Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1884 — BEN BUTLER. [ARTICLE]

BEN BUTLER.

He Is Nominated for President by the JTational Anti-Monopoly Con- '. vention. , i Tilden and Hendricks Indorsed by the Democrats of New Jersey, Virginia, and Dakota. ANTI-MONOPOLISTS. The National Convention at Chicago. The National Anti-Monopoly Convention met at Chicago on Wednesday, May 14, and was called to order by John F. Henry, of New York, Chairman of the National Committee. After congratulating them upon having met with the intention of nominating a President of the United States, he namsd A. J. Streeter, of Mercer County, Illinois, as Temporary Chairman. Mr. Streeter returned thanks for the honor conferred upon him, and said he believed the honor was not Intended for him personally, but for the Industrial people of Illinois whom he had tried hard to serve. The Secretary read the call, following which motions were made that a delegate from each State represented be nominated for a Committee on Credentials, Permanent Organization. Platform, and Vice Presidents. On motion of Mr. Henry, of New York, N. B. Killman and B. F. Shively were elected Temporary Secretaries, and the roll of States was called. The following were appointed members of the committees: Platform. Credentials. California, Mrs M Todd. AD Wilson. Kansas, W A Garreteon. WJ Montgomery Diet. Columbia.J A George. W W Jackson. Massachusetts, C H Tichtman. W Leampton. Maryland, A J WedderbnrnAJ Wedderbum Pennsylvania, Ogden Whitlock Ogden Whitlock Colorado, R Schilling. R Schilling. ) Oregon, A J Grover. S E Fiak. Illinois, A J Streeter. B S Heath. Indiana, M C Runkin. H R Harris. lowa, E H Jagger. G N Norton. Missouri, J F Crews. W G Willard. Michigan, H Pratt. W Mills. Nebraska, John Barnd S F Reynolds. New York, W H Shupe. J A Brawley. Wisconsin, V J Blatz. H S Brown. Vermont, N H Blanchard.N H Blanchard. During a recess to await the reports of the committees, Mr. Root, of Nebraska, made a lengthy speech, reviewing the powers of the monopolies.,, Re did not blame them for taking all they could get, but he did blame the people for tolerating it. He was followed by Mr. Fogg, of Michigan, who regarded Ben Butler ns the greatest friend of the working people, and said he would be the nominee of the convention. He would be nominated by other conventions, and he believed that he wonld be the nett President of the United States. Mr. Crocker followed. He said that dynamite was the extract of tyranny, and that it might be expected at any time. Dr. Julia Severance, of Milwaukee, said she did not think they could expect their rights until they were willing to accord woman her rights. Gen. Weaver was called for, but declined to speak, as he was not a delegate. The convention was again called to order. Mr. Post, for the Committee on Credentials, said that the committee had decided that each delegate should have bnt one vote, no matter how many proxies ho held. The report, after some discussion, was adopted. The following permanent officers were elected; President, John F. Henry, of New York; Secretaries, Messrs. Shively and Killman. Mr. Henry took the chair and called tor the report of the Committee on Resolutions. “ Phocion” Howard said that he proposed to forestall any machine resolutions, as was the case in most all conventions, by offering one himself. He wanted to explain that by profession he was a journalist and a Bourbon Democrat, as well as an AntiMonopolist. He then moved that all resolutions presented to the Committee on Platform should be read to the convention, to prevent being consigned to the waste basket. The resolution was overwhelmingly defeated. Charles H. Hltchman, of the Committee on Platform, reported the following resolutions: The Anti-Monopoly organization of the United States, in convention assembled, declares: 1. That labor and capital snould be allies, not enemies; and we demand justice for both by protecting the rights of all as against privileges for the few. 2. That corporations, the creatures of law, should be controlled by law. 3. That we propose the greatest reduction practicable in public expenses. 4. That in the enactment and vigorous execution of just law equality of rights, equality of burdens, equality or privileges, and equality of powers In all citizens will be secured. To this end we further declare : 6. That it is the duty of the Government to immediately exercise its constitutional prerogatives to regulate commerce among the States. The great instruments by which this commerce is carried on are transportation, money, and the transmission of intelligence. They are now mercilessly controlled by giant monopolies, to the impoverishment of labor, the crushing out of healthful competition, and the destruction of business security. We hold it, therefore, to be the imperative and immediate duty of Congress to pass all needful laws for the control and regulation of these great agents of commerce in accordance with the oft-repeated decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States. 1 6. That these monopolies, which exacted from enterprise such heavy tribute, have also Inflicted countless wrongs upon the toiling millions of the United States, and no system of reform should commend itself to the support of the people which does not protect the man who earns his bread by the sweat of his face. Bureaus of labor statistics must be established, both State and national arbitration take the place of brute force In the settlement of disputes between employers and employed, the national eiAt-hour law be honestly enforced, the importation of foreign labor under contract be made illegal, and whatever practical reforms may be necessary for the protection of united labor must be granted, to tne end that unto the toiler shall be given that proportion of the profits of the thing or value created which his labor bears to the cost of production.

