402 



IOWA. 



at Eldora, though the main building has not 

 yet been erected. An investigation into the 

 management of this institution was made in 

 April, and re'sulted in the resignation of the 

 superintendent, who was charged with incom- 

 petency. The Hospital for the Insane at Mount 

 Pleasant has required $220,518.17 for its sup- 

 port during two years, and has had an average 

 of 506 inmates. The institution is overcrowd- 

 ed, and improvements are contemplated. The 

 Hospital for the Insane at Independence is but 

 partly finished, and now accommodates 250 

 patients. It will cost $15,000 to complete the 

 main building and north wing, and the com- 

 missioners ask for $300,000 for the construc- 

 tion of the south wing. Branches of the 

 Soldiers' Orphans' Home are maintained at 

 Cedar Falls and Davenport, that at G-lenwood 

 having been discontinued. The number of in- 

 mates has decreased in two years from 508 to 

 298. The Governor has recommended the use 

 of the building at Glen wood for an Inebriate 

 Asylum. The Institution for the Education 

 of the Deaf and Dumb has 158 pupils, and the 

 erection of a new west wing at a cost of $65,- 

 000 is contemplated. The State University has 

 620 students. Considerable progress has been 

 made in the construction of the new Capitol 

 at Des Moines, the corner-stone of which was 

 laid in 1871. It is to cost $1,500,000, and the 

 amount expended up to November 30th was 

 $750,000. 



The Democratic Executive Committee of 

 Iowa, in calling the State Convention of the 

 party, invited all Democrats, Liberal Republi- 

 cans, and anti-monopolists, to take part. The 

 convention was held at Des Moines on the 

 24th of June. The nominations made were : 

 For Governor, Shepherd Leffler, of Des Moines ; 

 for Lieutenant- Governor, E. B. Woodward, of 

 Lucas; for Judge of the Supreme Court, W. 

 J. Wright, of Dubuque ; for Superintendent of 

 Public Instruction, A. R. Wright, of Wood- 

 bury. The following platform was adopted, 

 after considerable discussion and some spirited 

 opposition, coming chiefly from the anti-mo- 

 nopolists : 



The Democrats, Liberal Republicans, and anti- 

 monopolists of the State of Iowa in delegate conven- 

 tion assembled, declare, as a basis of permanent or- 

 ganization and united action, the following princi- 

 ples: 



1. A firm adherence to the doctrine of political 

 government as taught by Jefferson, Madison, and 

 other fathers of the republic. 



2. A strict construction of the Constitution in all 

 measures involving constitutional powers. 



3. The supremacy of the Federal Government 

 within the sphere and the reservation of the local 

 authority of the Constitution, as opposed to the con- 

 centration of all powers in a strong centralized gov- 

 ernment. 



4. Absolute prohibition of military interference 

 with the local State elections, and the peaceful as- 

 sembling and organization of State Legislatures ex- 

 cept in the manner clearly defined in the Constitu- 

 tion. 



5. Honesty in the administration of public offices, 

 and strict economy in the public expenditures. 



6. All officers to be held to a rigid accountability 

 for misuse of the public funds, or for the prostitu- 

 tion of their powers for private use. 



Y. Preservation of all the legal rights of every citi- 

 zen, without regard to race or color. 



8. Reservation of the public lands for the benefit 

 of actual settlers, and opposition to any further 

 grants to corporate monopolies for any purpose. 



9. Restoration of the presidential salary to $25,000. 

 No third term. 



10. That we are in favor of resumption of specie 

 payments as soon as the same can be done without 

 injury to the business interests of the country, and 

 meantime a sufficient supply of national currency 

 for business purposes. Opposition to the present 

 national banking law. 



11. A tariif on imports that will produce the 

 largest amount of revenue with the smallest amount 

 of tax, and no imposition of duties for the benefit of 

 manufacturers at the expense of agricultural inter- 

 ests. 



12. We are in favor of the repeal of the present 

 prohibitory liquor law, and the enactment of a well- 

 iraraed, 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 re- 

 stricts any citizen in his individual or social rights 

 and privileges. 



14-. With this declaration of principles and policy, 

 in the language of our brethren in Ohio, we arraign 

 the leaders of the Republican party for their ex- 

 travagant expenditure and profligate waste of the 

 people's money; for their oppressive, unjust, and 

 defective system of finance and taxation ; for their 

 continued tyranny and cruelty to the Southern States 

 of the Union ; their squandering of the public lands ; 

 their continuance of incompetent and corrupt men 

 in office, at home and abroad, and for their general 

 mismanagement of the Government ; and we cordial- 

 ly invite all men, without regard to past party asso- 

 ciation, to cooperate with us in expelling them from 

 power, and in securing such an administration of 

 public affairs as characterized the purer and better 

 days of the republic. 



The Republican State Convention was held 

 at Des Moines on the 30th of June. Ninety- 

 four counties were represented and nearly 640 

 votes were cast. Samuel J. Kirk wood, of 

 Johnson County, was unanimously nominated 

 for Governor. The other candidates were: 

 J. G. Newbold, of Henry County, for Lieuten- 

 ant-Governor ; Austin Adams, of Dubuque, for 

 Judge of the Supreme Court ; and Alonzo Aber- 

 nethy, of Crawford, for Superintendent of Pub- 

 lic Instruction. The following platform was 

 agreed to : 



We, the representatives of the Republican party 

 of the State of Iowa in convention assembled, do 

 adopt the following platform of principles : 



fi?solved, 1. That we declare it a cardinal principle 

 of Republican faith that the republic is a nation, 

 one and indivisible, within which the constitutional 

 rights of the States and of the people to local self- 

 government must be faithfully maintained. 



2. That we favor the early attainment of a curren- 

 cy convertible into coin, and therefore advocate the 

 gradual resumption of specie payments by continu- 

 ous and steady steps in that direction. 



3. That we are in favor of a tariff for revenue, so 

 adjusted as to encourage home industry. 



4. That the earnest effort of the Government to 

 collect the revenues and prevent and punish frauds, 

 has our unqualified approval. 



5. That we are opposed to further grants of lands 

 to railways or other corporations, and we demand a 



