The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-09-18
NATIONAL PLATFORM.



in this city for the first time, and pro-
claimed to the world its immortal prin-
ciples, and placed before the American
people AZ a Presidential candidate that
great philanthropist and spotless states
man, Peter Cooper. Since that con-
vention our party has organized all
over tho 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 to our history
We forced the reconciliation of the
silver dollar; prevented the rcfunding
Of the public debt into long time
bonds; secured the payment OF
the bonds, until Che "best
banking system the world ever saw"
for robbing the producer now totters
because of its contracting foundation ;
we have stopped the sqnandering OF
our public domain upon corporations
we have stopped the wholesale destruc-
ton Of the greenback currency, and sc,
cured 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 tho abiect tools OF
the corporate monopolles
In the last Congress they repealed
over $l2, 900, 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 then
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
! ,,:xl, go 3s,<r &hc l;strooc ri hucs ur~o
the shrinkage of wages and he panic,
they persist in locking up on various
pretexts, 500, 100000 Of money, ever,
dollar of which the people pey 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 repeal-ir
efforts to squander the income of the
Government upon every pretext rather
than pay the debt.
A bill has already passed the Unitct
States Senate making the banks pres
ent of over S30,000,000 more of thu
peoples money in order to enable then
to levy still greater burden of interes
taxes.
A Joint effort il being made Ivy tn,
old party leaders to overthrow the soye
reign constitutional power Of tn,
people to control their own financial
affairs, and issue their own money il
order to forever cnslave the masses t.
bankers and other usurpers. The
House of Representatives has passed
bills reclaiming nearly 100, 900, 900 acres
Of lands granted to, and forfeited by
railroad companies. These bills have
gone to the Senate. body compose,
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 tho people ant
the House, and refused to act upo,
these bills in the interest Of the people
III crefore, we, thu National party o
tho United States. in national conven
ton assembled, this 2! tn day Of May
A. d. 1881, declare:
| I. That we hold the late decision of the Su
prcme Court Oh the legal-tendcr question to b
a full vindication of the theory which that party
has always advocated on the right and author
ity Of Congress over the issue Of legal -tcnde
notes, and We hereby pledge ourselves to nphols
said decision and to defend the Constitution
against alterations or amendments intcnde'
to deprive the Ieoplo Of any right
or privileges conferred by that instrument. w
demand the issue OF such money in sufhcien
quantities 10 supply the actual demands of trad
and commerce IN ace, rCiancc with the increas
of population and the development of our indus
tries. We demand the substitution of greenback
Tor national bank notes and the prompt raymeQ
| Of the public debt. We want that money whic
saved our country in time OF WAR, and which ha
given 1t prosperity and ppincss in peace. w
condemn the retirement ~ the fractional ur
rcncy and small denominations of creenback
and demand their restoration. We demand tn
the United States Treasury by applying them
the payment of the public debt now due
2. We denounce as dangerous to our rcpub
lcan institutions those methods and policies 9
the Democratic and Republican PARTIES whic
have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
OF land, railroad. money, and other gigan.l
corporate monorolieS, and we demand sue
governmental action rs may he necessary
have so corrnpty and nniustly nsurped and n
store them To the PEOPLE TO whom they belons
= The lublic lands being the natural inner
itancc II the eople, denounee that polio
which has granted to corporations vas, tracts {
land, ana We demand that immediate and viz
orous measures lie taken to reclaim from sue
corporations for the peoples use and benefit =
such land grants as have been forfeited by res
son of non-iulfilmcnt of the contract. or thu
NAV have been uiongfully acquired by CORFU
legislation: and that such reclaimed lands an
other public domain be hcnceforth held rs
sacred trust, to he granted only to actual sci
tiers in limited quantities; ana we demand tn,
ali, ownership OF land, individual or corporate
shall he prohibited.
4. We demand Congressional regulation Of II
terstatc commerce.: we denounce pooling
stock wat. ring. and dis Elimination In rates an
charges: and that Congress shall correct thct
abuses, even II necessary by the construction