USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 29
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 29
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4. That such a policy is intended to array section against section, the States against the general government, and it against the States in turn, for the purpose of destroying the freedom of both, and teaching the people to look to a strong government as a shelter from the anarchy its advocates have planned.
5. That evidences of these nefarious pur- poses is furnished by the present attitude of the Republican party, which is arrayed against a free ballot, on which depend all the liberties se- cured to us by the constitution.
6. That we view with alarm the determina- tion of the Republican party, through the fraud- ulent executive, to deprive this republic of its army, so necessary to the defence of its frontier, and its protection from foreign and domestic enemies, by vetoing appropriations for the pay
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and support of our soldiers, unless they ean be used to force voters to record the mere will of the executive.
7. That we hail the Democratic Senators and Representatives in Congress as worthy the hero- ie lineage of American citizens, for standing firmily for the American idea in government as against the despotic theory from which our rev- olutionary fathers revolted, and we ask all lovers of liberty to join us and them in a protest against the change in our form of government proposed by the Republican party, which will substitute the will of one man for that of the majority of all the people.
8. That we are in favor of the substitution of United States treasury notes for national bank notes, and of the abolition of national banks as banks of issue; that the government of the United States issue the money for the people; and, further, that we favor a reduction of the
== bonded debt of the United States as fast as prac- tieable, and the application of the idle money in the treasury to that purpose.
9. That we favor the free and unlimited coin- age of the silver dollar of 41212 grains, and pro- viding certifieates for silver bullion which may be deposited in the United States treasury, the same to be legal tender for all purposes.
10. That we favor a tariff for revenue only.
11. That we are in favor of economy in pub- lie expenditures, ineluding reduction of salaries loeal and general wherever they may be deemed exeessive; and also a reduction in the number of officials.
12. That the Democratic party of Iowa is de- sirous of promoting temperance, and, being op- posed to free whisky, it is in favor of a jadieious lieense law.
13. That we favor holding all public servants to a strict accountability, and their prompt and severe punishment for all thefts of public money and maladministration of publie offiee.
A Temperance convention was held at Cedar Rapids June 16th, and adopted the following platform :
Resolved, We recognize the traffie in intoxicat- ing liquors as the great moral, finaneial, social, and political evit of the present age; that it is one of the worst relics of barbarism; that it has always been the moving eause of crime, and is, therefore, subversive of our republiean form of ·government, and should be overthrown.
2. We believe that the prohibition of the traffie of intoxieating liquors is the only sound legislative theory upon which this vexed ques- tion can be solved and the nation saved from bankrupey and demoralization; therefore, we insist upon the maintenance and enforcement of our prohibitory liquor law, and upon such amendments by the next Legislature of the State of Iowa as will place ale, wine, and beer under the same condemnation as other intoxieating liquors.
3. We believe that in the security of home rests the security of the State; that woman is by her very nature the acknowledged guardian of this sacred shrine, and that intemperanee is its greatest enemy, therefore we elaim that the daughters of this eonmonwealth, as well as her sons, be allowed to say, by their vote, what laws should be made for the suppression of this evil, and what persons shall execute the same.
4. That the present movement inaugurated by the temperance organizations of the State to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors, except for mechanical and medical pur- poses, ineluding malt and wine liquors, meets our active support.
5. That we, as the Prohibitionists of the State of Iowa, in view of the great questions of public interest effecting the perpetuity of our general government, which are now absorbing the thought and aetion of all our people, deem it inexpedient and unwise to nominate a State probibitory tieket at the present time.
A portion of the convention in favor of the nomination of a State ticket seceded, and nominated a State ticket, headed by G. T. Carpenter for Governor. Mr. Car- penter declining, D. R. Dungan was substi- tuted. The rest of the ticket was composed
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as follows: Lieutenant-Governor, Frank T. Campbell; Judge of the Supreme Court, J. M. Beck; Supt. of Public Instruction, J. A. Nash.
