The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-10-09
NATIONAL PLATFORM.
Adopted At indianapolis May, 1884.


claimed TO the world it's immortal prin
ciples, and placed before tho American
people as Presidential candidate tina
great philanthropist and spotless states
man, Peter Cooper. Since that con
ycntion our party has organized al
over the Union, and through discu> siot
and agitation, has been educating til,
tho people to sense OF their rights mn,
duties 10 themselves and their country
These labors have accomplished won
dcrs. Wo now have great, harmon
ious party, and thousands who bclicv,
in our principles, in the ranks Of othc
parties.
ave point with pride TO our history.
We forced the RECOMMENDATION of tn,
silver dollar; prevented tho rcfundins
Of tho public debt into long time
bonds; secured the payment o.
tho bonds, until tho "bes,
banking system the world ever saw
for robbing the producer now tottcrs
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 grcenback 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 all this, never III
our history have tho banks, land-grani
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 abIect tools oil
the corporate monopolies.
In the last Congress they repealed
over So 1000, 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
wilhstanding tho distress Of business.
the shrinkage Of wages and he panic,
they persist In locking up on various
prctexts. 500, 0n0, 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 S30,ooo,o 900 more Of the
peoples money in order to enable them
to levy still greater burden Of interest
taxes.
A joint effort il 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 enslsve the masses to
bankers and other usurpers. The
House of Representatives has passed
bills retaining nearly 100, 900, 0o3 acres
of lands granted to, and forfeited 10y,
railroad companies. These bills have
gone to the Senate. a body composed
largely ri aristocratic millionaires who,
according TO their own party papers,
generally purchased their elections
in order TO protect the great mo-
nopclies which they represent. This
body has thus far de,ied the people and
the House. and refused 70 act npon
these bills in the interest Of the people.
Therefore, We. the National party OF
the United States, in national conven-
ton assembled, this 2Sth day of May,
A. ID. 1881, declare
|. That we hold tho late decision of the SUI
p,eme Court On the lsgal-tcnder question TO he
a full yindieation ct the theory which that PARTY
has always advc, ated ON tho right and author
ity Of Congress over the issue Of legal-tcndel
notes. and we hereby pledge ourselves to uphold
said decision and to defend the Constitution
against alterations or amendments intended
to deprive the Ieopie OF any right
or privileges conferred by that instrument. WI
demand the issue OF such money In sufficient
quantities 10 supply tie actual demands OF trad,
aud c. mmsrce i'll accs raance with the increase
oil population and the development of our indus
tries. We demand the substitution of creenbacks
tor national bank notes and the prompt nayinep,
OF the public dctt We want that money which
ya1 a ~ which
given II prosperity and h ppm. ~ In peace. We
condemn the retirement II the fractional cur
reney and small dsnominations of grecnback'
and demand their restoration. We demand thu
issue ot the boards ut money now locked up In
the United States Treasury i, applying them Il
the payment II the public debt now due
2. We tienoullce IA dangerous 10 our rcpnb
lean institutions those methods and policies 81
the Democratic and Republican parties which
have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
Of land, railroad, money. and other gigantic
corporate mofioroies, and we demand suel
governmental action - may be necessary Il
take from such monopoles the powers the,
have 80 corraptly and nnins'ly nsnrped and r.
store them tn the isorle to whom they belong
\ Tho niiic lands being the natural inner
itancs II the earle. We denonnce that polic,
which has granted /" corporations vast tracts o
land anl We demand that immediate and Wig
o,cns measures ic taken 10 r. claim from sucl
corporations Tor the peoples use and benefit I'll
such land grants as have been forfeited by rea
son Of non-iulfltment OF the contract, or tha
VI
legislation. and that such reclaimed lands ant
other public dc main be henc.foith held a.
sacred trust, To he granted only to actual set
tiers in limited quantities: and We demand tina
ali, ownership of land. individual or corporate
ehall be prohibited.
1. We demand Congressional regulation of in
terstate commerce: we denounce pooling.
stock wat. ring and dis rimination In rates anf
charges: and that Congress shall correct thcs
abuses even IL necessary bs the construction O
national railroads: we also dem nd the cstab
lishment of a governmental postal telegraph
system.
s. All private property. all ferns Of none,
their lust proportion af public taxes: we de-
mand a graduated income tax.
&. We demand an amelorat:on Of the coadi
dustrial establishments by the abolition Of tn
consiet-lab system: by 4 rigid inspection o
mines and factories: by a reduction OF the hour
| of labor in industrial establishments. by tn
| fostering Of educational institutions: and b,
abolishing child labor
T. We condemn all importation If contract 10
Dor made with view of reducing to starvation
wages the workingmen IT his country, and dc
mand laws for its prevention
| T. We insist upon a constitutional ameadmen
reducing the terms Of United States Senator
one half, and making them elective directly h.
| the people: also making the President inelgibl
to re election
D. We demand such rules for the government
| Of Congress a. shall place all representatives q
the people upon an equal footing and take ava
/ from committees veto power greater than tina