The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-09-25
NATIONAL PLATFORM.


adopted ~ IndianspoHs Ways loo"
Eight years ago our young party met
in this city for the first time, and pro-
claimed to the world its immortal prin-
ciples, and placed before tho American
people as Presidential candidate that
great philanthropist and spotless states
man, Peter Cooper. Since that con-
yention our party has organized all
over the Union, and through discussion
and agitation, has been educating the
the people to sense Of their rights and
duties to themselves and their country
These labors have accomplished won
ders. We now have great, harmon
ious party, and thousands who believe
in our principles, in the ranks Of other
parties.
ave point with pride 10 our history
We forced the reconciliation Of the
silver dollar; prevented the refunding
Of the public debt into long time
bonds; secured the payment OF
the bonds, until the "best
banking system the world ever saw"
for robbing the producer now totters
because Of its contracting foundation;
we have stopped tho squandering OF
our public domain upon corporations;
we have stopped the wholesale destruc-
ton Of the greenback currency, and Sc
cured a decision of the Supreme Court
of the United States establishing for
ever the right of the people to issue
their own money.
Notwithstanding oil this, never in
our history have the banks, Immigrant
railroads, and other monopolies, been
more insolent in their demands for
further privileges-still more class
legislation. In this emergency the
dominant parties are arrayed against
the people, and are the abject tools Of
the corporate monopolies.
In the last Congress they repealed
over $12 ZOO, 900 of annual taxes for the
banks, throwing the burden upon the
people to pay or pay interest thereon.
Both old parties in the present
Congress, vie with each other in their
efforts to further repeal taxes In order
to stop the payment Of the public debt
and save the banks whose charters they
have renewed for twenty years. Not
withstanding the distress Of business,
the shrinkage of wages and he panic,
they persist in locking up on various
pretexts, $500, 0OO,0 OF money, every
dollar of which the people pay inter-
est upon, and need, and most OF which
should be promptly applied to pay
bonds now payable.
The old parties are united-as they
cannot agree what taxes to rcpeal--in
efforts to squander the income of the
Government upon every pretext rather
than pay the debt.
A bill has already passed the United
States Senate making the banks pres
ent of over S3O,OOO,OO0 more of the
peoples money in order to enable them
to levy a still greater burden OF interest
taxes.
A joint effort is being made by the
old party leaders to overthrow the sove-
reign constitutional power of the
people to control their own financial
affairs, and issue their own money in
order to forever enslave the masses to
bankers and other usurpers. The
House of Representatives has passed
bills retaining nearly 100, 900, 900 acres
of lands granted to, and forfeited by,
railroad companies. These bills have
gone to the Senate. a body composed
largely of aristocratic millionaires who,
according to their own party papers,
generally purchased their elections
in order to protect the great mo-
nopolics which they represent. This
body has thus far defied the people and
the House, and refused to act upon
these bills in the interest of the people.
Therefore, we, thu National party OF
the United States, in national conven.
ton assembled, this 29th day of May,
A. d. 1884, declare:
preme Court on the legal-tender question to be
/ full vindication OF the theory which that party
has always advocated on the right and author
| ity Of Congress over the issue of legal-tendel
| notes, and we hereby pledge ourselves to uphold
| said decision and to defend the Constitution
| against alterations or amendments intended
or privileges conferred by that instrument. ",
demand the issue OF such money In sufficient
| quantities to supply the actual demandso OF trad
Of population and the development OF our indus
/ tries. We demand the substitution of ereenback'
for national hank notes and the prompt paymep
of the public de't We want that money which
saved our country in time Of war, and which ha
| given 1t prosperity and happiness in peace, W.
| condemn the retirement IL the fractional cur
rency and small den limitations OF rrecnback
| and demand their restoration. We demand tn
| issue Of the boards of money now locked up II
the United States Treasury by applying them t
| the payment of the public debt now due
| q We denonnce as dangerous TO our repub
| lican institutions those methods and policies o
the Democratic and Republican parties whicl
| have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
corporate monapolies, and we demand suc
governmental action ~ may he necessary y
take from such monopoics the powers the
have 40 corruptly and nniustiy nsarped and re
store them To the people to whom they belong
j The public lands being the natural inner
itance II the PEOPLE. we denounee that polio
which has granted To corporations vast tracts o
land and We demand that immediate and Wig
orous measures he taken TO reclaim from sue
corporations for the peoples use and benefit q
| such land grants as have been forfeited by rca
son of non-fultillment Of the contract, or tina
may have been wiongfully acquired hy corrnT
| legislation: and that such reclaimed lands an
| other public domain he hencefolth held as
| sacred trust to lie granted only to actual set
| tiers in limited quantities; and we demand tina
ali, n ownership of land, individual or corporate
shall he prohibited.
II 1. We demand Congressional regulation of In
terstate commerce; We denounce pooling
stock watering. and dis Elimination in rates an
charges: and that C,nyrt H. shall correct thee
| abuses, even II necessary by the construction {
| national railroads: we also demand the cstal
lishment Of a governmental postal TELEGRAPH
system.
s. All private property, all forms OF none
| and obligations to pay money. should Des
. their just proportion of public taxes; we dc
| mand graduated income tax.
e. We demand an amclio.aton OF the cond
ton Of labor by enforcing sanitary laws in In
| dustrial establishments by the abolition OF tn
| convict labor system: by rigid inspection
mines and factories: by reduction OF the houl
of labor in industrial establishments: by II