The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-02-16
PLATFORM

OF THE NATIONAL GREENBACK-LAB0R PARTY or
THE UNITED STATES, ADOPTED At CHICAGO
l. That the right to make and issue money is
sovereign power to be maintained by the peo-
pie for the common benefit. The delegation
Of this right to corporations Is . surrender Of
tile 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 BIO
issued and its volume controlled by the Gov
ernment. and not by or through banking cor
porations, and, when 30 issued, should be q
full legal tender for all debts, public and pri-
vatc.
2. That the bonds Of the United States
should not be refunded, but paid as rapidly 20
practicable, according to contract. To enable
the Government to meet these obligations,
legal-tender currency should DO substituted
for the notes Of the national banks. the ma
tional-banking system abolished, and the un-
limited coinage Of silver, - well - gold, es-
tablished by law.
3. That labor should be12so protected ssby
national and State authority as to equalize its
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-
ished; a bureau Of labor statistics established
factories, mines and workshops inspected
the employment Of children under Il years Of
age forbidden, and wages paid III cash.
4. Slavery being simply cheap labor, and
cheap labor being simply slavery, the importa-
ton aud presence OF Chinese serfs necessarily
bends to brutaliZe and degrade American labor;
therefore immediate steps should be taken to
abrogate the Burllngame treaty.
s. Railroad land grants forfeited by reason OF
non-fuliillment Of contract should be immedi-
ately reclaimed by the Government, and hence
forth the public domain reserved exclusively a.
homes for actual settlers.
6. 1t is the duty Of Congress 10 regulate in
ter-State commerce. All lines OF communica-
ton and transportation should be brought un-
crate, fair and uniform rates for passenger and
freis lit traffic.
Z. We denounce 40 destructive to prosperity.
and dangerous to liberty, the actions Of the old
parties in fostering and sustaining gigantic
land, railroad and money corporations aud mo-
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 an interest consideration should
be preferred to the soldier aud sailor who
periled 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 the soldier, has most unjustly dis
eliminated against him and in favor OF the
bondholder.
3. All property should bear its Just proper
tion Of taxation, and We demand 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 OF 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
for 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 the people and for the people, instead OF q
Government of the bondholdcre, by the bond
holders and for the bondholders, and We de-
nounce every attempt to STIR up sectional strife
AZ an effort to conceal monstrous crimes
against the 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, bat only against vicious in
stitutlons. We are not content to endure fur
ther 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 unwarrantable power over our institu-
lions and over our life and property.