The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-11

n n.
son, and then he would move the previous
| question and ask FOR vote.
General ButleR said that most things in the
platform he agreed to- some things ought to be
added to it; and one thing especially ought to be
changed; that he would submit to the better
Judgment of the convention He asked the
clerk to read his report The clerk commenced
py enunclatlng slowly and very distinctly the
words General Buffers Platform which
caused a general laugh
BUTLERs PLATFORM
The planks Of certain portions Of a platform
offered by General Benjamin F. Butler. of the
committee of resolutions, were rejected Other
portions. suchas the subject of the disposition
of international taxes to a pension fund, the
American foreign policy. and the appointm emit
OF Ieaeral oIncers IN Territories from the citi
zens thereof were adopted by the COMMITTEE
That no taxes, direct OF indirect can be rirhtful
imposed upon the people except to meet the expenses
OF an economically administered government. 10
bring taxation down to this point s trlls sj,inis
trative revenue refor,,,. at IL = y
direct taxation for the ordinary expenses of the gov
ernmen only In case of dire necessity war; there
iore That the revenue necessary for such purposes
should be raised by customs duties upon imports
after the manner of our fathers
That IN levying such duties, two principles should
De carefully observed: Frst-That all the materials
used IN the arts and manufactures and the necessares
OF life not produced in this country shall come in
tree and that all articles of luxury should be taxed
up to the highest possible collection point Second
That m import and custom duties the law must be
carefully adjusted TO promote American enterprise
sh and foster American labor Faithful industry is
the basis on which the whole fabric Of civilization
rests.
Under our system toiIsrs and produeers The mass
OF the people, are the governing power Being the
true Democracy they demand the fullest consideration
and their protection.
Labor and capital are allies not enemies No CON
tent1on can arise between them if each has done its
I1Qp lINe1ax "a
national all such controversies can only be settled by
brute force, capital starving labor and labor
in the crpnIia 1 o cGTienton ending
But capital is strong, labor Is weak
Therefore labor has alright to demand Of the govern
ment to establish tribnna in which these great con
troversies which may lead to revolution may be Judi
CHILLY and justly determined with the fullest power to
enforce their decrees to provide by law that aborng
men may combine and organize for their protec-
ton, as capital may be Incorporated and combined for
It's projections and that all Devices either by contract
or terrorism or otherwise to ebstruet and set aside
ton of the rights of American freeman and should
be made punishable by law.
AL the great woes upon our country have come be-
cause OF imported labor Our fathers made this land
the home of the free for all men appreciating our
institutions and with energy enough 10 bring them
selves here, and such welcome; but our country
ought never to be azarhouse for the deportation Of
the pauper labor of other countries through govern
mental aid the importation of the kind Of labor or
an instrument by which capital can debase American
worhngnen and women from the proud OPPOSITION they
now occapy by competing with them by imported
or convict labor while at the time capital asks
and receives protection Of its interests the hands Of
the government, under guise of providing for Amerf
labor This evil like all others that find birth in
the cupidity and selfshness of men, labor demands
should be redressed by law.
Labor has right to demand just share of the
country urtes with the aboring men in the demand
for liberal support by the United States of the school
system Of the States, for the common school educa
ton OF all the children the same aording sufficient
foundation for the coming generations to acquire due
knowledge of their duties as citizens.
+, Every species OF monopoly engsnders two Glasses
the very rich and the very poor-both Of which are
equally hurtful to republic, which should give to its
people equal rights and equal privileges under the law
The public lands of the United States are the equal
heritage Of all its citizens and should have been held
open to the of ALL in such quantities only
as are needed for cultivation and Improvement BY all
therefore we view with alarm the absorption of
those lands by corporations and individuals in large
areas some of them than equal to prfncefy do
mains and demand Of Congress to apply appropriate
remedies with stern hand so that the lands Of the
people may be held by the many and notify the few
The public lands Of the nation are held by the
government In trust Tor those who make there homes
in the United States and mean to become citizens of
the republic and protest against the purchase and
monopolizaon of these lands by corporations and the
All corporate bodies created either by the States or
Nation for the purpose OF performing public dufies
are public servants and to be regulated in all their
actions by the power that created them at its
own will It is within the power and
s the duty of the creator to govern its creature
a burden upon the people but Be their servant and
convenience which is the true test Of its usefulness
therefore, we call upon Congress to exercise its great
constitutional power for regulating interstate com
merce, to provide that by no contrvance whatever
under forms of law or otherwise shall discriminating
f rates and a., charges fqr the trsnspOrtation Of
the few against the many, enhance the rates of
transportation between the producer and the CON
sumner
The various Offices of tie government belong ia the
peeple thereof and who rghtfuly demand to exercise
and fill the same, whenever they filed by capacity
integrity and energy; the last tive qualifications never
to be tested by any scholastic examination We hold
that frequent changes of federal officials are
shown TO be necessary; first to counteract the growing
aristeeratie tendencies tea caste Of life Offices Sec
ond-Experience having shown that all investigation
is useless while the incumbent and Bis associates hold
their places, frequent change Of officers is necessary
TO the discovery and punishment Of frauds pecula-
tions defaIeations and enbezzfement of the public
money.
Resolved, That we adhere 60 and reatfrm the doc
trine enunciated and established by Jackson
that the government alone. has the
RosT 70 sssaDs and issue money . Tor The people
eminent as method Of borrowing money to carry on
the in the exercise of constitutional power has
to coined gold and silver; that neither policy nor duty
calls for any meddEng with it.
GENERAL. BUTLERs ADDRESS.
General Butler then proceeded to address the
convention. He said he appeared with great
di ffidence. Most of the things in the platform
he agreed to. There was one thing on which
there was the most radical difference between
the two platforms. Both agreed that there was
no Institutional power to raise revenue beyond
the necessary wants of the governments; that it
should be raised according to the doc
trines of the fathers, and that no
tax should be laid on necessaries
of life not produced In this country. He came
here as no mendicant; no beggar. He came
here representing more than L 500, 000 laboring
men. He had brought their condition before the
committee and had demanded not that it should
give them anything, but that, when taxing the
people, the tax should be taken where it would
hurt Them least. Was not that a reasonable
demand2 Did they think they could get along
without that2 He thought not He objected
to the tariff plank in the platform