The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-07-17
NATIONAL PLATFORM.



ciples, and placed before the American
people as 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 10 themselves and their country
These labors have accomplished won
ders. We now have a great, harmon
ious party, and thousands who believe
in our principles, in the ranks Of other
parties.
@We 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
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 the squandering 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 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In the last Congress they repealed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 SO, 600, 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 ia order
to stop the payment Of the public debt
| and save khe banks whose charters they
have renewed for twenty years. Not
outstanding the distress of business,
the shrinkage of wages and he panic,
they persist in locking up on various
pretexts, 500, 0O0, 100 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 partie. 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 3O,OOO,OOO 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
o airs, 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 lou, 900. OOJ 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-
nopolies 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.
r erefore, we, thu National party of
the United States, in national conven-
ton assembled, this 18th day of May,
A. d. 1854, declare:
]. That we hold the late decision OF the Su.
preme Court on the legal-tender question to be
Z full vinaication q the theory which that party
ity Of Congress over the issue of legal-tender
notes. and we hereby pledge ourselves to uphold
said decision and to defend the Constitution
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 G. mmarce in acet r iance with the increase
OF population and the development OF our indus
tries. We demand the substitution Of ereenbacks
TOR national bank notes and the prompt payment
OF the public delft We want that money which
saved our country In time Of war, and which has
given It prosperity and b ppness In peace, We
condemn the retirement VI the fractional cur
rency and small denominations Of greenbacks
AMI demand their restoration We demand the
issue OF the boards OF money now locked mp in
tad AZ hVa Twin harm
the payment Of the public debt now due
3 We denounce as dangerous to our repub-
lean institutions those m thods and policies OF
the Democratic and Republican parties which
have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
OF land, railroad. money, and other gigantic
corporate monopolies, and we demand such
governmental action as may be necessary to
take from snch monop0lies the powers they
have so cOrrnptly and unjustly usurped and re-
store item to the people to whom they belong
J. The public lands being the natural inher-
itance ef the eople. we denonnce that policy
which has aranted to corporations vast tracts OF
land. an we demand that immediate and Wig
ofous measures lie taken to recla m from such
corporations tor the peoples use and benefit all
such land grants as have been forfeited by rea-
son OF non-tulfl'ment OF the contract, or that
RAY have Teen wiongfully acquired by corrupt
lagislation; and that such reclaimed lands and
other public domain be .henceto tn held as q
sacred trust. to lie granted only to actual set
tiers in limited qnantities and we demand that
ali ownership OF land. individual or corporate.
ehall be prohibited.
4. We demand Congressional regulation Of In
tcrstate commerce: we denOunc0 "pcOling,s
O. 0ck-wat ring. and dis Elimination In rates and
charges: and that Csngr, IS shall correct these
pbutcs even II necessary by the construction OF
m ional raj roafs: we also dem nd the estab-
lishnent OF . governmental postal telegraph
vystcm.
s. 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.
G. We demand an ameliorat.on Of the condi-
Of ioI.f ttor Nv~sv
dustrial establishments by the abolition Of the
convict labor system: by rigid inspection OF
mines and factories: bv reduction OF the hours
OF labor In indu trial establishments: by the
fostering II educational institutions; and by
abolishing chill labor.
I. We condemn al importation Of contract L.
Dor made with view OF reducing to starvation
wages the wol kingmen Of his country. and de-
mand laws Tor it's prevention.
4. We IN ist u on constitutional amendment
reducing the terms OF United States Senators
one IN T. and aking them electi, Q di eci ly by
the people: also making the President ineligible
to re election.
O. We demand such rifles for the government