The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-11-01
READ AND DIGEST.
Extracts from the Letters OF Rev
Thomas n. Beccler and Louis
F. Post.

The Rev. Thomas Il. Beccher, of IL
mira, candidate for Secretary Of State
in New York, writes:
l do not find that either OF the two
old parties asks for power because Of
any principles imrcrilcd or progress
promised, OF wrongs 10 he rightcd. No
profitable education of this generation
in ethics or economics, or politics is of
fercd by tho old parties, oiliccred AZ
they are BY placcseeking leaders Of
faction, who plot and counterpart
secretly, while they shout Harmony,
harmony, or none Of us will get any
thing"
In contrast with these, our National
party stands proclaiming truths and
formulating demands that are worth
discussion.
We insist, for instance, that there
ought to be but ono kind of money, but
one authority National Govern
mcnt to manufacture ii and regulate
its ISSUE and volume in accordance with
enlightened economic laws, yet to be
enacted.
And since the treasury grecnback las
been for twenty years fulfilling all the
functions Of money side by side with
six or seven other kinds, We insist that
it were we'll to lemonctzc the others
and leave tie grccnback TO its deserve
sovereignty, our only lawful money!"
We insist that it is good policy ut all
times for farmers, traders, corporations
and nations to pay of debt and dry mp
the exliansting drain of interest.
These doctrines, when they prevail.
will take from banks their power to
manufacture and issue notes, but will
leave to them their useful work as
banks Of deposit, discount and cx-
change.
We insist also that laborine men,
women and children. because of their
multitude, should have first place and
consideration III il legislature Of the
people. Their alleged grievances and
wrongs, nay, even their noisy and un.
reasonable discontents should receive
respectful attention. and. when practi.
cable, remedy. The prosperity and
permancnce OF any society rests upon
lh1 N1iiaIt sItl I'll us
working people, its labor.
We insist that when the sagacity and
enterprise of citizens have rolled up
great accumulations oil wealth and con-
seluent power wealth and power
guided by managers intent on gain only
it is the duty of the peoples Legislat-
ure, to set bounds to these vast pow ers,
or else lis'and us Il Legislature, and
leave the Gaze ut the commonwealth to
the corporations that have overgrown
the people.
We foicssc ard oppose the nc umula
tion OF huge landed estates, and ask for
land limitation laws. We see and
oppose all NONRESIDENT landlor,lism,
and would tax it to death We sec
huge fortunes rolled up 10y financial
scomlrelism that finds no open defend
er, and we call for public accounting.
In short, this, our National party IS
party in earnest to ascertain, pre-
serve, protect and quicken the pros
perity Of the whole people, beginning
ut the bottom.
Louis L. Post, an attorney OF New
York city, till recently the editor of
New York Truth, candidate for At
torney General, writes:
Some minor features Of the party
platform may not command the APP
proval of all who support its general
purpose, but its declaration respecting
the three vital issues of the hour
finance, land and transportation APP
peals to that spirit of patriotism and
that sense of justice which / am san
guine enough to believe are yet cher
ished by the American people.
A sovereign function Of the common
wealth, the authority to levy taxes, has
been bestowed from time to time upon
individuals and corporations until
power has grown up which threatens
to overthrow popular government and
subject posteritv to the control of
merciless despotism. 1t is idle to rail
ut particular persons for striking at the
roots of democracy and enriching
themselves ut the expense of producers,
for they but conform their conduc. to
existing social and industrial condi-
tions, and if displaced would be sue
cceded by others equally adroit, rapa-
cions and INSCRIPTIONS. it is only by
n change of conditions that the greed
OF men can be suppressed. Our Gov
eminent is established on principles of
political freedom, hut we nave retained
the elements Of industrial slavery. and
when these elements combine to ell
rich the few and impoyerish the many,
to make industry dependent and idle
ness powerful, the blame must he upon
rs, not upon those who profit by the
privileges we confer and maintain.
When public taxes bear heavily, we
raise n hue and cry at the malversation
of Government officials, and politicians
hasten to make party capital by a forced
economy often more expensive in the
end than extravaganza but we have
submitted to the imposition of heavy
taxes by individuals and corporations
for their own emolument with apparent
indifference We have submitted be-
cause we were taught to believe in the
sanctitv Of vested rights" Happily,
however, this doctrine is no longer an
impregnable intrenchment of privilege.
We have learned that there can be no
vested right to property IN man, and
now We are learning that there can he
no vested right" to a perpetual fran
chise to levy taxes for private use-ccr-
tainly none SO sacred that it may not be
abroeated for the public good. For
this tendency to nationally limit the
scope Of the sound but much abused
doctrine of vested rights We have the
National party to thank. To the
"Greenhackers' who have stood alone
since the early part of the past decade,
enduring the neglect of those they
sought to serve and the jeers of the
PRIVILEGED classes, we are indebted for
the prevailing agitation of the subject
of monopoly, out of which is growing
an irresistible political force.
/. The taxing function has been dele
gated in variety Of forms, which are
comprehended in the three classes con-
demned in the platform before me. BY
a delegation of the sovereign function
of issuing money, banks have taxed the