The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-09-04
NATIONAL PLATFORM.
Adopted Mt indianapolis May, 1884.

Llpht years ago our young purify hies
in this city for the first time, and pro"
claimed to the world its immortal prin-
ciples, and placed before the American
people rs 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 tho
the people to sense OF their rights and
duties to themselves and their country
These labors have accomplished won
dcrs. 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 tho payment OF
the bonds, until the "best
banking system the world ever saw
for robbing the producer now totters
because of it's contracting foundation ;
we have stopped the squandering OF
our public domain upon corporations;
we have stopped the wholesale dcstruc-
ton OF the grccnback 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 i'll
our history have the banks, Immigrant
railroads, and other monopolies, been
more insolent in their demands for
further privilegcs-still more class
legislation. In this emergency the
dominant parties are arrayed against
the people, and are tho abject tools oil
the corporate monorolics.
In the last Congress they repealed
over 81, 5000 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 on various
pretexts, $500, ono, 900 of money, ever,
dollar of which the people pay inter
est upon, and need, and most of which
should DC promptly applied to pay
| bonds now payable.
The old parties are united-as they
cannot agree what taxes to rereal-ir
| efforts to squander the income of thu
| Government upon every pretext rather
than pay the debt.
A bill has already passed the Unitee
States Senate making the banks pres
ent of over S3O,ooo,0o more of Tho
peoples money in order to enable then
to levy still greater burden of interes
taxes.
A Joint effort il being made 10y tn,
old party leaders to overthrow the soye
reign constitutional power of thu
people to control their own financial
affairs, and issue their own money il
order to forever enslave the masses t.
bankers and other usurpers. The
House of Representatives has passet
bills reclaiming nearly loo, 900. Ooa 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
nopolies which they represent. This
body has thus far detied the people ant
tie House, and refused to act npol
these bills in the interest of the people
Therefore, We, thu National party o.
the United States, in national conven
ton assembled, this 10Th day Of May
A. ID. 1884, declare:
| l. That we hold the late decision of the Su
| preme Court an the legal-tcnder question to b.
| a full yindication of the theory which that part,
has always advocated On the right and author
ity of Congress over the issue OF lcgal-tondc
| notes, and We hereby pledge ourselves to uphol,
said decision and to defend the Constitution
| against alterations or amendments intended
| to deprive tho Iaople OF any right
| or privileges conferred by that instrument. w
| demand the issue OF such money In snilclen
| quantities To supply tho actual aemandsof trad
| and commerce IN ace, rlancc with the increas
| OF population and the development Of our indus
| tries. Wedemand the substitution OF Ireenhack
| for national bank notes and the prompt paymep
of the public dcht. We want that money whic
| saved our country in time OF war, and which Ina
given II prosperity and happiness in peace. W
condemn the retirement af the fractional cur
rency and small denominations Of yreenhack
and demand their restoration. We demand tn
issue of the boards OF maney now locked ur i
the United States Treasury by applying them I
the payment If the public debt now due
| 2. We dcnauncc IA dangerous 10 our repull
lean institutions those methods and policies .
the Democratic and Republican parties whic
have sanctioned or permitted the establishment
of land. railroad, money, and other gigan.i
corporate monaIolies, and we demand sue
| governmental action as may he necessary
| take from such monopolies the powers the
have eorruptly and nnjnstly nsnrped and n
store them To the people To whom they belon.
b The public lands being the natural inner
, | ifance If the coplc. We acnanncc that polio
| which has granted To corporations vast tracts
land, AMI We demand that immediate and vi
| orous measures lie taken TO reclaim from sue
, | corporations Tor the peoples Use and benefit a
such land grants rs have been forfeited by rea
| son OF non-fulfllmcnt ri the contract. or ths
| MAY have been NionGfully acquired by corrui
legislation: and that such reclaimed lands an
other public domain lie hencefortl held ~
sacred trust, to he granted only to actual sc1
, | tiers i'm limited quantities: and we demand tn,
| alien ownership OF land individual or corporal
| shaIl he prohibited.
| l. We demand Congressional regulation of IL
| tersfate commerce: denounec pooling
stock " att ring. aud dir Elimination in rates an
| charges. aud that Congress shall correct thci
| abuses even Ii necessary lay the construction
national railroads. We also demand the esiai
| lishment of governmental postal telegTaI
system. .s.-.s
and obligations ia pay money, should dc;
their inst proportion oi public taxes. we IL
manl.a graduated income tax.
eve demand an aneioratsun III the cond
ton OF labor by enforcing sanitary laws In IL
. dusirial establishments by the abolition III Il
convict labor system: by rigid inspection
mines and factories: BY reduction Of the hou
| Of labor In industrial establishments: by II
fostering Of educational institutions: and
alsulirhing child Iatfor. =
: T. W. condemn all importation Of contract l
, | hor made with view OF reducing to siarsatia
| wages the wofkingmrn II This country, and Il
mand laas tor liz prevention.
ii We insist mon constitutional amenfmei
| reducing the terms Of United States senate