Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-06-05
GREENBACK NOMINEES
Butler and West the Winners.
The Tariff Question of Secondary I'm
portance Compared With Fl.
uanciai Issues.

unnciai Issues.
II was expected when the Greenback
convention adjourned on the night of
May ~, TO meet again the following
morning that the committee on platform
would be ready at once to submit their
report, and that the business of the con-
vention would be very quickly disposed
of.
Contrary 10 expectations, the COM
mittee were not ready until nearly three
O'Clock in the afternoon, and all the
time previous to this was devoted 10
speech-making and various other de-
vices TO "kill" time.
When the committee were ready to
report, 1t was ascertained that. there
would DO three reports.
The minority reports were made by
Jones of New York, and Blanchard of
Michigan, and were read first. The
reading was attentiyely listened to and
occasionally interrupted by applause.
the report of Blanchard meeting enthu-
siastic approval, and its author receiv-
ing many congratulations on the stand
he took in favor of temperance and
woman's suffrage.
The Jones report differed from the
majority report in demanding that
while Congress shall issue full legal
tender notes, they shall be used in the
payment of government debts, con-
structing public improvements, to re-
duce transportation charges, complet-
ing public buildings, building a navy
and for such other purposes as Congress
is now asked to appropriate money,
until the surplus labor of the country
is employed, profitable home market
for products of American farms and
workshops created. and business done
on cash basis. Jones did not insist
on his views. and there was no split on
the platform.
The majority report was read by Mr..
Norton, chairman of the committee. Ii
contained a lengthy preamble, setting
forth the object OF the Greeuback party
and what it has accomplished, saying
Congress had repealed over $l2 900, 600
Of annual taxes for the banks, throwing
this burden upon the people TO pay
interest thereon.
The following is the platform:
/. That we hold tue late decision OF the Su-
irene Court on the legal tender question 10 be
| full vindication Of the theory which that
party has always advocated on the right and
authority 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 and amend
ments intended to deprive the people OF any
| rights or privileges conferred by that ipstru
| ment. We demald the issue OF such money
and In sufficient quantities to supply the actual
| demands Of trade and commerce In accordance
with the increase OF population and the devel-
opment Of OR industries. We demand the
substitution OF greenbacks for national bank
| notes and the prompt payment OF the public
debt. We want that money which saved our
| country In time OF war, and which has given II
prosperity and happiness ia peace. We con
denim the retirement of fractional currency and
small denominations OF greenbacks, aud de-
mand their restoration. We demand the issue
Of the boards Of money now locked up In the
United States Treasury, by applying them to
the payment OF the public debt now due.
2. We denounce AS dangerous 20 our repub-
lean institutions those methods and policies
| of the Democratic and Republican parties
which have sanctioned or permitted the estab.
lishment OF land, railroad, money and other
| gigantic corporate moDopolies, and We demand
| such governmental action as may be necessary
| to take from such monopolies the powers they
have so corruptly and unjustly ueurped, and
restore them 10 the people TO whom they
| belong.
5. The public lands being the natural inner.
itance OF the people, We denounce that policy
which has granted to corporations vast tracts
| of land and we demand that immediate and
| vigorous measures be taken TO reclaim from
such corporations for the peoples use and
benefit AL such land grants as have been for
| feited by reason OF non-fulfllmento of contract
or that may have been wrongfuily acquired by
corrupt legislation; aud that such railroad
lands and other public domain be henceforth
held as q sacred trust, 10 be granted only TO
actual settlers, In limited quantities; and we
demand that alien ownership Of land, individ-
ual OF corporate, shall be prohibited.
| 4. We demand congressional legislation of
Interstate commerce; we denounce spool
Ing" stock watering and discrimination In
| rates and charges, and that congress shall cor
rect these abuses even II necessary by the
construction of national roads; we also de.
mand the establishment of q government poe
tai telegraph system.
D. All private property, all farms, money
| and obligations TO pay money, should bear
| their just proportion Of public taxes. We de-
inand graduated income tax.
q. We demand an amelioration Of the condi-
tion OF labor bv enforcing the sanitary laws Ia
| industrial establishments; by the abolition Of
| the convict labor system; by q rigid inspec-
| tion OF mines and factories; by areduction OF
the hours OF labor In industrial establishments;
| by fostering educational institutions and by
abolishing child labor.
:. WecondeInn all importations of contract
labor made with view OF reducing TO starva-
tion wages the workingmen Of this country.
| and demand laws for Its prevention.
5. We insist upon a constitutional amend
ment reducing the terms OF the United States
| Senators.
| y. We demand such rules for the government
| of Congress as shall place all representatives
| OF the people upon an equal footing and take
| away from the committees veto power great
| er than that of the President.
20. The question as to the amount Of duties
| TO be levied upon various articles Of import has
been agitated, quarreled over and las divided
committees for nearly 100 years. II Is not now
and never viii be settled unless by the aboli-
| ton Of indirect taxation. 1t is a convention
Issue, always raised when people are excited
over abuses In their midst. While we favor q
| wise revision OF the tariff laws, with a view of
raising revenue from Injuries, rather than
| necessaries, we insist that as an economic
| question its Importance Is Insignificant as COM
pared With financial issues; for, whereas we
| have suffered our worst panics under law
and also under high tariffs, we have never suf-
| fered from paLic or seen our factories and
workshops closed while the volume of money
| I'm circulation was adequate to the needs OF
commerce. Give our farmers and manufac-
| turers money. MS cheap as you now give our
| bankers, and they can pay high wages TO labor
| and compete with all the world.
II. For the purpose Of testing the sense OF
| the people upon the subject we are In favor OF
submitting to the vote OF the people an amend
ment TO the constitution In favor OF suffrage
regardless of sex, and also on the subject of
| the liquor traffic
IL. All disabled soldiers OF the late war
should be equitably pensioned, and we de-
| nounce the policy Of keeping small army OF
| Office -hodert whose only business IL TO prevent