USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 27
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 27
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5. That we feel bound to provide all appro- priate legislation for the full and equal protec-
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tion of all citizens, white or black, native or foreign born, in the enjoyment of all the rights guaranteed by the constitution of the United States and the amendments thereto.
6. That the $27,000,000 reduction in the estimated general government expenses for the coming fiscal year meets our hearty commenda- tion, and shows that the Republican party on questions.of retrenchment and economy is carry- ing out in good faith its oft repeated pledges to the people.
7. That we are in favor of an amendment to the constitution of the United States, providing for the election of President and Vice- President by a direet vote of the people.
8. That while inventors should be protected in their just rights of property in their inven- tions, we demand such modifications of our patent laws as shall render the same more fair and equitable to consumers.
9. That the faith of the Republican party is pledged to promote the best good of the civil service of the country, and that we, as Republi- eans of Iowa, demand that only honest and capable men be elected or appointed to office, and that we commend the position of the party in instituting investigations of corruption in office, sparing therein neither friends nor foes.
10. That since the people may be intrusted with all questions of govermental reform, we favor the final submission to the people of the question of amending the constitution so as to extend the rights of suffrage to women, pursuant to action of 15th General Assembly.
On Secretary of State the vote stood:
J. T. Young, Rep .107,243-28,183 David Morgan, Dem.
79,060
For the campaign of 1875 the Democrats, Liberal Republicans and Anti-Monopolists met at Des Moines, June 24th, and nom- inated a State ticket headed by Shepherd Lefler for Governor; Lieutenant Governor, E. B. Woodward; Judge of Supreme Court, W. J. Knight; Supt. of Public Instruction,
Isaiah Donane. The following platforn was then adopted:
The Democrats, Liberal Republicans, and Anti-Monopolists of the State of Iowa, in delegate convention assembled, deelare, as a basis of per- manent organization and united action, the following principles:
1. A firm adherence to the doetrine of politi- cal government, as taught by Jefferson, Madison, and other fathers of the republic.
2. A strict adherence to the constitution in all measures involving constitutional power.
3. The supremacy of the Republican govern- ment within the sphere and reservation of the local authority of the constitution as opposed to the concentration of all powers in a strong cen- tralized government.
4. Absolute prohibition of military interfer- enee with the local State elections, and the peaceful assembling and organization of the State Legislatures, except in the manner clearly defined in the Constitution.
5. Honesty in the administration of the publie officers, and striet economy in the public expenditures.
6. All officers to be held to a strict accounta- bility for the misuse of the publie funds or for the prostitution of their powers for private use.
7. The preservation of all the rights of every citizen, without regard to race or color.
8. The reservation of the publie lands tor the benefit of actual settlers, and opposition to any further grants to corporate monopolies for any purpose.
9. The restoration of the Presidential salary to $25,000. No third term.
10. That we are in favor of the resumption of specie payment as soon as the same can be done without injury to the business interests of the country, and maintain a sufficient supply of national currency for business purposes; opposi- tion to present national banking law.
11. A tariff on imports that will produce the largest amount of revenue, with the smallest amount of tax, and no imposition of duties for
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the benefit of manufactures at the expense of agricultural interests.
12. We are in favor of the repeal of the prescnt prohibitory liquor law, and the enactment of a practical license law, strictly enforced, as the best guard against, and the safest solution of, the evils of intemperance,
13. That we are opposed to all legislation that restricts any citizen in his individual or social rights and privileges.
With this declaration of principle and policy, in the language of our brethren of Ohio, we arraign the leaders of the Republican party for their extravagant expenditure and profligate waste of the people's money, for their oppressive, unjust, and defective system of finance and taxa- tion; for their continued tyranny and cruelty to the Southern States of the Union, and their squandering of public lands; their continuance of incompetent and corrupt men in the offices at home and abroad, and for their general mismanagement of the government, and we cor- dially invite all men, without regard to past party association, to co-operate with us in removing them from power, and in securing such an administration of public affairs as char- acterized the purer and better days of the republic.
