Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1910 — THE PLATFORM OF INDIANA DEMOCRACY [ARTICLE]

THE PLATFORM OF INDIANA DEMOCRACY

Following Is the report of the committee on resolutions made jo the Democratic state convention and adopted without debate: . Mr. Chairman—Your committee on resolutions begs leave to make the following report and recommend the adoption of the following platform: We, the representatives of the Democratic party of the state of Indiana, In convention assembled, hereby adopt the following platform: Democracy is a conservator of property. It defies alike both paternalism and communism. Its theory of government is that government Is best which governs least. It is the friend of both labor and capital. It adds to the rewards of human endeavor by giving equal opportunities to all and, special privileges to none. Democracy fixes no limits to honest accumulation of capital, but it denies that wealth and cunning, leagued together, may lawfully concentrate Into a few hands. TARIFF AND THE REPUBLICAN ATTITUDE. We denounce the Payne-Aldrich tariff act as a : masterpiece of Injustice, Involving remorseless exactions from the many to enrich the few, through the trusts and monopolies which it fosters. Tariff taxation, like other taxation, should be for public purposes .only, and not for private profit; and should be so levied as not to discriminate against any section, class, Industry or occupation, and limited to the actual necessities of the government, economically administered. We condemn the cowardice of the Republican party in Indiana in failing to meet the issues In a fair and manly way; that in its endeavor to gain Democratic votes it has, on the tariff question, one proposition In Its state platform and a different and opposing proposition, in its several congressional platforms; that by indorsement it commends President Taft, who approved the Payne-Aldrich tariff law, and In the same resolutions commends Senator Beveridge, who voted against the same measure, for his course in opposing such tariff law. President Taft has Indorsed Cannon and Aldrieh, We submit to the people whether relief may be expected from a party standing for Taft, Cannon. Aldrich and Beveridge all at the same time. PENSIONS, INCOME TAX, SUBSIDIES. We favor the immediate enactment of a pension law by congress providing for a pension of not less than one dollar a day for all Union veterans of the civil war. We most heartily favor the ratification of" the proposed amendment to the constitution of the United States authorizing congress to levy an income tax. We are opposed to all subsidies by the government, and we especially condemn the present ship, subsidy 'bill. We are opposed to the indiscriminate use of the power of injunction by the courts without notice to the defendants and without a hearing, and we demand that the right of trial by jury, in proceedings arising out of Indirect contempt of such injunctions, shall not be denied to a defendant in such castes. We condemn the extravagant administration of the affairs of the nation by the Republican party.

CONSERVATION ANB-WATERWA YS. We favor the conservation of our natural resources and demand the withdrawal from entry of our remaining timber, oil, coal and Iron lands and water power sites. The Republican course of favoritism and the countenancing of fraud in relation to these matters have become a national scandal. The remnants of our resources should be preserved In the government for the benefit of the people. We favor the improvemnt of interior waterways and urge appropriations for such purpose. SHIVELY AND MARSHALL. We most heartily commend and Indorse the Hon. Benjamin F. Shively, our senator, and our Democratic representatives In congress for their unfailing allegiance to the people, proving themselves to be their servants and worthy of their confidence. We commend Governor Thomas R. Marshall for his unswerving fidelity to the principles of Democracy In the conduct of his office, his loyalty to the people at all times, and we heartily indorse his administration of the affairs of state. PUBLIC ACCOUNTING LAW. We believe that the public accounting law, nonpartisan in Inception and bipartisan in enactment and administration, has accomplished and will continue to accomplish great good for both taxpayers and public officials of Indiana; and we pledge the Democratic party to its maintenance and Its improvement whenever improvement may be shown by experience to be necessary or beneficial. We favor the enactment of such laws as will provide for the construction and maintenance of our free turnpikes, in a more economical manner. To Insure honest elections, we favor the enactment of a general registration law.

LABOR LAWS. We are in favor of the strengthening of the laws of our state with reference to child Labor and the sanitary condition of workshops. We favor the enactment of a weekly wage law in manufacturing and mining pursuits; a more rigid enforcement of the factory inspection laws; the enactment of a law under which the state inspector of mines shall be appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the United Mine Workers’ association and the Indiana Coal Operators’ association of the state; the enactment of a co-employes* liability law which will justify and adequately protect labor; the enactment of a law providing for the submission to arbitration of all disputes between capital and labor; and a law which will shorten the hours of labor. Wa declare for the enactment and enforcement of such laws as will prevent any oompetition between the product of labor in our penal institutions and the product of free labor.

LIQUOR QUESTION. The Democratic party has always advocated the largest measure of liberty to the individual citisen consistent with the public good. It still recognizes and believes in the old Democratic principle of local self-government. We recognize the rights of the people of the state to settle the question as to whther intoxicating liquors shall be sold in their respective communities, and to that end we favor the amendment and modification of the present local option law so as, to make incorporated cities. townships and the territory in townships outside of such cities the units of election: but such amendment and modification shall be so drawn as not to affect and to preserve Remonstrance laws of the state; provided that territory voted dry under the present option law shall remain »o for two years from the date of Such election. POPULAR ELECTION OP SENATORS We favor an amendment to the constitution of the United States providing for the election of United States senators by a direct vote of the people. We are opposed to the creation and continuance of useless and unnecessary offices and boards, and we favor the consolidation of the offices of labor commissioner and factory inspector Into one department, to be Jtnowti as the department of labor. R<’<- That the rooster shall be adopt-*. ?d :i- emblem of the, Democratic party In lad...ua. :