The Greenbackers assembled at Des Moines May 28th, and nominated a ticket as follows: Governor, Daniel Campbell; Lieutenant-Governor, M. M. Moore; Su- preme Judge, M. H. Jones; Supt. of Pub- lic Instruction, J. A. Nash. The follow- ing platform was adopted:
WHEREAS, The sovereign and supreme power of the American Union is vested in the free will of the citizens thereof, who have an equal and unquestionable right to express that will as to them seems best adapted to secure the peace, perpetuate the liberty, and promote the pros- perity of each individual, as well as to enhance and protect the common welfare of our country; and,
WHEREAS, This power has been delegated to unworthy servants, who have diverted it from its original purpose, whereby grievous wrongs have been perpetrated on the masses of the people, subjecting them to gross injustice, widespread poverty, untold privations, and business paralyzation; and,
WHEREAS, These grievances have been greatly augumented by limiting the legal-tender quality of the greenbacks; by loaning the credit of the government to national bank corporations; by changing government honds into coin bonds, and making the same exelusively payable in gold, by the conversion of a non-interest hearing circulating medium into an interest bearing government debt; by defrauding labor of employ- ment; by the ruinous shrinkage in the value of property; by the depression of business; by the willful restrictions placed upon the remonetiza- tion of the silver dollar; by the exemption of capital from its just share of the burden of taxa- tion; by the contraction of the greenback cur- rency; by the forced resumption of specie pay- ment; by the increase in the purchasing power of money, and its attendant hardshi, s on the debtor class; by declaring poverty a crime, and
providing punishment therefor; by the criminal waste of the public domain, through enormous grants of land to railroad corporations; by oppressive taxation; by high rates of interest for the use of money; by exorbitant salaries and fees to public officers; by official corruption in the administration of public affairs; and,
WHEREAS, A moneyed despotism has grown up in our laud out of this state of affairs, which con trols the law-making power of our country, dictates judicial decisions, wields an undue influence over the chief executive of the natiou -in the cousideration of the laws passed for the benefit of the people, thus enabling the money power to carry on its schemes of public plunder, under and by which colossal fortunes have been gathered in the hands of the ambitious and un- crupulous men whose interests are at war with the interests of the people, hostile to popular government, aud deaf to the demands of honest toil; therefore, we, the representatives of the Union Greruback Labor Party of Iowa, adopt the following as our platform of princip es:
1. The general government alone to issue money; the amount in circulation to he fixed by a constitutional amendment upon a per capita basis; calling in of all United States bonds, and the payment of them in full legal-tender money.
2. That the national banks, as hanks of issue, must be abolished by law, and the legal tender greenhack money of the government of the United States shall be substituted for their cir- culation.
3. That we demand the unlimited coinage of the silver dollar of the present standard weight and fineness.
4. That the American people owe a debt of gratitude to the Union soldiers that can never be fully paid, and in recognition of their patri- otic services we endorse the arrearages of pen- sious, and favor the passage of a bill providing for the equalization of bounties siunilar to the one vetoed by ex-President Grant.
5. That we view with grave apprehension the continued oppression of the people by cor- porate powers; and while we execrate the inliu- man treatment of the Union soldiers in prison
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pens of the South during the rebellion, we con- demn the violence of partisan spirit in the legisla- tive halls of Congress, whichi seeks to revive the dead issue of the past while conspiring against and deliberately refusing to provide measures of rehef adequate to the living necessities of the present.
6. That it is the right and duty of all qualified electors of any State n the Union to vote accord- ing to their conscientious convictions, and to have that vote honestly and fairly counted; and that any attempt to interfere with that right, either by threats of bands of armed men or the use of troops at the polls, or by fraud in con- dueting the election, or bribery in making out the returns, or by threats to dismiss from serviee, or any other means by which that right is abridged, is a crime that should be severely punished
7. That the office-holders of our country are the servants and not the masters of the people, and that these officers should be removed and punished to the full extent of the law wheuever they betray the public trust confided to them; and we demand that all official fees and salaries, commencing with the President, should be re- duced from twenty-five to fifty per cent .; and we further demand the strictest economy in the administration of our courts of justice, and in all other federal and State officers.
8. That we highly commend the moral re- form of men and the elevation of families by · agencies of the temperance cause, and demand the use of all just and legal means for the sup- pression of the evils of intemperance.
