The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-04
THE PLATFORM.
Of the Contest as De-
fined By the State Con-
vention at Trenton
On Sept. g..

We, the representatives of the Demo-
cratic party, in State Convention as
sembled, reaffirrning our devotion to the
great and vital principles of the Demo-
cratic party on National issues, and be-
lieving, however, that the coming State
campaign should be fought out on state
issues ana for the redemption of the state
from Republican extravaganza. corruption
and misrule, declare the paramount issues
in the coming campaign 10 be equal tax
alton, home rule, honest Stale and NUM-
cipal government, the adjustment OF use
less and expensive State commissions, the
reduction of the large present expenses
of the State government to the economical
standard maintained for years under
Democratic rule, the reduction OF official
salaries, the adjustment of the fee sys-
tenn and the placing OF all officials on a
salary basis, the enactment OF laws IN
the interests of organized labor ana LOT
the protection of the Wageworkers or the
State. the repeal of all laws that abrldge
the rights of jur1es to Tx the amount OIL
damages in cases where the death OF a
person is caused by wrongful act, and
the release of the administration of State
affairs from the control of corporations
and their restoration to the authority OF
We demand that the tax laws of this
State be amended TO provide for the tax
alton of all property, real and personal,
moi used for religious, charitable or edu-
c~ational purposes. in accordance with the
ildlGdlG OIL the CONSTITUTION, Which Says.
Property shall be assessed fag taxes iun-
der general laws, and by Uniform rules,
according to its true value"
We charge the Republican party, which
has had complete control OF all branche
of the State government during the past
three years, with having violated the
pledges il made to the people before be-
ing entrusted with power.
We charge the Republican party with
having created useless and needless State
Commissions at the expense OF thousands
of dollars to the people of this State,
and pledge the Democratic party to the
enactment of laws hat will secure their
We charge that the Republican party
has been guilty of gross extravaganza IN
the administration of State affairs, and
that the expenses Of the state govern
ment, under Republican rule, have been
increased nearly half a million dollars ans
nuaIly, and are ROW largely IN excess of
what they should be for an honest and
( economical administration OF the govern
nlent beyond the annual revenues of the
state by thousands OF dollars. We pleages
the Democratic party TO a reduction OF
expenses ana an economical and business
like administration Of the affairs Of State.
We charge thai the salaries of public
should be, and pledge the DEMOCRATIC
party TO the enactment of laws that will
secure the reduction of the same, We
pledge the Democratic party te the en-
actment of laws that will abolish the fee
system in all State and county offices,
and place all such public officials on a
salary basis, thereby saying to the people
of this State thousands of dollars, which
will revert to the public treasury instead
of to the pockets OF the officenolder.
We condemn the action of the recent
Republican Legislatures which refused
almost every request made for legisla-
ton in the interest of organized labor
/ and repealed acts passed by Democratic
Legislatures for the protection of the
wage-workers of New Jersey, and we
pledge our party to give proper consider
alton to the views adopted by the councils
or organized labor
We charge Foster NJ. voorhees,, the
Republican candidate for Governor, With
| being an enemy of organized labor, ard
that he has proved his hostility by his
onlcIal acts while acting as Governor Of
the State.
we favor the repeal of all laws abridg-
| ing the right of juries to fix the amount
a person is caussi Dy wrongful act and
| condemn the bru5ai opinions fled oy the
Republican judges in constructing such
We favor the amendment to the laws Of
the State providing severe penalties To-
discrimination in the liking OF raEes fer
furious to the farmers or other people Of
This State. We charge that the Repub-
Lean party is under the domination and
/ control of the corporations and trusts of
this State, and refer the voters to the
numerous acts passed by recent RepubH-
can legislatures for the benefit OF corpor-
| ations, foreign and domestic, at the ex-
/ pense of the people, and also TO call at
tention to the silence of the platform
adopted by the recent republican conven-
ton upon all questions in any wise AFFECT
ing the interests OF trusts and corpora
lions.
owes to every child within it's borders, an
education. unsurpassed by any other
State. We emand for our school chill
dren ample and suitable accommodation
in every city, town and village, so that
every child may attend school the whole
of every school day; the establishment
of a thorough kindergarten system for
49, ~ on chf1arcr ana a nr1lc0Tv
| education law which viii require attend
ance by every healthy child of school
age.
We advocate the passage of a law which
will require the State Treasurer to be-
come the custodian of the teachers re-
tirement fund, without expense to that
their successful effort to carr for the
members of their profession in old age or
sickness out of their W funds. We
favor the construction OF good roads and
of proper State aid therefor
We declare that the thanks of the peo-
pie of the State and nation are due TO the
Navy of the United States, who have I'M
periled their lives in defense of their coun-
try. and in vindication Of the honor of its
flag in the recent Spanish war; that the
nation owes to them permanent recogni-
ton of their patriotism and their valor,
and ample and permanent provision for
those of their survivors who have re-
ceived disabling and honorable wounds in
the services of the country. and that the
memories OF LnQSe WHO nave IdAen IN It's
defeEse shall be held in grateful and ever
lasting remembrance; that the State
should make suitable provision for addi-
tional pay to our New Jersey Volunteers.
While we rejoice and feel thankful to
them for their great victories on land
and sea, we denounce the gross. open,
criminal -incompetency of those placed ana
defiantly kept in charge of the affairs of
the Wal Department of the present ad-
ministration of the government OF the
United States. resulting in the needless
loss OF thousands of American soldiers
lives, and the iylfiiction of horrible suf-
ferings and fortunes upon thousands OF
the brave defenders of the country's hon
or; and we charge the present administra-
ton of the government OF the United
States with being solely responsible for
the horrible results of this incompetency
of government officials, continued even
after the appalling results were repeated
" brought TO the attention of the Presi-
dent of the United States, and his Off
cial advisers. and we call the attention
of the people of the State to the fact,
that, up to this time, not q single ex-
ample has been made of a government
official responsible for these monstrous
wrongs
We deplore the spectacle Of an ex-Gov-
ernor of this State, now a member OF
thai Cabinet, appearing at s. public con-
defender of Algerism and its results.
We invite and cordially welcome the CO..
operation and supper Of the honest and
| patriotic citizens Of all parties, and the
independent press Of the State. however
1 differing from us in other respects in
| support OF the principles herein declared,
| and pledge our hearty support 20 the