Year: 1875

0crntlc Reform Stale Convention met IN
this city to-day; Hon. D. W. Maxon was
chosen TEN porary Chairman; after the
appointment OF the committee, the con-
vention took recess till o'clock,


AFTERNOON SESSION.


Upon re.assembling n permanent or
ganization was effected, Ex-Governor
Nelson Dewey, President. The following
resolutions were adopted:


The representatives Of the Democratic
and Liberal Reform and Independent vO.
ters Of Wisconsin assembled do Congratu.
late the people Of the State, regardless Of
political distinction, on the progress thus
made in the State expenditures; vigorous
and impartial administration Of the laws;
in the repeal Of obnoxious legislation;
in additional protection assured indus
trial and producing classes, and banish-
mGnt Of the debasing spirit Of political
partyism from official places, and We re-
solve and declare,


First. That we will abide by the prin-
ciples Of political reform adopted by the
Peoples Reform Convention Of 1873 and
subsequently re-adopled by 10000 major
ily Of the people OF Wisconsin at the polls,


Second. That We will abide by the
declaration Of principles unanimously
agreed to by the Reform and Independent
members Of the Wisconsin Legislature Of
1875, to.wit: the preservation Of the pub.
lie credit; honest payment Of the national
debt; rigid economy in State and Federal
government; more and cheaper facilities
for transportation within and without the
State; the completion Of tho Fox and Wis
consin river Improvement; sound cur.
rency in coin, or It's equivalent; a tariff
for revenue, leaving lighter duty upon
articles Of necessity than upon articles
Of luxury; the sovereignty Of the State
over corporations Of its own CFea'
tion; no sympathy for men who vote
or apologize for the credit MobiIier cor.
ruptiOn In Congress or elsewhere, or who
affiliate with men Of corrupt practices,
In State or Federal legislation; the sOVer.
eigntyoftho Federal gOverrmentin the ex'
ercise Of It's delegated powers the SOW
ereignty OF the States and the people as
TO all powers not delegated the Federal
government nor prohibited 10 the States;
tho supremacy Of civil authority in times
Of peace, liberty, equality and fraternity
for all men under the law, freedom Of the
press from the Federal gag laws;
freedom Of religious opinion; hostility
to all State or Federal enact
ments which usurp Jurisdiction over
private conscience ,or punish man for the
offences Of another; elevation Of labor,
and Ia permanent and positive protec.
lion in all It's rights, without injustice to
capital; and for the perpetual snbOrdina.
tion Of the interests Of the party to prin.
ciplcs; and to the good Of the whole
people.


We furthermore resolve and declare
that, being one people, and having but
one people, aud having but ono country,
1t Is essential to our nations peace and
prosperity that harmony prevail between
the Federal and State governments, In all
their legal and constitutional relations;
that towards that end 1t Is necessary that
the Constitution, with all its amendments,
be acknowledged as the supreme law
throughout the land, and that no effort be
made 10 Counleract the letter or spirit Of
itS provisions; but we strongly condemn
all attempts by the Federal Government
to absorb or exercise powers not express.
ly delegated by the Constitution, and the
Interference OF the Federal Administers
ton In matters Of purely local concern.


Second-That In the administration Of
our national affairs Of late years we find
little 10 praise and much to regret and
dlsapprove.


Third That the trainers Of our Gov.
ernment wisely guarded against the union
Of Church and State, and we insist that
the principles OF our Constitution In this
RESPECT shall be adhered to strictly and
forever; that In the administration Of our
public affairs all sectArian issues shall be
discarded.


Fourth-Undcr our Constitution the
school fund and its revenues are set apart
and exclusively devoted to the support
and maintenance Of public schools that
all agitation relating to division Of the
same Is impolitiC aud tlncalled for; that
such schools are an indispensable element
to republican institutions, aud we believe
In periecting more and more thorough
and free common school education with.
In the reach Of all; but we also insist
that, as required by the Constitution, the
public schools throughout our State shall
be kept free from seCtarian instruction,
in order that they may become accessible
to all without interference with the rights
Of conscience.


Fifh-That the power given to the leg.
islature by the Constitution Of our State
to exempt property was expected TO be
exercised with the utmost caution, but
much complaint has been made that the
power has been but very little restrained
10 the detriment Of public interests, and
we accordingly recommend an early
revision Of the laws upon that subject.


SiGth-'rhat Of the many successful
efforts Of the Republican party Of Wis.
consin to promote temperance by pro.
hibilary legislation we rejoice in the final
acknowledgement that true education
and sound morals are the best agents for
that purpose, but that we deem II es.
sential to remain vigilant rather than
conhde in the declarations possibly
dictated by partisan exigency instead Of
by settled convictions Of principle and
duty and we furthermore recommend
any amendment Of the present excise law
necessary TO secure every portion Of the
people from arbitrary infrihgementS upon
The letter and spirit Of It's provisions.


Seventh-That we congratulate the peo.
pie Of Wisconsin upon the settlement Of
The question Of the sovereignty Of the
State over a corporation Of It's own Crea.
tion, and upon the perpetual source Of
redress thus assured against aggression
from monopoliEed capital; and We de-
mand that the power OF the State thus es.
tablished shall be firmly andcontinuously
exercised for the protection Of the peo.
pie from every form Of corporate ihjus'
lice, extortioh or aggression; and we re.
peat and declare that the Improvement
Of old and the construction Of new lines
Of railroad are necessary TO the progress
and development Of the State, and that
the railroad companies are entitled to
reasonable and reliable compensation for
the actual capital and labor thus EN-.
bInyo1