9. That all real estate be assessed to the owner, and the tax thereon be paid by him, pro- vided, that in case there is a mortgage or ven- dor's lien upon the land, and he pays the whole tax, that he may deduct, as payment on said lien, the pro rata share of the tax.
10. That the revenue law of the State shall be amended so that the peualty or iuterest on the sale of delinquent taxes should not exceed the sum of ten per cent. per annum, and that the time of redemption shall be extended to a term of five years.
11. We favor the repeal of the present rail- road commissioners' law, and the adoption of a suitable legislative action to reduce and equalize freight
12. That the prison convict labor shall never come in competition with free labor, by the contract system, under any name.
Resolved, That we approve the bold and inde- pendent stand taken by our Greenb iek repre- sentatives in Congress; and we especially endorse the conduct of Messrs. Weaver and Gillette in their conduct with the combined opposition of both old parties.
2. That the nominees of this convention are the candidates of the Greenbaek party of Iowa, and in no case will we recognize the right of any person or persons to alter or change the ticket here nominated, except to fill vacancies occa- sioned by death, in which case the central com- mittee shall not place on the ticket the names of any person or persons who are identified with either of the old parties.
The Republicans assembled at Des Moines, June 11, and nominated the fol- lowing ticket: Governor, John H. Gear; Lieutenant-Governor, Frank T. Campbell; Supreme Judge, J. M. Beck; Supt. of Public Instruction, C. W. Von Coelln. A platform was adopted as follows:
1. That the United States of America is a nation, not, a league. This is the doctrine of the coustitution, confirmed by the result of the war of the rebellion. The Democratic party denies this, and opposes to it the doctrine of State rights, which includes the power of a State to dissolve its connection with the Union, therefore it is dangerous to the national life to trust it to the Democratic party.
2. Upon the foregoing doctrine of nationality depends the power of the republic to protect its eitizens in all other rights, both at home and abroad, aud from its denial by the Democratic party have resulted the barbarous outrages per- petrated on citizens in all of the disturbed sec- tions of the Southern States, and redress can be
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had alone through the administration of public affairs in the several departments of the govern- ment by the Republican party.
3. We denounce the attempt of the Demo- cratic party in Congress to render the federal elections insecure by the repeal of the election laws of the United States as dangerous to a free and pure expression of the voice of the people through the ballot-box and as tending to subject said elections to the dominations of the bull- dozing elements of the Southern States, and of repeaters and promoters of fraud in the city of New York and elsewhere, and the resistence made to the accomplishment of this result by the Republican Senators and Representotives in Congress, and by President Hayes in his veto messages, is accorded our profound commenda- tion.
4. That we approve of the financial policy of the Republican party, and refer with pride to its results. The Southern Democratic rebellion for the perpetuation of slavery and the enforcement of State lights forced an enormous interest- bearing debt upon the people, which, in August, 1865, reached its highest point, and then amounted to $2,381,530,294.96, requiring an an- nual interest payment of $150,977,697.87. On the 1st of August next, when the Republican refunding operations will be completed, this Democratic debt will be reduced to $1,797,643, - 700.00, with an annual interest charge of but $83,778,777.50, showing a reduction in the prin- cipal of $583,886.594.96, and of the annual interest charge of $57,203,619.37; and we declare this debt shall be honestly paid in honest money, and to this end are in favor of keeping our coin circulation at its largest practicable volume, and of maintaining our paper currency where the Republicau party has placed it-at par with coin; and to the further end that the dollar earned by labor shall be worth as much as the dollar earned by capital.
5. Concerning further financial legislation, we say, let us have peace, undisturbed by Con- gressional tinkering, that our business interests may revive, investments of more idle capital be encouraged, commercial interests fostered, and the general welfare promoted.
6. The profit arising from the coinage of gold and silver should inure to the benefits of the government, and not to the advantage of private owners of bullion, as this tends to diminish the burdens of the tax-payers, and no part of the tax-paying currency should be converted into the new tax-paying list.
