The first State Convention of the year was held by the Temperance Associations at Des Moines on the 20th of January, while the Legislature was in session. It adopted a series of resolutions, among which were the following declarations:
“We regard drunkenness as a crime and the vendors of intoxicating liquor should be held accessory to and responsible for injury and crime committed by inebriates.
We favor the absolute prohibition of the sale and manufacture of all intoxicating liquors as beverages and the importation of the same.
We ask the General Assembly to urge the appointment of a National Commission to investigate the legislative criminal, scientific, economic and other aspects of the liquor traffic as relates to the public welfare.
One-half of all fines imposed for the violation of the prohibitory liquor law should be paid to the prosecuting witness.
The owner of the property where liquor is sold should be made criminally liable to the same extent as the vendor.”
A State Convention was held at Des Moines on the 10th of May, 1876, to organize a Greenback party in Iowa. It adopted a platform, of which the following is a summary:
“Labor is the basis of all wealth and capital cannot be accumulated except as the product of industry.
It is the duty of the government to establish a monetary system based on the faith and resources of the nation and adapted to the demands of legitimate business.
We demand the immediate repeal of the resumption act of January, 1875, and that the circulating notes of the State and National banks, as well as all local currency, be withdrawn from circulation and their place supplied by a uniform currency, the same to be a legal tender for all purposes and interchangeable for bonds.
We demand the present bonded debt of the country be refunded as speedily as possible into registered interchangeable bonds that shall bear interest at a low rate, not exceeding 3.65 per cent. per annum.
We are in favor of the repeal of the act of March 18, 1869, making greenbacks payable in coin and making 5-20 bonds perpetual or payable only in coin and thus unjustly discriminating in favor of the money interest.”
On the 20th of September the Greenback party held a convention at Des Moines to nominate candidates for
