The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-05
The Platform.

The Platform.
2 Resolved. That we hold the late decision OF
the Supreme Court on the legal tender ques-
tion to be a full vindication of the theory
which this party has always advocated on the
right and authority of Congress over the issue
of legal tender notes, and we hereby pledge
ourselves to uphold said decision and to de-
fend the Constitution against alterations or
amendments intended to deprive the people of
any rights or privileges conferred by that IN
strument We demand the issue or such
money and in sufficient quantities 10 supply
the actual demand OF trade ana COM
merce in accordance with the increase
of population and the development OF
our industries. We demand the suh>tt
tuition of grcenbacks for National Bank
notes, and the prompt payment of the public
debt. We want that money which saved our
country in time of war. and which has given II
prosperity ami happiness IN peace. we cOh-
denim the retirement of fractional currency
and small denominations of greenbacks ana
demand their restoration. We demand the
i-sue of the boards of money now kcd up In
the tinted States Treasury by applying them
to the interest of the public debt now due.
SecOnd-We denounce as dangerous to our
Republican institutions those methods ana
poiiciPs of the Democratic and Republican
parties which have sanctioned and permitted
the establishment of land, railroad, money ana
other gigantic corporate mOnopoHeS, ana we
demand such Governmental action as may oe
necessary to take from such mOnOpOiIeS the
powers they have so corruptly and uuJustly
usurped and restore them to the people 10
whom they belong.
Third-The public lands being the natural
inheritance of the people, we denounce that
policy which has granted to corporations vast
tracts of land, and we demandfhat immediate
and vigorous measures be taken to reclaim
from such corporations for the people use
aud benefit all such land grants as have been
forfeited by reason of non-fulhllment or CON
trs.cJ or that may have been wrongfully ac-
-iured by corrupt legisation; and that such
railroad lands and other public domains be
henceforth held as sacred trust 10 De granted
nI in INIT
and we demand that alien ownership OF land,
individual or corporate, shall be prohibited;
Pourth-We demand Congressional regula-
ton of Interstate commerce. We denounce
pooling" stock watering and discrimination
in rates and charges; and that Congress shall
correct these abuses, even IL necessary Dy me
construction of national railroads. We also
demand the establishment of Government
Postal Telegraph system.
Fifth-Ali private property, all forms of
money and obligations to pay money should
bear their Just proportion of public taxes
We demand q graduated income tax.
Sixth-We demand an amelfOraton or the
condition of labor by enforcing sanitary laws
In Industrial establishments, by the abolition
of the convict labor system by the rigid In
spection of mines and factories, by the reduc-
tiOn of the hours of labor in indust trial estab-
lishmentS, by fostering educational 1nstltu-
tions, by abOlishing cheap labor.
Seventh-We condemn ah importat1Ons OF
contract labor made with a view to reducing
to starvation wages the wOrklngmen OF TINS
country, and demand laws for its prevention.
Eighth-We insist upon a constitutional
amendment reducing the terms OF United
States Senator's
Ninth-We demand such rules for the gov
ernment of Congress as shall place all repre-
sentatives of the people upon an equal loot
ing, and take away from the committees
veto power greater than that of the President.
TSnth-The question as to the amount OF
duties to be levied upon various articles OF
import has been agitated, quarreled over, ana
has divided communities for nearly nun
dred wears. 1t is not now and never will be
settled unless by the abolition OF Indirect
taxation. 1t is a convenient issue, always
raised when the people are excited over
abuses in their midst, While we favor wise
revision of the tariff laws, with Wow to rails
ing revenue from luXurieS rather than
necessaries we insist that as an economic
uuestion,its importance is insignificant as COM
pared with the financial issues; for, whereas
we have suffered our worst pantcs under
low and also UNDER high tariff, we have never
suffered from panic or seen our factoBes and
workshops stopped while the volume of money
in circulation was adequate to the needs OF
commerce. Give our farmers and manufact-
urers money as cheap as you now give our
bankers and they can pay high wages TO LABOR
and compete with all the world.
Eleventh-For the purpose OF testing the
sense of the people upon the subject we are
IN favor of submitting to the vote OF the peO-
pie an amendment to the Constitution in favor
of suffrage regardless of sex, and also on the
subject of the liquor traffic.
Twelfth-An disabled soldiers of the late
war should be eQUitably pensiOned, and we de-
nounce the policy of keeping small army OF
Office holders whose only business is to pre-
vent on technical grounds. deserving soldiers
from obtaining justice from the Government
they hYlped to save.
Thirteenth-As our name indicates, we are
a National party. knowing no East, no West,
no North. no South. Having no sectional
prejudices we can properly place in nomina-
tion for the high Offices of State candidates
from any section of the Union. We appeal to
all people who believe in our principles 20 aid
us by voice, and pen, and votes.