7. We favor a wisely-adjusted tariff for rev- enue.
8. We demand a strict economy in the impo- sition of public taxes and expenditures of pub- lic money, and such just reduction and equali- zation of the salaries and fees of public officers as shall place them on an equality with like po- sitions in private employment.
9. That we renew our expression of profound gratitude to the soldiers and sailors of the Union, and denounce the removal of employees of this class by the Democrats in Congress, and the ap- pointment, in their stead, of members of the Confederate army.
10. That we re-affirm the position of the Re- publican party heretofore expressed upon the subject of temperance and prohibition.
The vote on Governor was as follows :
John H. Gear, Rep. .157,571
H. H. Trimble, Dem 85,056
F. T. Campbell, Gr. 45,438
D. R. Dungan, Temp. 3,258
Gear, over all. .23,828
The campaign of 1880 was an exciting. one. James A Garfield was the Repub- lican candidate for the Presidency; Win- field S. Hancock, the Democratic; J ·mes B Weaver, the Greenback; Neal Dow, the Prohibition. The Republicans of Iowa were first in the field this year, meeting in convention at DesMoines April 7th, and nominating for Secretary of State, J. A. T. Hull; Treasurer, E. H. Conger; Auditor, W. V. Lucas; Attorney-General, Smith McPherson; Register of State Land Office, J. K. Powers. They also resolved-
1. That we insist on the nomination of well- known Republicans of national reputation for
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ability, purity and experience in publie affairs, and adhesion to Republican princip les, for Pres- ident and Vice-President of the United States, by the National Republican Convention.
2. That, as Republicans of Iowa, recognizing in the Hon. James G. Blaine a man of tried in- tegrity, of uncompromising loyalty and patriot- ism, of commanding ability both as a leader and statesman, and a fearless advocate of the prin- ciples which have preserved the Union and given undying luster to the party of which he is the admired representative, we take pleasure in re- cording the fact that he is the preference of the Republicans of Iowa for the office of President of the United States. And while we pledge our- selves to support the nominee of the Chicago convention, we nevertheless declare it is our conviction that no other candidate will develop the enthusiasm or call out the number of votes that would be polled by the American people for James G. Blaine, as the standard-bearer of the Republican party in the national contest of 1880.
3. That the delegation of this convention to Chicago be instructed to cast the vote of Iowa as a unit; and that the delegation be further in- structed to use all honorable means to secure the nomination for President of the Hon. James G. Blaine.
The Greenback party assembled in con- vention May 19th, at Des Moines and nominated Secretary of State, G. M. Wal- ker; Treasurer of State, Matthew Farring- ton; Auditor of State, G. V. Swearengen; Attorney-General, W. A. Spurrier; Register of State Land-Office, Thos. Hooker. The following is the platform adopted :
We, the National Greenback Labor Party of Iowa, decide, as our first broad principle of faith, that that which is created is subservient to the power that created it.
Resolved, That all currency, whether metallic or paper, necessary for use and convenience of the people, should be issued and controlled by the government, and not by or through the bank corporations of the country; and when so issued
shall be a full legal tender for the payments of all debts, public and private.
2. That so much of the interest bearing debt of the United States as shall become redeemable in the year 1881, or prior thereto, being in amonnt $782,000,000, shall not be refunded beyond the power of the government to call-in said obligations and pay them at any time, but shall be paid as rapidly as possible, and accord- ing to contract. To enable the government to meet these obligations. the mints of the United States should be operated to their full capacity in the coinage of standard silver dollars, and such other coinage as the business of the country may require.
3. That as the producing classes are now enslaved by interest-bearing debt, therefore we are unalterably opposed to all bonded indebted- ness.
4. That the payment of the bond in coin, originally payable in lawful money, was a gift to the bond-holder, and the payment of the soldiers in paper, when by contraet payable in coin, was and is an unjust discrimination in favor of the bondholder; therefore, we demand, in justice to the soldier, that he be paid aceord- ing to contract.
5. That we are opposed to the importation of Chinese semi-barbarous labor, regarding it as a paralyzing and degrading system, that will, unless checked, undermine American free labor
6. That we demand the immediate passage by Congress of a law for the equalization of soldiers' bounties similar to the one vetoed by President Grant
7. That the right of suffrage, free press and speech, are the inalienable rights of every citi- zen of the United States.
