The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-08-23
POLITICAL PLATFORMS.
A Series of Interesting Documents.
IN the Development OF PoIiti-
cal Parties Since the Orgamiza-
tiO1 of the GOUerh n2eot.
1872.

| c0L F0TC1eS S171ce the OrgGTGzG-
| tiOp of the GoUerh naept.
1872.
LABOR REFORM, COLUMBUS, FEB 21sT.
| We hold that all political power is
inherent in the people, and free govern
ment founded on their authority and
established for their benefit; that all
citizens sare equal in political rights,
entitled to the largest religious and po
ltlcal liberty compatible with the good
order of society, as also the use and en-
jOyment of the faults of their labor and
talents; and no man or set of men is
entitled to exclusive, separable endow-
ments and privileges or immunities
from the government, but in cOnsid
laws destructive of these principles are
without moral binding force, and
should be repealed. And believing
that all the evil resulting from unjust
legislation now affecting the industrial
classes can be removed by the adoption
of principles contained in the follow
ing declaration: Therefore,
ResOLUed, That it is the duty of the
government to establish just standard
Of distribution of capital and labor, by
providing purely national circulating
medium, based on the faith and re-
sources of the nation, issued directly
to the people without the Intervention
of any system of banking corporations,
which money shall be legal tender in
the payment of all debts, public and
private, and interchangeable, at the
option of the holder, for government
bonds bearing a rate Of interest not to
exceed 65 per cent, subject to future
legislation by Congress.
2. That the national debt should be
paid in good faith, according to the
original contract at the earliest option
of the government, withoutmortgagi
the property of the people or the future
eXigencies of labor to enrich few cap
italists at home and abroad.
3. That justice demands that the
burdens of government should be so
adjusted as to bear equally on all
classes, and that the exemption from
taxation of government bonds bearing
extravagant rates of interest, is a viola
ton of all just principles of revenue
laws.
4. That the public landso of the United
States belong to the people, and should
not be sold to individuals nor granted
to corporations, but should be held as
sacred trust for the benefit of the
people, and should be granted to land
SO sattlors- -alal5r,-iu-ar amounts not ok
ceeung one hundred and sixty acres
of land.
5. That Congress should modify the
tariff so as to admit free such articles
of common use as we can neither pro
duce nor grow, and lay duties for rev
enue mainly upon articles of luxury
and upon such articles of manufacture
as will, we having the law materials,
assist in further developing the re-
sources of the country.
6. That the presence In our country
of Chinese laborers, imported by cap
italists in large numbers for servile
use, is an evil entailing want and its
attendant train of misery and crime on
all classes of the American people, and
should be prohibited by legislation.
z. That we ask for an enactment of
law by which all mechanics and day
laborers employed by or on behalf of
the government, whether directly or
indirectly, through persons, firms, or
corporations, contracting with the
| State, shall conform to the reduced
standard of eight hours day, recently
adopted by Congress for national en-
plOyees; and also for an amendment
| to the acts of incorporation for cities
and towns, by which all laborers and
mechanics employed at their expense
shall conform to the same number of
| hours.
8. That the enlightened spirit of the
age demands the abolition of the sys
| tenn of contract labor in our prisons
and other reformatory institutions.
8. That the protection of life, liberty,
| LA +hIa0o 0nnHiro1
principles of government, and the first
! two are more sacred than the latter
! therefore, money needed for prosecut-
ing wars should as it is required, be
assessed and collected from the wealthy
of the country, and not entailed as a
| burden on posterity.
TO- That it is the duty of the govern
ment to exercise it's power over rail
roads and telegraph corporations, that
they shall not in any case be privileged
to exact such rates of freight, trans
portation or charges, by whatever
name, 0s may bear unduly or unequally
upon the producer or consumer.
IL That there should be such re
form in the civil service of the National
Government as will remove it beyond
all partisan influence, and place it in
the charge and under the direction of
intelligent and competent business
men.
10. That as both history and expert
ence teaches us that power ever seeks
to perpetuate itself by every and all
means, and that it's prolonged posses
sion in the hands of one person il
always dangerous to the interests of q
free people, and believing that the
spirit of our organic laws and the sta
b1lity and safety of our free institutions
are best obeyed on the one hand, and
secured on the other, by regular con
stitutional change in the chief of the
country at each election; therefore, we
are in favor of limiting the occupancy
of the presidential chair to one term.