THE LABOR MOVEMENT. 323 



branches, and as a result of this new factor in politics, came the first 

 labor bureau ever established in this country (the Massachusetts 

 bureau). In 1870 there was a State ticket run on this platform in New 

 York. James S. Graham of Rochester was the nominee for governor, 

 and Conrad S. Kuhn of New York City, who was at that time the vice- 

 president of the " International Cigarmakers' Union," was the nominee 

 for lieutenant governor. Alexander Troup, who at the present writing 

 is editor of the New Haven Daily Union, was very prominent in this 

 movement. 



In 1872 the officials of the National Labor Union called a national 

 convention at the city of Indianapolis, for the purpose of placing in 

 nomination candidates for President and Vice-President. At this Con- 

 vention Judge David Davis of Illinois was nominated for President, 

 and Senator Booth of California, for Vice-President. Both of these 

 gentlemen declined, and the Executive Committee did not see fit to 

 place any new men in nomination. Judge Davis was afterwards elected 

 to the United States Senate, over John A. Logan, by some workingmen 

 who held the balance of power in the Illinois legislature. In 1876 the 

 National Committee, elected at Indianapolis in 1872, called another 

 convention at the same city, and placed in nomination for President, 

 Peter Cooper, the New York philanthropist, and Samuel F. Carey of 

 Ohio, as Vice-President, and something like 81,000 votes were cast for 

 this ticket. This party was termed the Greenback party. The follow- 

 ing is the platform as adopted at that convention : 



" The Independent party is called into existence by the necessities of the people, 

 whose industries are prostrated, whose labor is deprived of its just reward by a ruin- 

 ous policy which the Republican and Democratic parties refuse to change; and in 

 view of the failure of these parties to furnish relief to the depressed industries of the 

 country, thereby disappointing the just hopes and expectations of the suffering 

 people, we declare our principles, and invite all patriotic men to join our ranks in 

 this movement for financial reform and industrial emancipation. 



" First. We demand the immediate and unconditional repeal of the Specie 

 Resumption Act of January 14, 1875, and the rescue of our industries from ruin 

 and disaster resulting from its enforcement; and we call upon all patriotic men to 

 organize in every congressional district of the country, with a view of electing repre- 

 sentatives to Congress who will carry out the wishes of the people in this regard, and 

 stop the present suicidal and destructive policy of contraction. 



" Second. We believe that a United States note, issued by the government, and 

 convertible, on demand, into United States obligations, bearing a rate of interest not 

 exceeding one cent a day on each one hundred dollars, and exchangeable for United 

 States notes at par, will afford the best circulating medium ever devised. Such 

 United States notes should be full legal tenders for all purposes, except for the pay- 

 ment of such obligations as are, by existing contracts, especially made payable in 

 coin; and we hold that it is the duty of the government to provide such a circulating 



