The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-08-07
NATIONAL PLATFORM


~ y
in this city for the first time, and pro-
claimed to the world its immortal prin-
ciples, and placed before the American
people as q Presidential candidate that
great philanthropist and spotless states
man, Peter Cooper. Since that con-
vention 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 to 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
tho bonds, until the "best
banking system the world ever saw
for robbing the producer now totters
because Of its contracting foundation !;
we have stopped the squandering Of
our public domain upon corporations;
we have stopped the Wholesale destruc-
ton Of the greenback currency, and So
cured decision of the Supreme Court
Of the United States establishing for
ever the right Of the people to issue
their own money.
Notwithstanding all 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In the last Congress they repealed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 ST., 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, 900, 900 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 repeal-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 $30,OOO,O 600 more of the
peoples money in order to enable them
to levy 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, 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, the National party of
the United States, in national conven-
ton assembled, this 29th day of May,
A. d. 1884, declare:
l. That we hold the late decision of the su-
prcIne Court on the legal-tender question to be
has always advocated on the right and author
ity Of Congress over the issue OF legal tender
notes, and we hereby pledge ourselves to uphold
against alterations or amendments intended
to deprive the people OF any rights
or privileges conferred by that instrument. We
demand the issue Of such money in sufficient
quantities to supply the actual demands Of trade
and commerce in accordance with the increase
OF population and the development Of our indus
tries. We demand the substitution Of greenbacks
tor 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 it prosperity and happiness In peace. We
rency and small denominations OF greenbacks
and demand their restoration. We demand the
issue OF the boards of money now locked up in
the United States Treasury by APPLYING them to
2. We dcn0unce as dangerous to our repub-
lican institutions those methods and policies of
the Democratic and Republican parties which
have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
OF land, railroad. money. and other gigantic
corporate monopoies, and we demand such
governmental action MS may be necessary to
have so corruptly and unjnstly usurped and re.
store them to the people to whom they belong.
3. The public lands being the natural inher-
itance Of the PEOPLE. we denounce that policy
which has granted To corporations vast tracts Of
land, and We demand that immediate and Wig
oious measures he taken to reclaim from such
such land grants ~ have been forfeited by rea-
son Of non-tnlfillment OF the contract, or that
may have been wronsfully acquired by corrupt
legislation; and that such reclaimed lands and
other public domain be henceforth held - .
sacred trust, to he granted only to actual set
tiers in limited quantities: and we demand that
ali, ownership of land, individual or corporate,
ehall be prohibited.
1. We demand Congressional regulation Of in
terstate commerce: We denOunce pooling,
stock-watering and discrimination In rates and
charges: and that Congress shall correct these
abuses even ii necessary by the construction Of
national railroads: we also demand the estab-
lishment Of governmental postal telegraph
system.
5. All private property. all forms OF money
and obligations to pay money, should bear
their just proportion OF public taxes; we de-
mand graduated income tax.
&. We demand an amelioration Of the condi-
ton of labor by enforcing sanitary laws In In
dustrial establishments by the abolition of the
convict-labor system; by rigid inspection OF
mines and factories: by reduction OF the hours
OF labor in industrial establishments: by the
fostering of educational institutions: and by
abolishing chilli labor
T. We condemn Ill importation Of contract Ia
Dor made with a view OF reducing to starvation
wages the workingmen Of this country, and de-
mand laws for its prevention.
g. We insist uron a constitutional amendment
reducing the terms of United States Senators