Year: 1878

their living by honest toll, are playing
demagogue. and are supported by those
whom they seek TO delude.


10. The adoption OF On American monetary
system as prosed herein will harmonlze all
differences Ia regard To tariff aud federal
taxation. reduce and equalizo the cost of
transportation by land aud water, distribute
equitably the joint earnings Of capital and
labor, secure TO the producers OF wealth the
results of their labor and skill. muster out of
service the vast army OF idlers who, under
the existing system grow rich upon the earn
ings Of others, that every man and woman
may by their own efforts secure competence,
90 that overgrown fortunes and extreme pow
erty will be seldom found within the limits Of
our republic.


That is neither the utterance OF an
axiom nor a principle, but debt Of
windy defamation, an assertion with
out proof, q stump speech in the belly
OF q disjointsd platform. The mon
who grow rich upon the earnings of
others" are about as plenty in the ma
tional party, in proportion to its men,
bers, as anywhere else. And no reader
OF these lines will need to look far for
some OF them who are assuming lead
ing parts in the management OF the ma
tional party because they think it will
help them still more TO "erow rich up
on the earnings OF Others" and for no
other reason that is apparent to the
naked eye or ordinary comprehension.


II. Eoth the national and state govern
ments should establish bureaus OF labor and
Industrial statistics, clothed with the power
OF gathering aud publishing the same.


II it is necessary 10 establish more
bureaus, and more Offices and more ex-
penses for suoh purposes. it'snot neces-
sary to found new party for that pur-
pose. When it is evident that a ma
iority OF the people wish it, it will be
done by whatever party may be in
power. There is no more sense in
making that q party issue than there
would be In trying TO build a new par
ty upon an assertion that both the ma
tional and state governments should
establish bureaus of eating and drink
ing statistics, "clothed with the power
of gathering g and publishing the same


IL That the contract system OF employing
labor In our prisons and reformatory institu-
tions works great injustice 10 our mechanics
and artisans and should be prohibited.


That is q matter for each state and
each community to regulate by and
for itself.


l3. The importation OF servile labor into
the United States from China Il a problem of
mend legislation looking 10 its suppression.


II there is importation OF servile Ia
bor," and il such labor is continued in
this country, there is already clause
in the constitution probiting IT. In
the platform as adopted by the Illinois
greenbackers is the following plank:


Il. That VIC demand an immediate issue Of
full legal-tender paper currency by the gov
ernment 70 the full limit at least OF $1,000
600.


That is demand to go back II years
which, il complied with, would set in
motion the machinery TO produce an
other just such q collapse as we exper-
fenced in 1873. Nor would these inha-
tionists, in the light of the rest of their
platform, be content with that, but IL
would be the gateway to indefinite ex-
pansion and depreciation and disaster.


Is That the credit OF the government can
best be strengthened and preserved by Its frst
paving off its interest-bearing debt before
calling In any part Of It's MISUNDERSTANDING
obligations for redemption.


This declaration is such as we might
suppose TO be drawn by some ole ow-
ing large mortgage debt and stagger-
ing under q load OF floating debts suf-
fcient TO swamp him, and having a
disposition 10 pay only the debt that
was secured, knowing that the rest
could not be collected Of him. Such a
person might think that his credit
"could best be strengthened and pre-
served" by preferring his secured cred
itors who were able and willing TO wait.
while letting all others whistle for their
pay. But his creditors might think
differently. 1t Is equivalent to sup
posing that what would blast an indi-
vidual with the stigma OF dishonesty
and destroy bis credit, would be high
stroke Of honor for q nation.


To conclude: 1t is not to be sup
posed that all who have gone into the
national party movement are dishonest.
1t is not probable that the majority of
them fully comprehend the logic of the
platform which they are supporting.
But those who do must have gravitat-
ed 10 that platform because they were
attracted by its fallacies, sophistries,
and worst features. They cannot have
been drawn thither by the few good
things it contains, for 10 support aud
promote them no new party is necessa-
~. The bad part OF it is all that can
be gained dy the new movement. The
bad part OF il constitutes its chief end
and aim. This is evident, for the very
reason that it's unsound doctrine is the
very groundwork OF it's existence, the
very essence Of it's departure from and
disagreement with the republican plat
form and principles.