The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-07-31
NATIONAL PLATFORM.
Adopted NJ indianapolis May, 1854.

adopted NJ indianapolis May, 1854.
Eight years ago our young party met
IN this city for the first time, and pro.
claimed TO the world its immortal prin-
ciples, and placed before the American
people M 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 great, harmon
ious party, and thousands who believe
in our principles, in the ranks Of other
parties.
I'VE 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
Tor rohhing the producer now totters
because Of its contracting foundation i
we have stopped the squandering of
our public domain upon corporations;
we have stopped the wholesale destruc-
ton Of the greenbaek 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 ablect tools Of
the corporate monopolies.
In the last Congress they repealed
over ST., 100000 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
outstanding the distress of business,
the shrinkage Of wages and he panic,
they persist In locking up IN varieus
pretexts, 500, 0oo, 600 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--il,
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,u0u,0O 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 tn overthrow the soye-
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 aud other usurpers. The
House of Representatives has passed
bills reclaiming nearly loo, 600, 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,
purchased their elections
in order to protect the great fno-
nopolics which they represent. This
body has thus far deiied the people and
the House, and refused TO act upon
these bills in the interest of the people.
Il erefcre, we. thu National party Of
the United States, in national conven-
ton assembled, this 23th day of May,
A. d. 1854. declare:
l. That we hold the late decision OF the Su.
pleme Court on the lcgal-tcnder question TO be
q fun Sin,fca.ion OF the theory which that party
has always advocated ON the right and author
ttS Of Congress over the Issue OF legal-tender
notes. and ~e hereby pledge ourselves to uphold
said decision and to defend the Constitution
against alterations or amendments intended
TO TO deprive the Leonie 81 any rights
demanl the issue OF such monev In sufficient
quantities TO supply the actual demands OF trad
and q mm"rce IN accs rdancc with the increase
Lat .Ataa ~ n
tries Wedemand the substitution of ereenhacks
tor national hank notes and the prompt payment
OF the public aelt We want that money which
saved our country In time OF war. and which has
CIV n II prosperity and h ppiness in peace We
condemn the retirement Of the fractional cur
r.ncv aud small denominations of greenbacks
an demand th,ir restoration. We demand the
fssue OF the haard- OF money now locked up IN
the United States Treasury by applying them to
the payment II the public debt now due
? We denoaree "a dangerous to our repab.
lean institutions those methods and policies of
the Democratic aud Republican parties which
have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
Of land, railroad, money. and other gigantic
corporate menolo!ies, and we demand such
take from such monoroliea the powers they
have 80 corruptly and nnjnstly usnrped and re-
store EN- to the PEOPLE to whom they belong.
The ublic lanas hcing the natural inher-
itancc 4 the eaple, We denouncc that policy
which has aranted t. corrorat tons vast tracts of
land. an We demand that immediate and Wig
corporations Tor the peoples use and benefit all
such land grants as have been forfeited by rea-
son OF non nlnl mcnt of the contract, or that
n as have leca W onUfully acquired bv corrupt
lncis fations and that such reclaimed lands and
other public Il. main he hencefo, tn held as q
sacred trust to lie granted only to actual set
tiers in limited ananttie and we demand that
Iii n ownership Of land, individual or corporate,
thall h. prohibited.
I. We demand Congressional regulation of in
terstate commerce. we deuounce pooling"
stock wat ring. and dis r,minatiou In rates and
charges: and that Congr, shall correct these
abuses. even II necessary bv the construction Of
m ional railroads: we also dem nd the eetab-
lishment of a governmental postal telegraph
system.
s. All private property. all ferns Of money
and obligations to pay money, should bear
their Just proportion uf public taxes; we de-
mand graduated income tax
&. We demand an amsliuratlon OF the condi-
tion of labor by enforcing sanitary laws In in
dustrial establishments by the abolition Of the
convict labor system: by a rigid inspection OF
mines and factories: by reduction of the hours
of labor i'm industrial establishments: by the
fostering If educational Institutions: and by
aholishinc chill labor.
I. We condemn all importation Of contract L.
hor made with VIEW Of reducing to starvation
wages the wol kingmen Of his country and de-
mand laws for its prevention.
4. We mist III on constitutional amendment
reducing the terms OF United Ri ates Senators
one La T. ard II aking them elective di eel Nv nv