Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1878 — National State Platform. [ARTICLE]

National State Platform.

The National Greenback Labor Party of Indiana, in convention assembled, declare: I. We declare oar fealty to the American monetary system—the abolition of att bank issues, the free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver, and the issuing by the government of full legal-tender paper money, receivable for all dues and pavable for debts, public and private,- In amount sufficient to meet the wants of trade, to give employment to all labor, and to enable the people to do a cash business, and to relieve them from the debt system which has made the industrial and commercial classes the slaves aud drudges of the creditmongers of the world. ■i. We declare our opposition to every measure looking to the resumption of specie payments, the monarchical system of finance which puts all the interests of industry, trade and commerce in the hands of the few, and enforces a monopoly of wealth, destructive of the highest material good of society. 3. We proclaim our uncompomising hostility to the perpetuation of the system of goverment bonded indebtedness which is intended to hind unborn generations in chains, and we declare that the government should use all the funds now hoarded lor resumption purposes to pay and cancel outstanding bonds, aud that Tit should makunew and liberal issues of money to be applied to the same purposa; aud that the issue of future interestbearing bonds sbc'ffld be prohibited by constitutional amendment 4. We deinuud that all legislation should be so enacted and so administered as to secure to each man, as nearly as practicable, the just reward of his own labor; and we denounce all lawlessness, violence and fraud that refuses submission to the will of the people honestly expressed through the ballot. 5. We denounce the red flag communism imported from Europe, which asks for an equal division of property, and we denounce the communism of the national banks, of the bond syndicates, and of the consolidated railroad corporations, which have secured and are enforcing an unequal division of property, having already divided among themselves ten thousand millions of the pioperty of the people by corrupting the representatives aud servants of the people. The one system of communism ignores tiie inequalities of capacity jyhieh have been planted by nature in the human family, and both systems are destructive of the rewards of toil and of the incentive to industry and exertion. 6. We declare that until the American monetary -system, which will result in the practical extinction of debt aud usury is established the State should by all the powers thut it can exert, limit uud reduce the rate of interest so that it shall in no event exceed the average increase of wealth by productive industry. 7. We favor simple, plain and economical gov ernmentr as few laws as possible, and they rigidly enforced—as few officials as practicable, aud t they held to a close .accountability. To this end we demand the abolition of all useless offices, aud the overthrow of the system by which offices are made to yield almost princely fortunes. It is the lirst duty ol the next general assembly of Indiana to secure such legislation as shall make it impossible lor any local or State official to receive more than adequate pay ter his services; aud when practicable the compensation should be fixed bv a specific salary. 8. We denounce the conspiracy of tho Democratic and Republican leaders of Indiana to build a costly and magnificent state house, which, us experience has proved in all similar cases, would result in the general plundering of the people.— We denounce file action of the governor in calling a special session of the legislature for the purpose of fostering this scheme. We denounce the indecent haste with which the state house commissioners are proceeding to let a contract to bind the people of the state, and we demand that no contract shall bo let until the voters of the state have had an opportunity to express their will upon the subject through the legislature to be chosen iu October next. 9. We protest against the weak and ineffective election laws of Indiana, aud we ask that the next legislature shall enact statutes which shall secure lair elections iu Ihe state, aud which shall provide severe and adequate punishment for fraudulent voters, and for those who bribe voters or procure fraudulent votes. 10. We denounce the criminal and utv£uir apportionment of the legislative and congressional districts of the state in the.interest of the Republican party, and the equally unjust apportionments made in the past by the Democratic party, and we pledge our members of the legislature to vote for a fair aud equitable apportionment which shall secure a full and uutrammcled expression of the sen* timents of the people. 11. The State shall enact laws which will abrogate the utilises and protect the interests of meu who work in mines, by providing for the proper ventilation ol the mines; aud the earnings of all employees of corporations should be a first lien upon the property of said corporations. 12. If it was wise aud needful in 1807, when money was plenty and the country prosperous to enact a bankrupt law, it is certainly humane now to amend such law so to prevent frauds and to continue iu force this lust escape of tho oppressed debtor from the extortions of the money power And wo favor the exemption of not less than §I,OOO worth of property to the householder from forced sale on execution. 13. The constitution should be so amended that thePresideni, Vice-President and Seuutors of the United States shall be elected bv direct vote of the people. 14. We are unalterably opposed to adding to the burthens of the people by an increase of the standing army, believing with Washington thut "overgrown military establishments under any form of government are inauspicious to liberty, aud particularly hostile to republican liberty." 15. We indorse aud reaffirm the platform of principles acopted at Toledo, February 22.1878. and we congratulate the country upon tiie union of the political interests subserving the useful tanks of society, in one party which shall advance this decree to a higher and better civilization and this oldest gospel, that there shall be work for all and that all shall work. The cheapest place in town to get groaeries is at Catt & Smoot’s. Try them and see for yourselves.