'The Republican convention at Des- Moines placed in nomination for Governor, S. J. Kirkwood ; Lieutenant-Governor, Joshua G. Newbold; Judge of Supreme Court, Austin Adams ; Superintendent Public Instruction, Alonzo Abernethy. The convention also adopted the follow- ing platform:
Resolved, That we declare it a cardinal prin- ciple of the Republican faith that the republic is a nation, one and indissoluble, within which the constitutional rights of the States and of the people to local self-government must be faith- fully maintained.
2. That we favor the early attainment of cur- rency convertible with coin, and therefore advocate the gradual resumption of specie pay- ments by continuous and steady steps.
3. That we favor a tariff for revenue, so adjusted as to encourage home industry.
4. That the earnest efforts of the government to collect the revenue, prevent and punish frauds, have our unqualified approval.
5. We are opposed to further grants of land to railroads or other corporations, but we de- mand a reservation of public domain for settle- ment under the homestead laws, and for other bona fide settlers.
6. . We demand such a revision of the patent laws as will relieve industry from the oppression of monopolies in their administration.
7. That we cordially approve the policy of the present administration in the settlement of difficulties between ourselves and other nations, by arbitration, instead of appealing to arms.
8. The Republican party of Iowa is opposed to a third term.
9. We demand that all railway and other cor- porations shall be held in fair and just subjection to the law-making power.
10. We stand by free education, our public school system, taxation of all for its support, and no division of the school fund.
11. That our national and State administra- tion of public affairs have our hearty support.
12. We cordially invite all who are opposed to the restoration of the Democratic party to .
.power, to forget all past political differences, and unite with the Republican party in maintaining the cause of true reform.
13. The persistent and tyrannical efforts of the enemies of the Union, by murder and intim- idation of the enfranchised citizens, and the ostracisms and proscriptions of the white Repub- licans of the South, for the purpose of rendering null and void this amendment, merits the con- demnation of every honest man.
14. That we heartily endorse the action of President Grant in enforcing the laws when called upon to do so by the proper authorities of the State.
The Prohibitionists of the State met and nominated for Governor, Rev. John H.
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Lozier, and adopted the following plat- form :
WHEREAS, The traffic in and use of intoxi- cating liquors as a beverage, is the greatest evil of the present age; and,
WHEREAS, The legal prohibition of said traffic and use of liquors is the prime duty of those who frame and execute laws for the public wel- fare; and,
WHEREAS, The existing political parties, in their State platforms, have either ignored or re- pudiated the foregoing principles, the one de- claring for license, the other refusing to pass a resolution opposed to the repeal of the existing prohibitory law of our State; therefore,
Resolved, That the temperance people of Iowa are, by this action of these political parties, forced to seek the promotion of their objects by such organizations aud combinatious as may prove most effective for the success of the temn- perance cause, without reference to previous political affiliation.
2. That we most cordially approve the policy of the preseut administration in the settlement of difficulties between ourselves and other na- tions, by arbitration, instead of appealing to arms; and also the efforts now being made to codify the international laws so that a World's Peace Congress may be established before which all international difficulties may be adjusted, and thus "nations learn war no more."
3. That the desecration of the Christian S.ib- bath by public amusement, such as target-shoot,- ing, dancing, theatrical performance, and kin- dred practices, together with ordinary business traffic, except by persous conscientiously ob- serving the seventh day of the week as a Sab- bath day, augurs evil to the public morals, and that the laws of our State, touching Sabbath desecrations, should be rigidly enforced.
4. That we are in favor of maintaining our free school system at the expense of the whole people, aud without the division of our school fund with any sectarian organization whatever, and in favor of such legislation as will secure the education of all children within our State in
the elementary branches of common school edu- cation.
5. That the doctrine of professed political parties ought to be, is, and shall continue to be, powerless to control men bound by their convic- tions to the mountain of great moral principles, and we call upon all concerned in the promotion of public morals to promptly and earnestly re- buke the policy now inaugurated by such pro- fessed leàders, aud to seek its overthrow.