7. That we approve and favor the passage of an interstate commerce bill: navigable waters should be improved by Government and be free. 8. We demand the payment of the bonded debt as it falls due, the election of United States Senators by the direct vote of the people of their respective States, a gradual income tax, and a tariff, which is a tax upon the people, that shall be so levied as to bear lightly as possible upon necessaries; we denomice the present"tariff .as being largely in the interest of monopoly and demand that it be speedily and radically reformed in the interest of labor instead of capital. —9. That no further grants of public lands shall be made to corporations. All enactments granting land to corporations should be strictly construed, and all land‘grants should be forfeited where the terms upon which the grants were made have not been strictly complied with. The public lands must be held for homes for actual settlers, .and must not be subject to purchase or control by non-resident foreigners or speculators. 10. That we deprecate the discriminating of American legislation against the greatest of American industries, agriculture, by which it has been deprived of nearly,all beneficiallegislation, while forced to bear the brunt of taxation, and we demand for it the fostering care of Government and the just recognition of its importance in the development and advancement of our land, and we appeal to the American farmer to co-operate with us in our endeavors to advance the national interests of the country and the overthrow of monopoly in every shape, when and wherever found. A wrangle at once ensned upon the adoption of the resolutions, and one delegate Wanted a plank put in on the election franchise in the District of Columbia, and a half dozen others had planks to insert. Motions were made in all quarters of the house, but the platform was finally adopted. Nominations for President of the lifted States were declared In order. Mrs. Todfi.rr California, placed in nomination Benjamin F. Butler, and a dozen others spoke in favor of the General. Mr. Blanchard, of Vermont, nominated Gen. Weaver. The Chafi-mtu announced that he had conferred with Gen. Weaver and that the General would under no circumstances accept the nomination if tendered, and that he favored Butler. Mr. Schilling wanted to know if Gen. Butler would accept the nomination. C. H. Idchtman f aid he knew that he would. The convention soon proceeded to ballot. Butler reoelved the 39 votes of the Illinois and •Ji votes of the Michigan delegations solid, and a total of 105; Thurman 7; and Solon Chase 10. The nomination of Gen. Butler was made unanimous. • ’ The convention then adjourned, subject to the call of the National Committee. . —y. DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTIONS. New Jersey. The New Jersey Democratic State Convention met at Trenton, Gev. Bedle oeing chosen permanent Chairman. District delegates were chosen as follows: - First. A. J. Steelman and Daniel F. Creem; Second. EL B. Smith and P. M. J. Smith; Third, Willard Roes and S. W. Brown; Fourth, M. C. SwartxweUer and Senator Carpenter; Fifth, Thomas J. Flynn and Carmen F. Randolph; Sixth, Assemblyman Harrigan and Gottfried Krueger; Seventh, Orestes Cleveland and Marplatform adapted declares that under Be-

publican administration or national affairs labor is unable to meet with fair wages; great public criminals are unpunished through delays or actual connivance on the part of the Federal officers; that no goverment has the right to burden Its people beyond the amount necessary to pay its economical expenses and gradually extinguish the national debt; that legislation is needed to protect home industries, without producing or fostering monopolies; that it Is the duty of every free man to help drive from power the party who made triumphant the election fraud of 1876. The platform also declares for civil-service reform, and concludes, while adhering to the State custom not to instruct delegates, with a lesolution favoring Tilden and Hendricks. Virginia. John T- Harris presided over the Virginia Democratic State Convention, which assembled at Richmond. Tilden and Hendricks were tne almost unanimous choice of the convention, and all the delegates chosen to the national convention will vote for theta. The resolutions adopted congratulate the people upon the result of the November election, which rescued the State from the corrupt ring, and restored control to the people; arraigns the Republican party as the abettor of ring rule in Virginia, and as the perpetrator of the highest public crime of the age—the theft of the Chief Magistracy; denounces the attempt made by leading Republican Senators to'show that the Danville riot was instigated by Democrats for the purpose of drawing the color line; demands the uncohditional and immediate abolition of the internal-revenue system, and favors tariff for revenue only. Tilden and Hendricks were almost the unanimous choice of the convention. . . Dakota Territory. The Democrats of Dakota Territory gathered in convention at Pierre to elect delegates to the national convention for the first time. J. S. Foster, of Mitchell was made permanent Chairman. F. M. Zelback and J. McCormick were elected delegates to Chicago. The delegates go uninstructed, but are understood to be for Tilden and Hendricks. The platform declares for revenue reform and holds that the luxuries of life should pay the expenses of the Govemment.and favors the bill pending before Congress granting 160 acres of land to each Union soldier ?f the late war. It also declares for civil service eform and hard money, and opposes all sumptuary laws,