The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-10-07
TEE LABOR PLATFORM.

Platform Adopted by the Workingmen Of New
Xork-Alr. Henry George the Nominee for
Mayor.
(From the Baltimore Suu.)
1t has already been announced in the
Sun that the labor campaign in New
York city was opened Thursday evening
by tho adoption of q platform and the
nomination of Mr., Henry George for
mayor. Over 400 delegates were present,
representing, it is claimed, 5000 organ
lied men. The following is the platform,
which was adopted with great unanimi-
ty:
THE PLATFORM.
The delegates of the trade and labor
organizations Of the city of New York,
III conference assembled, make this
declaration:
Holding that the corruptions of this
government and the impoverishment of
labor result from neglect of the self
evident truths proclaimed by the found
ers OF this republic, that all men are
created equal and are endowed by their
Creator with inalienable rights, we aim
at the abolition of tho system which
compels men to pay their fellow crea-
lures for the use of Gods gifts to all,
and permits monopoli2crs to deprive
labor of natural opportunities for en-
ploymcnt, thus filing the land with
trnmps and paupers and bringing about
an unnatural competition, which tends
to reduce wages to starvation rates and
to make the wealth producer the indus
trial slave of those who grow rich by his
toll.
Holding, moreover, that the advan-
tages arising from social growth and i'm
provcment belong to society at large, we
aim at the abolition of the system which
makes such bcnefccnt inventions as rail
road and telegraph means Tor the op-
preston of the people and the aggran-
dlzement of an aristocracy of wealth and
power. We declare the true purposes of
government TO be the maintenance of
that sacred right of property which gives
to every one opportunity to employ his
labor and security that he shall enjoy it's
fruits; to prevent the strong from op-
pressing the weak and tie unscruDuloils
from robbing the honest, and to do, for
the equal benefit Of all, such things as
can be better done by organized society
than by Individuals; and we aim at the
abolition Of all laws which give to any
class of citizens advantages, either Judi
clal, financial, industrial or political, that
are not equally shared by all other citi-
ZcnS.
We further declare that the people of
New York city should have full control
OF their own local affairs; that the prac-
tlco OF drawing grand jurors from one
class should cease, and tho requirement
OF property qualification for trial Jurors
should be abolished; that the procedure
of our courts should be so simpliticd and
reformed that the rich shall have no ad-
vantage over the poor; that tie otlicious
lntermcddling of tho police with peace
tul assemblages should be stopped; that
the law for the safety and sanitary in
spectlon OF buildings should be enforced; :;
that IL public work the direct employ
ment OF labor should be preferred to the
system which gives contractors an op-
portunity to defraud the city while
grinding their wolkmen, and that in
public employment equal pay should be
accord ID for equal work without dis
tinction of sex.
We declare the crowding of SO many
of our people into narrow tenements at
enormous rents, while half the area of
the city is yet unbuilt upon, to be q
scandalous evil, and that to remedy this
state of things all taxes on buildings and
improvements should be abolished, SO
that no fine shall be put upon the en-
ployment Of labor in increasing living
accommodations, and that taxes should
bc levied on lands irrespective of i'm
provements, SO those who are now hold-
ing land vacant shall bo compelled either
to build on it themselves or to give up
the land to those who will.
We 0pcl0ra f1rt bnroorn 4bof 41o o,,o,.
nous value which the presence of mil
lion and O half of people gives to the
land Of this city belongs properly to the
whole community; that it should not 90
to the enrichment of individuals and
corporations, but should be taken in
taxation and applied to the Improvement
nnd beautifying of the city; to the pro-
motion of the health, comfort, education
and recreation Of its people, and to the
providing of means of transit commen-
surato with the needs Of great metropo-
lis. We also declare that existing means
OF transit should not be left in the hands
of corporations which, whilo gaining
enormous profits from the growth of
population, opIress their employees and
provoke strikes and interrupt travel and
lmperl the public peace, but should, by
lawful process, be assumed by the city
and operated for public benefit.
10 clear the way tor such reforms as
are impossible without it, we favor q
constitutional convention; and since the
bGllot is the only method by which in
our republic the redress of political and
social grievances is to be sought, wo es-
pecially call for such changes in our
elective methods as shall lessen the need
of money in elections, discourage bribery
and prevent intimidations.
And since in the coming most import
ant municipal election, independent po-
litical action affords the only hope of
exposing and breaking up the oxtortion
and speculation by which standing
army OF professional politicians corrupt
the people whom they plundor, we call
upon all citizens who desire honest gov
ornment to join US in an effort to secure
it, and to show for once that the will of
the people may prevail even against the
money and organization Of banded
spoilsmen.
"A cucumber has been raised in Iowa
which measures four feet in length.