6. That we earnestly recommend that the temperance people of the several counties promptly form county organizations, looking to the election of suchi Representatives in our Leg- islature, and such officers as will enact and en- force laws for the promotion of the foregoing principles, leaving the question of calling a con- vention for the nomination of State officers and of further organizing to an executive committee to be elected by this convention.
The vote on Governor was officially an- nounced as follows :
S. J. Kirkwood, Rep. 124,875-31,576
S. Lefler, Dem. 93,279
J. II. Lozier, Pro. 1,397
The financial depression during the sec- ond administration of Grant was such as 1 to influence the formation of a new party, known as the Greenback party, or, as it was styled in national convention, the Na- tional Greenback Labor party. Peter Cooper was the candidate of this party for the Presidency, while the Republicans nominated Rutherford B. Hayes, and the Democrats Samuel J. Tilden. The Green- back men of Iowa held a convention May 10th, at DesMoines, and adopted the fol- lowing resolutions : 1
WHEREAS, Labor is the basis of all our wealth, and capital cannot be accumulated except as the product of industry, or human life, given out in the daily labor of the toiling millious; and,
WHEREAS, Money is, in essence, only a certi- ficate of service reudered, and hence the solution
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of the financial question lies at the bottom of all true government, and is the paramount issue of the present campaign, in which the Democratic and Republican leaders have failed to take the side of the people; therefore, we, the citizens of Iowa, in mass convention assembled, do thus organize the Independent party of Iowa, and declare our faith in the following principles:
1. That it is the duty of the government to establish a monetary system, based upon the faith and resources of the nation, in harmony with the genius of this government, and adapted to the demands of legitimate business. .
2. . That we demand the immediate repeal of the specie resumption act of January 14, 1875, and that the circulating notes of our national aud State banks, as well as the local currency, be withdrawn from circulation, and their place supplied by a uniform national currency, issued direct from the government, the same to be made a legal tender for all public and private debts, duties on imports not excepted, and inter- changcable at the option of the holder for bonds bcaring a rate of interest not to exceed 3.65 per cent. per annum.
3. We demand that the present bonded debt of the country be refunded as speedily as pos- sible into registered interchangeable bonds that shall bear interest at & low rate, not exceeding 3.65 per cent. per annum.
4. We are in favor of the repeal of the act of March 18, 1869, making greenbacks payable in coiu, and making 5-20 bonds perpetual or pay- able only in coin and thus unjustly discrimin- atiug in favor of the money interest.
A Greenback State ticket was nominated at a convention held September 20th, and these additional resolutions were adopted:
1. We arc in favor of the adoption of the platform of the Indianapolis National Conven- tion.
2. We recognize the rights of capital and its just protection; we condemn all special legisla- tion in its favor.
3. We demand a reduction of official salarics, proportionate to the reduction of the profits on labor.
4. We demand a remonetization of silver.
5. We demand the cquality of the soldiers' bounties.
6. We approve ard endorse thc nomination of Peter Cooper for President, and Samuel F. Cary for Vice President of the United States.
The following is the ticket nominated: Secretary of State, A Macready; Auditor of State, Leonard Brown; Treasurer of State, Geo. C. Fry; Register State Land Office, Geo. M. Walker; Superintendent Pub. Instruction, Rev. J A. Nash; Supreme Judges, Charles Negus, Oliver R Jones.
The Republicans placed in nomination the following, at a convention held in Des Moines: Secretary of State, Josiah T. Young; Auditor, Buren R. Sherman, Treasurer, Geo. W. Bemis; Register of Land Office, David Secor; Supreme Judges, W. H. Seevers, J. II. Rothrock; Attorney- General, J. F. McJunkin; Superintendent Public Instruction, C. W. VonCoelln. At the same time they adopted as a platform the following:
1. We are for maintaining the unity of the nation sacred and inviolable; for the just and equal rights of all men; for peace, harmony and brotherhood throughout the uation; for men of unsullied honesty, and purity of character and public trust, aud for the swift pursuit and un- sparing punishment of all dishonest officials, high or low.
