The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-06-22
PLATFORM


Or THE NATIONAL GnEEsRAcK-LABon PARTY OF
THE United STATES, ADOPTED AT CHICAGO
JUSEa 1880.
l. That the right to make aud Issue money is
a sovereign power to he maintained by the peo-
pie for Tie coulmon benefit. The delegation
OF this right to corporations 10 s'irrsnder Of
the central attribute Of sovereignty, void 0i
constitutional sanction, comforting upon sub
ordinate irresponsible power and absolute do
minion over industry and commerce. All
money, whether metallic or paper, should DO
issued and its volume controlled by the Gov
ernme;1t. and not by or through banking cor
porations, and, when 30 isst.ed, should DO .
full legal tender for all debts, public and pii'
yate.
q That the bonds OF the United States
should not be refunded, but paid ~ rapidly %
practicable, according to contract. To enable
tho Government to meet these obligations,
legal-tender currency should BIO substituted
tional-banking system abolished, and tho I'M
limited coinage OF silver, AZ well % gold, g.
tabshcd by law.
g. That labor should be no protected BY
national and State authority as to equalize its
burdens. and insure just distribution OF its
results the cight-hour law OF Congress should
DO enforced the sanitary condition OF indus
trial establishments placed under rigid contrCl !:
the competition Of contract convict labor abol-
ished bureau Of labor statistics established /;
factories, mines and workshops inspected !;
the employment OF children under II years Of
age forbidden, and wages paid in cash.
4. Slavery being simply cheap labor, aid
cheap labor being simply slavery, the importar
ton and presence OF Chinese serfs necessarily
bends to brutalize and degrade American labor,
therefore immediate STEPS should DO taken to
abrOgatc the BurlingAme treaty.
&. Railroad land grants forfeited by reason OF
non-fuliilment OF contract should DO inlmedl-
ately reclaimed by the Government, and hence
forth the public domain reserved exclusively =
homes for actual settlers.
g. 1t ID the duty Of Congress 10 regulate In
ter-State commerce. All lines Of communica-
ton and transportation should be brought m
der such Legislative control rs 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 in fostering and sustaining gigantic
land, railroad and money corporations and mo-
nopolies, invested with and exercising powers
belonging to the Government, and not respoD-
sible to it for the manner Of their exercise.
9. That the constitution, giving Congress the
power to borrow money. to declare war, to raise
and support armies, to provide and maintain q
navy, never intended that tho men who loaned
their money for an interest consideration should
be preferred to the soldier and sailor who
perlled their lives and shed their blood on land
and sea III defense OF their country, and we
condemn the cruel class legislation OF the Re
publican party which, while protesting great
gratitude to the soldier, has most unjustly dis
eliminated against him and in favor OF the
bOndholder.
8. All property should bear It's Just propor-
ton of taxation, and We demand graduated
income tax.
10. We denounce as most dangerous the CT
forts everywhere manifest to restrict the rights
Of suffrage.
II. We are opposed to an increase OF the
standing army i'll time Of peace and the in-
sidious scheme TO establish an 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
a veto power greater than that OF the presi-
dent.
Ii. We demand Government OF the people.
by the people and for the people, instead Of d
Government Of the bondholders by the bond
holders and for the bondholdcrs, and we de-
nonnce every attempt to stir up sectional strife
rs an effort to conceal monstrous crimes
against tue people.
IA. In the furtnerance OF these ends we ask
the cooperation Of all fair-minded people.
We have no quarrel With individuals. wage no
war upon classes, bRt only against vicious in
ettutlons. We are not content to endure fur
tLer discipline from our present actual rulers,
who, having dominion cv, money, over trans
portafion, over SEA AMI land. and largely over
the press and tha machinery OF Government,
weld understandable power over our institu-
tons and over our life and property