceal monstrous crimes
against the people.
IA. In tho furtherancc OF these ends we ask
the cooperation Of all fair-minded people.
We have no quarrel with individuals wage no
war upon classes, but 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
portaton over sea and land, and largely over
the press and the machinery of Government,
WELD unwarrantable power over our insttu-
tions and over our life and property.