8. That we denounce the discrimination between government clerks and government laborers, the eleiks working six hours and the laborers ten hours.
9. That we are opposed to a large standing army, either national or State, in times of pro- found peace, eating out the substance of the people.
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10. That we will continue to agitate the sub- ject of reform in this State, until official salaries · shall bear a just proportion to the incomes of the people who pay them.
11. That the last legislature of our State, in failing to pass the innocent purchaser bill, the bill to re 'uce court expenses, the bill to protect the destruction of sheep from the ravages of dogs, the hill to cut down our tax penalties, the bill to reduce the rate of interest, have neglected the best interests of the State, and ought to be turned ought of rower.
12. That the State should not sell contract labor to compete with free labor.
13. That as citizens of Iowa we feel proud of, and extend our heartfelt gratitude to Messrs. Weaver and Gillette, for their noble and untir- ing efforts in the halls of Congress to secure the rights of the worthy toiling millions.
14. That we, as the National Greenback Labor Party, know no North, no South, no East, no West.
15. That all banks of issue and all monopolies must go. ·
The Democrats met at Des Moines, Sep- tember 2d, and nominated a ticket as fol- lows: For Secretary of State, A. B. Keith; Treasurer, Martin Blim; Auditor, Chas. I. Barker; Attorney-General, C. A. Clark; Register of State Land-Office, C. A. Dougherty. They also. resolved:
1. / We, the Democracy of Iowa, in delegate convention assembled, endorse the platform of the party adopted at Cincinnati, and pledge our earnest efforts in its behalf.
2. The Democracy of Iowa are hcartily in favor of the national nominees, Hancock and English, as they give a decided assurance of pure and more thoroughly careful admistration of national affairs.
3. We are in favor of a judicious license law, and condemn all efforts to legislate against those natural rights which do not trespass upon those belonging to the whole community, and we applaud the action of our representatives at
DesMoines in the Eighteenth General Assembly for their manly and able opposition to the at- tempt at sumptuary legislation made by a Re- publican legislature.
The vote on Secretary of State stood as follows:
J. A. T. Hull, Rep 181,166
A B. Keith. Dem 105,760
G. M. Walker, Gr. 32,780
Scattering 422
Hull over all -45,204
In the campaign of 1881, the first con- vention held was by the Democrats, at Des Moines, June 16. They nominated for Governor, L. G Kinne; Lieutenant- Governor, J. M. Walker; Judge of Su- preme Court, H. B. Hendershott; Supt. of. Public Instruction, W. II. Butler. The convention adopted the following plat- form:
The Democratic party of Iowa, in convention assembled, re-affirm the national platforms of 1876 and 1880, demand strict economy in all public expenditures, a strict accountability of all public servants, and declares-
1. For tariff reform, ultimating in simpler revenue system, with commercial freedom as its issue.
2. That we oppose all sumptuary laws, and the proposed prohibitory amendment to the constitution in all it steps and stages as the most offensive form of sumptuary regulation.
3. That the great agricultural and producing interests of the country should be emancipated from the burdens of monopoly put upou them by Republicain rule, and as a feature of such relief, for the cheapening of transportation by government appropriations for improvement of the Mississippi river, its navigable tributaries and other water-ways.
4. That we execrate the constant official cor- ruption grown into Republican practice, and that the demand of our national platform for civil service reform is freshily emphasized by the immoral spectacle of Republican factions dis-
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turbing the public peace, not by the agitation of great measures of statesmanship, bnt by a vulgar quarrel over the partition of public spoils, and a squabble for the opportunities of official theft.
The Greenback convention was held at Marshalltown, June 2, and the following ticket nominated: Governor, D. M. Clark; Lieutenant-Governor, James M. Holland; Supt. of Public Instruction, Mrs. A. M. Swain; Supreme Judge, W. W. William- son. The following platform was adopted by the convention :
1. The right to make and issue money is a sovereign constitutional power to be maintained by the people for the common benefit, We de- mand the abolition of all banks of issue, and the substitution of full legal tender greenbacks in lieu of their notes.
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