The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-01-19
PLATFORM

Or THE NATIONAL dREENBACK-LAB0R PARTY OF
THE UNITEb SfATEf, AboprED IT CH'cAao
JUNE 3, 1880
l. That the right to Nuke and issue money 10
sovereign power to be maintained by the pco-
rle for the common benefit. The delegation
OF this right to corporations is 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; shotild l,o
issued and Its volume controlled by the Gov
eminent. and not by or through banking cor
porations, and, when 30 issued, should be =
full legal tender for oil debts, public and pri-
vate.
q That tho bonds Of tile United States
should not be refunded, but paid 10 rapidly %
practicable, according to contract. To enable
the Government to meet these Obligations,
lcgal-tender currency should BIO substituted
for tho notes OF the national banks, the ma
tional-banking system abolished, and the UNI
limited coinage Of silver, % well - gold, co.
tabshed by law.
burdens. and insure just distribution OF its
results the eight-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-
ishcd a bureau Of labor statistics established /;
the employment Of children under IA years Of
age forbidden, and wages paid iii casii
4. Slavery being simply cheap labor, and
cheap labor being simply slavery, the importa-
ton aud presence OF Chinese serfs necessarily
bends to brutalizc aud degrade American labor,
therefore immediate steps should be taken to
abrogatc the Burngame treaty.
B. Railroad land grants forfeited by reason OF
non-fulfllment Of contract should be immedi.
ately reclaimed by the Government, and hence
forth the public domain reserved exclusively %
homes for actual settlers.
ter-State commerce. All lines Of communica.
ton and transportation should be brought I'M
der such Legislative control AZ shall secure mod
crate, fair and uniform rates for passenger and
fret. lit traffic.
Z. We dcnounce as 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-
nopolics, invested with and exercising powers
belonging 10 the Government, and not respon-
siLle to It for the manner Of their exercise.
3. That the constitution. giving Congress the
power to borrow money, to declare war, to raise
aud support armies, TO lrovide and maintain .
navy, never intended that the men who loaned
their money for an interest consideration should
be rreftrrcd to the soldier and sailor who
periled their lives and sled their blood on land
and sea in defense Of their country, and we
publican party which, while processing great
gratitude to the soldier. has most unjustly dis
criminatcd against him and in favor OF the
Londholdcr.
.. All property should bear its Just proper
ton OF taxation, and we demand a graduated
income tax.
TO- We denounce as most dangerous the eff
forts everywhere manifest to restrict the rights
Of suffrage.
IL. We are opposed TO an increase OF the
standing army in time Of peace, and the in
sidious scheme TO establish nh enormous mill
itary power under the guise Of militia laws.
L. We demand absolute democratic rules
for the government Of Congress, placing all
representatives Of the people upon an equal
footing, and taking away from committees
veto poM.r greater than that Of the Presi-
dent.
b. We demand a Government Of the people,
by the people aud for the people, instead Of
Government Gf the boadholders, by the bond
hold, rs and for the bondholders, and we de-
nouncc every attempt to str up sectional strife
as an effort to conceal monstrous crimes
against the people.
IA. In the furtnerance OF these ends we ask
the cooperation Ct all fair-mindcd people,
We have no quarrel with individuals, wage no
war upon classes, bat only against vicious in
| sttntions. We are not content to endure fur
ther dis ipllne from our present actual rulers,
who, having dominion over money, over trans
portation, over sea AMI land, and largely over
the press and the machinery Of Government,
WELD unwarTantable power over our institu-
tons and over our life and property.