History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 27

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > Iowa > Hardin County > History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 27

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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 and combinations as may prove most effective for the success of the tem- perance cause, without reference to previous political affiliation.

2. That we most cordially approve the policy of the present 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 Sab- bath by public amusement, such as target-shoot,- ing, dancing, theatrical performance, and kin- dred practices, together with ordinary business traffic, except by persons 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, and 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 leaders, and 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 such 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. 124,855-31,576

S. Lefler, Dem 93,279

J. H. Lozier, Pro 1,397

The financial depression during the sec- ond administration of Grant was such as 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 :

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 millions; and,

WHEREAS, Money is, in essence, only a certi- ficate of service rendered, and hence the solution

-- -

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HISTORY OF IOWA.

of the financial question lies at the bottom of all true government, and is the paramouut 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 and 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- changeable at the option of the holder for bonds bearing 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 a low rate, not exceeding 3.65 per cent. per annum.

4. We are in favor of the repcal of the act of March 18, 1869, making greenbacks payable in coin, and making 5-20 bonds perpetual or pay- able only in coin, and thus unjustly discrimin- ating 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 are 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 salaries, proportionate to the reduction of the profits on labor.

4. We demand a remonetization of silver.

5. We demand the equality of the soldiers' bounties.

6. We approve and eudorse the 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. H. 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 aud brotherhood throughout the nation; for men of unsullied honesty, and purity of character and public trust, and for the swift pursuit and un- sparing punishment of all dishonest officials, higli or low.

2. That we are in faver of, and we demand, a rigid economy iu the administration.of the government, both State and national.

3. That we favor a currency convertible with coin, and therefore advocate the gradual resump- tiou 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-niaking power.

5. That we stand by free education, our school system, taxation of all for its support,

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and no diversion of the school fund from the public schools.

6. That we cordially invite immigration from all civilized countries, guaranteeing to cmigrants 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 eitber 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 truthis spoken at its cradle-that all men are created as equals; that they are endowed by the Creator with cer- tain inalicnable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that for the attainment of thesc 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 cnd.

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 executive 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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HISTORY OF IOWA.

to every American citizen complete liberty and exact equality in the exercise of the civil, politi- cal and publie 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 publie eredit should be saeredly maintained, and all the obligations of the gov- ernment honestly discharged; and that we favor the early attainment of a currency convertible with eoin, 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 ffom 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 publie and private. We also believe that the present volume of the eurreney should be maintained until the wants of trade and com- meree demand its further coutraction.

6. That the investment of capital in this State should be encouraged by wise and liberal legislation; but we condemn the poliey 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 wauts of publie 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 seeuring the election to all positions of publie trust of men of honesty and eonseienee; 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 rejoiee 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 condueted, and the soundness of its eredit at honie 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 ereator of all wealth, is either unim- ployed or denied 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 foreed to believe that nothing further ean be hoped for through the old politieal parties; therefore we make the following dee- laration of principles:

1. We demand the unconditional repeal of the speeie resumption aet 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 issuc of legal tender paper money, by the government, and made receiv- able for all dues, publie 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 cvery honest effort for the furtheranee of eivil service reform.

6. We 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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HISTORY OF IOWA.

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 our fellow citizens; of all political parties, upon these our 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 country 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 Instruction, G. D. Culli- son. They also resolved-

1. The Democracy of the State of Iowa in convention assembled hereby declare in favor of a tariff for revenue, the only economic home rule, 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 pauperism of labor are the in- evitable fruit of the vicious laws enacted by the Republican party.

3. That as a means of relieving the distressed portions of the community, and removing the great stringency complained of in business cir-

cles, we demand the immediate repeal of the specie resumption act.

4. That we denounce as an outrage upon the rights of the people the enactment of the Re- publican measures demonetizing silver, and de- mand the passage of a law which shall restore to silver its monetary power.

5. That we favor the retention of a green- back currency, and declare against any further contraction, and favor the substitution of green- backs for national bank bills.

6. We congratulate the country upon the ac- ceptance by the present administration of the constitutional and pacific policy of local self- government in the States of the South, so long advocated by the Democratic party, and which has brought peace and harmony to that section. And in regard to the future financial policy, in the language of our national platform adopted in the New York convention, in 1868, we urge,

7. Payment of the public debts of the United States as rapidly as practicable,-all the money drawn from the people by taxation, except so much as is requisite for the necessities of the government, economically administered, being honestly applied to such payment when due.

8. The equal taxation of every species of property according to its value.

9. One currency for the government and the people, the laborer and the office-holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the bondholder.

10. The right of a State to regulate railroad corporations having been established by the higher court of the country, we now declare that this right must be exercised with due regard to justice, as there is no necessary antagonism be- tween the people and corporation, and the com- mon interests of both demand a speedy restora- tion of former friendly relations through just legislation on onc side, and a cheerful submis- sion thereto on the other.