2. That we are in faver of, and we demand, a rigid economy in the administration of the government, both State and uational.
3. That we favor a currency convertible with coin, and therefore advocate the gradual resuuip- tion of specie payment by continuous and speedy steps in that direction.
- 4. That we demand that all railway and other corporations shall be held in fair and just sub- jection to the law-making power.
5. That we stand by frce cducation, our school system, taxation of all for its support,
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
and no diversion of the school fund from the public schools.
6. That we cordially invite immigration from all civilized countries, guaranteeing to emigrants the same political privileges and social and re- ligious freedom we ourselves enjoy, and favor- ing a free and unsectarian system of common schools for their children with ours.
7. That in James G. Blaine we recognize a pure Republican and patriot, and one well worthy to be chosen as the standard-bearer of the Republican party in the coming campaign.
The Democrats, in convention at Des Moines, August 30th, adopted the follow- ing:
Resolved, By the Liberal Democratic party of the State of Iowa, in convention assembled, that we adopt as our platform of principles the reso- lutions and declarations of the National Con- vention at St. Louis, and earnestly approve the sentiments of the eminent statesmen of the party, Hon. Samuel J. Tilden and Thomas A. Hendricks, so ably presented in their letters of acceptance of the nominations at said conven- tion.
The following is the Democratic ticket: Secretary of State, J. H. Stubenrauch; Treasurer of State, W. Jones; Auditor of State, W. Growneweg; Register of State Land Office, H. C. Ridernour; Attorney- General, J. C. Cook; Judges of Supreme Court, W. I. Hayes, W. Graham. The vote on Secretary of State was as follows:
J. T. Young, Rep. .172,171
J. H. Stubenrauch, Dem. 112,115
A. Macready, Gr 9,436
Young's majority over all -50,620
In the campaign of 1877 the Republi- cans met first in convention at Des Moines, June 28, where they nominated the following ticket: Governor, John H. Gear; Lieutenant - Governor, Frank T. Campbell; Supreme Judge, James G. Day;
Supt. of Public Instruction, Carl W. Von Coelln. The following is the platform:
Acting for the Republicans of Iowa, by its authority and its name, this convention declares:
1. The United States of America is a nation, and not a league, by the combined workings of the national and State governments under their respective institutions. The rights of every citizen should be secured at home and protected abroad, and the common welfare promoted. Any failure on the part of either national or State governments to use every possible consti- tutional power to afford ample protection to their citizens, both at home and abroad, is a criminal neglect of their highest duty.
2. The Republican party has preserved the government in the commencement of the second century of the nation's existence, and its prin- ciples are embodied in the great truths spoken at its cradle-that all men are created as equals; that they are endowed by the Creator with cer- tain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that for the attainment of these ends governments have been instituted among men deriving their justice from the consent of the governed, which con- sent is evidenced by a majority of the lawful suffrages of citizens, determined in the pursu- ance of the law. Until these truths are univers- ally recognized and carefully obeyed, the work of the Republican party is unfinished, and the Republican party of Iowa will stand by its colors and fight the good fight to the end.
3. The permanent pacification of the southern section of the Union, and the complete protec- tion of all citizens in the free enjoyment of all their rights, is a duty to which the Republican party stands sacredly pledged. The power to provide for the enforcement of the principles embodied in the recent constitutional amend- ments, is vested by these amendments in the constitution of the United States, and we declare it to be the solemn duty of the legislative and cxecutive departments of the government to put in immediate and vigorous exercise all their powers for removing any just causes of discon- tent on the part of any class, and for securing
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to every American citizen complete liberty and exaet equality in the exercise of the civil, politi- cal and public rights. To this end we impera- tively demand of Congress and the Chief Execu tive a courage and fidelity to these duties which shall not falter until the results are placed beyond doubt or recall.
4. That the public credit should be sacredly maintained, and all the obligations of the gov- ernment honestly discharged; and that we favor the early attainment of a currency convertible with coin, and therefore advocate the gradual resumption of specie payments by continuous and steady steps in that direction.
