578 



MISSOURI. 



the Government to issue and maintain a national 

 paper currency, if this policy is to be persisted in, 

 we favor a repeal of the national banking law, and 

 the substitution of greenbacks, to the extent of the 

 national-bank currency, thereby providing for an 

 immediate corresponding redemption of our bonded 

 indebtedness, and the saving of $24,000,000 of inter- 

 est annually to an overtaxed people. 



Resolved, That the evils necessarily attendant upon 

 an irredeemable paper currency should be removed 

 by a removal of the cause ; and that, as a first and, 

 we believe, the only necessary step to such a result, 

 the legal-tender notes of the United States, in ad- 

 dition to being receivable in payment of all debts 

 and demands of every kind due to the United States J 

 and to individuals, should also be made receivable 

 for duties on imports. 



Resolved, That railroads and all other corporations 

 created for gain or profit should be rendered subser- 

 vient to the public good ; that we demand such legis- 

 lation upon the subject, both State and national, as 

 will eifectually secure the industrial and producing 

 interests of the country against all forms of corpo- 

 rate monopoly and exaction. 



Resolved, That we denounce the present tariff as 

 having been concocted alone in the interest of East- 

 ern manufacturers, and in lieu of it we recommend 

 a tariff for revenue only, that will be just to all sec- 

 tions of the country. 



Resolved, That while the West is heavily burdened 

 to sustain the manufacturers of the East, a sum of 

 upward of $100,000,000 is annually collected from us 

 in the shape of a revenue tax on distilled and fer- 

 mented spirits, the product of our grain; and on 

 tobacco, which by another unjust provision of the 

 same law the producers are prohibited from selling 

 in the best markets ; we therefore demand in a spirit 

 of justice that this law be repealed so that we m&y 

 thereby be relieved from this unjust and partial sys- 

 tem of taxation. 



^Resolved That the Democratic party of Missouri 

 will elevate to office no man upon whose personal or 

 political integrity there rests even a well-founded 

 suspicion ; that honesty and capability are the re- 

 quisites for all candidates, and that the officer who 

 forgets that he is simply the servant of the people, 

 and seeks his own aggrandizement at the public ex- 

 pense, is personally dishonored and should be de- 

 nounced oy all honest men without reference to 

 party ties or past affiliation. 



The Reform, or People's party, which was 

 made up chiefly of Republicans, held its State 

 Convention at Jefferson City, on the 3d and 4th 

 of September. The following platform was 

 put forth as embodying the principles and pur- 

 poses of the party : 



"We, non-partisan citizens and voters of the State 

 of Missouri, in view of the evils which we have been 

 suffering from disorder and partisan ring rule, deem 

 it necessary for the best interests of the State that 

 the people thereof should take the management of 

 their affairs into their own hands, and therefore 

 assemble in convention independent of all old party 

 organizations. A long and painful experience has 

 taught us that the custom of selecting State and lo- 

 cal officers upon national issues which have nothing 

 to do with State and local affairs has served to con- 

 fuse the minds of the people with regard to the State 

 and local questions to be decided by such election, 

 and has thus become one of the chief causes of reck- 

 less partisanship and corruption in public affairs, and 

 we believe it is time that the people should conduct 

 their government in all its branches upon strict 

 business principles, and should choose State officers 

 relative to fitness for their respective duties and 

 questions of State policy alone. This State needs 

 order, a faithful enforcement of law, that capital and 

 immigration may be invited, and that industry may 



prosper. We demand the suppression of lawless- 

 ness, and mob violence ; fearless execution of the law 

 without regard to public feeling in particular locali- 

 ties. All law-abiding citizens must be treated with 

 equal justice, and be made to feel that all their rights 

 and legitimate interests are fully protected by a gov- 

 ernment of law. All proscription on account of 

 former differences must be suppressed, that the in- 

 dustrious immigrant may again be attracted to this 

 State. Every dollar derived from the use of public 

 moneys belongs to the people. Every officer in- 

 trusted with public funds should pledge himself as 

 the Treasurer nominated by this convention stands 

 pledged, to account to the Treasury for all interest 

 received from the moneys of the people. We are in 

 favor of the passage of such laws as will provide such 

 care in the disposition of the moneys of the State 

 as will yield to the tax-payer the revenue derived 

 therefrom. Honesty is the best policy for the peo- 

 ple in their corporate capacity, as for individuals. 

 No government, national, State, or local, can serve 

 the interest of the people without strict fidelity to 

 every honorable obligation. We are opposed to any 

 further increase of the public debt of the State. 



We are opposed to all combinations which tend to 

 increase the cost of transportation beyond a fair re- 

 muneration to the carrier. We believe that all rail- 

 road corporations being the creatures of the legisla- 

 tive power, it is the duty of the legislative branch 

 of the government to subject them to such wise and 

 impartial enactments as will protect the people from 

 extortion without impairing the rights or usefulness 

 of such corporations. 



The safety and permanence of our free institutions 

 depend upon the intelligence of the people, and we 

 are therefore in favor of our public-school system 

 under the same principles as now, and are deter- 

 mined to protect and improve it by all the appli- 

 ances of culture and intelligence, so that every child 

 may have the advantages of an education. We be- 

 lieve that the maintenance of the inviolability of the 

 school-fund beyond the reach of constitutional ma- 

 jorities or corrupt officers or mercenary speculators 

 is one of the most sacred duties of the State gov- 

 ernment, not only as a basis of intelligent self- 

 government, and the best safeguard to the public 

 peace and good order, but as an inducement to in- 

 dustrious and intelligent immigration. 



Frequent sessions of the Legislature are productive 

 only of confusion in our laws and largely increase 

 the burdens upon the tax-payers of the State by 

 means of the unnecessary and wasteful appropria- 

 tions and expenditures entailing thereto. Therefore 

 we are in favor of a cons' itutional revision requiring 

 a session only once in fo;;r years, unless in cases of 

 emergency, in which evunt the Governor may con- 

 vene a special session. 



We cordially invite all :,'ood citizens of this State 

 to unite with us in the election of State officers 

 pledged to the maintenance and enforcement of these 

 principles. 



Resolved, That any further contraction of the na- 

 tional currency would be detrimental to the produc- 

 ing class, and we therefore oppose any step in that 

 direction. We recommend to the people of the 

 several congressional, districts to elect members of 

 Congress who will have constantly in view the true 

 interests of the producers of the West, the improve- 

 ment of the water-routes of the country and other 

 means of transportation to the seaboard, the reduc- 

 tion of taxes, and the adjustment of duties on im- 

 ports to a revenue basis ; the speediest feasible safe 

 reduction ; oancelment of the interest-bearing debt, 

 the abolition of the monopoly features of our bank- 

 ing system, with as early a return to specie payment 

 as can be effected without disaster. 



Major William Gentry was unanimously nom- 

 inated by acclamation for the office of Gov- 

 ernor. The other candidates were as follows: 



