The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-13
HERE'S A PLATFORM.

10 the Editor Of the Globe
II the Democracy Of the nation follow
the Democracy of Ohio there is no relief
Tor the undersigned from "a choice be-
tween two great evils" with selection
OF the Republican party as the lesser
evil of the two"
Afthough a Democrat, unless Democ-
racy can cease being party of mere
negation and fault-finding and become
the affirmative proposer of measures cal
culated to appeal to reason and ration
allty whether l am an ordinary inteln-
gent American elector" or not, it can
command but little If any of my sympa-
thy. (Not that loss Of my. sympathy is
or any consequence to it; but the remark
is made merely for the purpose of stat
ing fact concerning solitary voter
given to needing the dictates of his own
conscience and judgment I am not and
never will be one Of those who follow
party fortunes against their own judg-
ment, no matter how soothing you may
intend the word faithful to be when
used in such coanection)
According to my humble judgment. the
nation needs a party devoted to ID pay
ment of public indebt edness (greenbacks
are as much government Indebtedness as
bonds; and all should be paid and burned
as rapidly as the people could contribute
the money for the purpose without dis
tess to themselves); (2) provisions for
systematic aid to the INDECENT (such ala
should be extended to those in need not
Only before their misery is revealed by
q tragedy no longer preventable, but be-
Tore such misery begins; and, of course,
IN SO far as possible, in such manner as
may enable them to prevent themselves
from becoming public chargesJ; 81
abatement OF the pension dnfamy (no
man who has not suffered such depriva-
ton OF his physical or mental capacities
as render 1t impossible for him to engage
In any of the usual calhngs should
receive a pension. And any man with
out such injury who is really and truly
a patriot would seorn to accept a pen
sion. And the fact that SO many men
whose patriotism cannot be questioned
unhesitatingly accept pensions is one OF
the most powerful proofs that there is a
colossal wrong in our Industrial economy.
And, In my op1n1o1 the measure last pro-
posed herein is the only adequate remedy
for this wrong; (D more regard for econ
ony in public affairs, involving partiou-
larly reduction Of official salaries ap-
proximately to the average of incomes
from the most usual private calIings: (5l
determination of official salaries by the
constituencies which pay them: (6) gen.
eral registration Of voters; Cd elections
except of members of legislative bodies,
only by majorfties of all voters; (8) pro-
portional representation in all legislative
bodies; (9) no elections except upon petd-
ton therefor by voters, unless there is a
generally appreciated ground for a change
Of officials or policy for sake of the pub
lie good, elections are needless expenses;
Q0) selection of federal officials by ballot
except for judicial and foreign service;
CID separation of national, state, legisla-
tive and judicial affairs SO that there
would be no connection of either with
the others in either elections or appoint
ments; Q2) substitution of direct poll,
property and partnership and corporate
privilege taxes for indirect taxes; Q3) alb
clifton of all statutory designations Of a
legal tender for the measure and dis
charge Of. contracts, and leaving the de-
termination of such legal tender entirely
to the contracting parties, with pro-
visions that in reference to such metals
as may be made legal tenders, public de-
positories should be maintained and GER
tfficates exchanged for metal deposits.
the certificates to constitute the circulat-
ing medium; 90 and more important than
all the rest, through the law Of eminent
domain, providing public lands for ac-
QUESTION under the public land laws.
The party that will espouse these meas
ures ought to receive almost unanimous
support, and with their adoption all tho
evils of monopolies and trusts would van
ish as the mists of the morning. And
as to so-called imperialism and mill
tarism, in so far as there is anything
wrong In them, I am satisfied that no
body in the nation intends such wrongs.
The nation can and, as l believe. will do
right, constitution or no constitution. and
whether it will do so under the guidance
of the Republican or another party de-
Ponds entirely upon the Democracy of the
country. 1t can lead in the matter If it
will, but it will have to get out of the
morbidity in which it has enveloped itself
for the past several years. and take up
things that are in and of themselves
strongly and affirmatively sensible, but
little evidence of which, so far as I
am any judge, can be found in the plat
form of the Ohio Democracy in so far as
1t relates to national affairs.
w. r. Stokes.
St Paul. July Il.