5. That the silver dollar having been a legal unit of value from the foundation of the federal government until 1873, the laws under which its coinage was suspended should be repealed at the earliest possible day, and silver made, with gold a legal tender for the payment of all debts, both public and private. We also believe that the present volume of the currency should be maintained until the wants of trade and com- merce demand its further contraction.
6. That the investment of capital in this State should be encouraged by wise and liberal legislation; but we condemn the policy of grant- ing subsidies at public expense, either to indi- viduals or corporations, for their private use.
7. That we demand the most rigid economy in all departments of the government, and that taxation be limited to the actual wants of public expenditure.
8. That we favor a wisely adjusted tariff for revenue.
9. That we hold it to be a solemn obligation of the electors of Iowa to be earnest in securing the election to all positions of public trust of men of honesty and conscience; to administra- tive affairs, men who will faithfully administer the law; to legislative affairs, men who will represent, upon all questions, the best sentiment of the people, and who will labor earnestly for the enactment of such laws as the best interests of society, temperance and good morals shall demand.
10. That we rejoice in the honorable name of Iowa, that we are proud of the State's achieve-
ments, of the degree of purity with which its public affairs have been conducted, and the soundness of its credit at home and abroad. We pledge to do whatever may be done to preserve unsullied the State's reputation in these regards.
The Greenbackers met at DesMoines, July 12, and nominated, for Governor, D. B. Stubbs; Lieutenant-Governor, A. Macready; Supreme Judge, John Porter; Supt. of Public Instruction, S. T. Ballard. The convention also adopted the following platform:
WHEREAS, Throughout our entire country, labor, the creator of all wealth, is either unim- ployed or denicd its just reward, and all produc- tive interests are paralyzed ; and,
WHEREAS, These results have been brought about by class legislation, and the mismanage- ment of our national finances; and,
WHEREAS, After generations of experience, we are forced to believe that nothing further can be hoped for through the old political parties; therefore we make the following dec- laration of principles:
1. We demand the unconditional repeal of the specie resumption act of January 14, 1875, and the abandonment of the present suicidal and destructive policy of contraction.
2. We demand the abolition of national banks, and the issue of legal tender paper money, by the government, and made receiv- able for all dues, public and private.
3. We demand the remonetization of the silver dollar, and making it a full legal tender for the payment of all coin bonds of the govern- ment and for all other debts, public and private.
4. We demand the equitable taxation of all property, without favor or privilege.
5. We commend every honest cffort for the furtherance of civil service reform.
6. Wc demand the repeal of all class legisla- tion and the enforcement of such wise and pro- gressive measures as shall secure equality of rights to all legitimate interests, and impartial justice to all persons.
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7. We demand a reduction of offices and sal- aries, to the end that there be less taxation.
8. We demand that the Independents of Iowa sustain and endorse the principles of railroad legislative control, as expressed by the highest judicial authority, not as enemies of public enterprises, but as friends of the whole country and of the people.
9. We demand that all legal means be ex- hausted to eradicate the traffic in alcoholic beverages, and the abatement of the evil of intemperance.
·10. We are opposed to all further subsidies by either the State or general government, for any and all purposes, either to individuals or corporations.
11. We invite the considerate judgment of onr fellow citizens; of all political parties, upon these onr principles and purposes, and solicit the co-operation of all men in the furtherance of them, as we do believe that upon their accept- ance or rejection by the people, the weal or woe of our beloved conntry depends.
The Democracy met in convention this year at Marshalltown, and nominated the following ticket: Governor, John P. Irish; Lieutenant-Governor, W. C. James; Su- preme Judge, H. C. Boardman; Superin- tendent of Public Instru tion, G. D. Culli- son. They also resolved-
1. The Democracy of the State of Iowa in couvention assembled hereby declare in favor of a tariff for reveune, the only economic home rnle, the supremacy of civil over military power, the separation of church and State, equality of all citizens before the law, opposition to the granting by the general government of subsidies to any corporation whatever; and we believe,
2. The destruction of the industry of the country and the panperism of labor are the in- evitable fruit of the vicious laws enacted by the Republican party.
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