11. Rights of capital and labor are equally sacred, and alike entitled to legal protection. They have no just cause of quarrel, and the proper relations to each other are adjustable by

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national laws, and should not be tampered by legislative interference.

12. That we favor a repeal of the present pro- hibitory liquor law of the State, and the enact- ment of a well-regulated license law instead, and all the money derived from license to go to the school fund of the State.

A State Temperance or Prohibition con- vention assembled at Oskaloosa August 30, and nominated Elias Jessup for Gov- ernor, and adopted, as a platform, the fol- lowing :

WHEREAS, Intemperance is the enemy of all -the drinker, the seller, the financier, the statcs- man, the educator and the christian; therefore, be it

Resolved, By the temperance people of the State of Iowa, that we hold these truths to be self-evideut, and we do hereby declare them as the basis of our political action.

2. We recognize intemperance as the great social, moral, financial and political evil of the present age; that it is not an incident of intelli- gence and refinement, but is one of the worst relics of barbarism; has produced the lowest and most degraded form of government; and there- fore should be overthrown by all republican governments.

3. We claim that all men are endowed by their Creator with the inalienable right of free- dom from the destructive effects of intoxicating liquors, and the right to use all lawful and laudiable means to defend themselves and their neighbors against the traffic as a beverage within our State.

4. That governments are instituted for the purpose of restraining and prohibiting the evil passions of men, and of promoting and protect- ing their best interests; and that, therefore, it is the duty of a government to use all its powers to make it as casy as possible for men to do right and as difficult as possible to do wrong.

5. We believe that the prohibition of the traffic in intoxicating liquors is the only sound legislative theory upon which this vexcd ques- tion can be solved and the nation saved from bankruptcy and demoralization.

Therefore, we insist upon the maintenance and enforcement of our prohibitory law, and upon such amendments thereto as will place ale, wine, and beer under the same condemnation as other intoxicating liquors.

6. That this great evil has long since assumed a political form, and can never be eliminated from politics until our legislatures and courts accomplish its entire overthrow and destruction.

7. We hereby dcclarc that, since we believe prohibition to be the only sound legislative policy, and since law is ouly brought to bear upon society through its officers, legislative, judicial, and executive, we therefore can and will support only those men who are known to be tried and true temperance prohibitory men.

8. We believe that in the security of home rests the security of State; that women is by her very nature the acknowledged guardian of this sacred shrine; that intemperance is its greatest enemy; therefore we claim that the daughters of this commonwealth, as well as her sons, ought to be allowed to say by their votes, what laws shall be made for the suppression of this evil, and what person shall execute the same.

9. We believe the importation of intoxicat- ing liquors from foreign lands, and their protec- tion by the United States government, while in the hands of the importer, and inter-state com- merce in the same, cripple the power of State governments in enacting and enforcing such legislation as is and may be demauded by the people.

The vote on Governor was as follows:

John H. Gear, Rep. 121,546

D. P. Stubbs, Gr. .38,228

John P. Irish, Dem .79,353

Elias Jessup, Temp. 10,639

Gear had a majority over Irish of 23,193, but the combined opposition vote was greater by 674.

In 1878 the Greenbackers held the first State convention, assembling at Des Moines April 10th, and nominated for Secretary of State, E. M. Farnsworth;

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HISTORY OF IOWA.

Treasurer, M. L. Devlin; Auditor, G. V. Swearenger; Treasurer, M. Farrington; Attorney-General, General C. H. Jackson; Judge of Supreme Court, J.G. Knapp; Clerk of Supreme Court, Alex. Runyon; Reporter Supreme Court, Geo. W. Rutherford. They adopted the following platform:

WHEREAS, Throughout our entire country the valuc of real estate is depreciated, industry para- lized, trade depressed, business income and wages reduced, unparalleled distress inflicted upon the poorer and middle ranks of our people, the land filled with fraud, embezzlement, bank- rupcy, crime, suffering, pauperism, and starva- tion; and

WHEREAS, This state of things has been brought about by legislation in the interest of and dictated by money lenders, bankers, and bondholders; and,

WHEREAS, The limiting of the legal tender quality of greenbacks, the changing of currency bonds into coin bonds, the demonetizing of the silver dollar, the exempting of bonds from taxa- tion, the contraction of the circulating medium, the proposed forced resumption of specie pay- ments, and the prodigal waste of the public lands, were crimes against the people, and so far as possible the results of these criminal acts must be counteracted by judicious legislation.

1. We demand the unconditional repeal of the specie resumption act of January 14th, 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 a full legal tender paper money by the government, and receivable for all dues, public and private.

3. We demand the remonetization of the silver dollar, making it a full legal tender for the payment of all coin bonds of the government, and for all other debts, public and private, and that the coinage of silver shall be placed on the same footing as that of the gold.

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History of Hardin county, Iowa, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 27

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1002