Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1908 — DEMOCRATIC TENETS [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC TENETS

Planks of the Platform Adopted by the National Conven* tion at Denver. } IT COVERS THE INJUNCTION Publicity of Campaign Contributions, Rights of States and Tariff Trusts, Railway Regulation, Currency, and All the Issues as Viewed by the Democratic Party. Denver, July 10.—-Following Is the platform as adopted by the Democratic national convention, beginning with a preamble that closes as follows: “Shall the people rule?” is the overshadowing issue which manifests itself In all the questions now under discus* sion. Publicity as to Campaign Funds. We demand federal legislation forever terminating the partnership which has existed between corporations .of the country and the Republican party under the expressed or implied agreement that in return for the contribution of great sums of money wherewith to purchase elections they should be allowed to continue substantially unmolested in their efforts to encroach upon the rights of the people. • • • In order that this practice shall be stopped for all time, we demand the passage of a statute punishing with imprisonment any officer of a corporation who shall either contribute on behalf of or consent to the contribution by a corporation of any money or thing of value to be used in furthering the election of a president or vice president of the United States, or of any member of the congress thereof. Wo pledge the Democratic party to ths enactment of a law preventing any corporation contributing to a campaign fund and any individual from contributing an amount above a reasonable minimum, and providing for the publication before election of all such contributions. Rights of the States. Believing with Jefferson In “the support of the state governments in all their rights as the most competent administration for our domestic concerns, and surest bulwark against anti-re-publican tendencies,’? and in “the preservation of the general government in its whole constitutional vigor, as the sheet anchor of our peace at home and safety abroad,” we are opposed to the centralization Implied in the suggestions now frequently made that the powers of the general government should be extended by judicial construction. There is no “twilight zone” between the nation and the state in which exploiting interests can take ref-, uge from both.

Immediate Tariff Reduction. We favor immediate revision of the tariff by reaction of Import duties: Articles entering into competition with trust controlled products should be placed upon the free list, and material reductions should be made in the tariff upon the necessaries of life, especially upon articles competing with such American manufacturers as are sold abroad more cheaply than at home; and graduated reductions should be made in such other schedules as may be necessary to restore the tariff to a revenue basis. • • • we demand the Immediate repeal of the tariff on pulp, print paper, lumber, timbej and logs, and that these articles be placed upon the free list. f Declaration on Tenets. A private monopoly is indefensible and intolerable. We therefore favor the vigorous enforcement of the criminal law against guilty trust magnates and officials, and demand the enactment of such additional legislation as may be necessary to make it impossble for a private monopoly to exist in the United States. Among the additional remedies we specify three: First, a law preventing a duplication of direclois among competing corporations; second. M' liccense system which will, without abridging the right of each state to create corporations or its right to regulate as it will foreign corporations doing business within its limits, make it necessary for a manufacturing or trading corporation engaged in interstate commerce to take out A teaerai license before it shall be permitted to control as much as 25 per cent of the product in which it deals, the license to protect the public from watered stock, and to prohibit the control by such corporation of more than 50 per cent of the total amount of any product consumed in the United States; and third, a law compelling such licensed, corporations to sell to all purchasers in all parts of the country on' the same terms, after making due allowance for cost of transportation. Regulation ot the Railways. We assert the right of congress to

Exercise complete control overinterBtute commerce and the right of each state to exercise like control over commerce within Its borders. We demand such enlargement of the powers of the Interstate commerce commission as may be necessary to compel railroads to perform their duties as common car rkrs and prevent discrimination and extortion. We favor 'the efficient supervision •nd rate legulation of railroads engaged in interstate commerce, and to this end we recommend the valuation of railroads by the interstate commerce commission, such valuation to take into conslderaton the physical value of the property, the original cost and cost of reproduction, and all elements /of value that will render the valuation made fair and just. We favor such legislation as will prohibit the railroads from engaging in business which brings them into com-* petition with their shippers; also legislation which will assure such reduction In transporta ton rates as conditions will permit, care being taken to Wvoid reductions that would compel a reduction of wages, prevent adequate service or do injustice to legitimate investments. We favor such legislation as will increase the powpr of the interstate commerce commission, giving to it the initiative w’itli reference to rates and transportation charges put into effect by the railroad companies, and permitting the Interstate commerce commission. on its own initiative, to declare a rate illegal and as being more than should be charged fpr such services We further dedare that all agreements of or other associations of railway agents affecting interstate rates, service or classification, shall be unlawful unless filed with and approved by the interstate commerce commission. We favor the enactment of a law giving to the interstate commerce commission the power to inspect proposed railroad tariff rates or schedules before they shall take effect, and if they be found to be unreasonable to initiate an adjustment thereof. Refers to Financial Reform. The platform then declares that the panic of 1907 proves the Incompetency of the Republican party to protect the general intersts. and proceeds: v It [the Republican party] has used an emergency for which It is largely responsible to force through congresses: bill changing the basis of bank currency and inviting market manipulations, and has failed to give to the 15.000.00* depositors of the country protection in their savings.

We believe that insofar as the needs of commerce require an emergency currency should be issued, controlled by the federal government and loanef on adequate security to national ant' state banks. We pledge ourselves tr legislation under which the nationa banks shall be/required to establish t guarantee fund for the prompt paymen of the depositors of any Insolvent na tional bank, under an equitable system which shall be available to al state banking institutions wishing to use It We favor a postal savings bank if the guaranteed bank cannot be secured and that it can be constituted so as to keep the deposited money in the communities where it is established.

On Labor and Injunctions. The courts of justice are the bulwark <tf our liberties, and we yield to none in our purpose to maintain their dignity. • • ♦ It is the function of the courts to interpret'the laws which the people create, and if the laws appear to work economic, social or political injustice it is our duty to change them. The only basis upon which the integrity of our courts can stand is that of unswerving justice and proteetion of life, personal liberty and property. If judicial processes may be abused we should guard them against abuse. Experience has proven the necessity of a modification of the present law relating to injunctions, and we reiterate the pledge of our national platforms of 1896 and 1904 in favor of the measure which passed the United States senate In 1896. but which a Republican congress has ever since refused to enact; to contempts In federal courts and providing for trial by jury in eases of indirect contempt. Questions of judicial practice have arisen, especially in connection with Industrial disputes. We demand that the parties to all judicial proceedings should be treated with rigid impartiality. and that injunctions should not be Issued in any cases in which injunctions would not issue If no Industrial dispute were Involved. The expanding organization of industry makes it essential that there should be no abridgement of the right of wag> earners and producers to organize for. the protection of wages and the Improvement of labor conditions, tn the end that such labor organizations and their members should not be regarded as illegal combinations in restraint of trade. We favor the eight-hour day on all government work. We pledge the Democratic party to the enactment of a law by congress, as far as the federal jurisdiction extends, for a general employers* liability act, covering Injury to body or loss of life of employes. Other Subjects Covered. The platform then condemns the use of patronage by the president "to secure the nomination of a cabinet officer;** itreists on the protection u* citt zens at home and aboard; favors a comprehensive plan of Improvement of water courses, harbors and otheg highways of commerce; condemns “imperialism" and favors an immediate dec-

laratloq of'purpose to make the Filipinos independent as soon as stable government cafi be established; favors a national income tax through constitutional amendment; also the popular election of United States senators: would develop ties of friendship and peace wi fi Latin America; pledges the party to legislatlou.for the control of telegraph and telephone companies; says w good word for civil service reform, and for aq “adequate” navy; opposes the immigration ot Asiatics; believes in the upbuilding of our merchant marine and in the Panama canal; and favors a generous policy of pen/ sions for our war veterans. .