Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-16
THE VIRGINIA PLATFORM.
Action Taken by the Democratic Con
ventfOn.

Action Taken by the Democratic Con-
ventiOn.
NORFOLK, Va, August 16.-Folowing
is the platform adopted by the democratic
state convention in Norfolk yesterday at
ternoon:
1.-THE democrats of the state Of Virginia
In convention assembled reaffirm their al
legiance and unfaltering devotion to the
national democratic party, and declare
their admiration for its leaders. from JEFF
ferson to Bryan, who have borne the party
standards In victory and defeat.
I'VE commend the administration of Gov
ernor Tyler as eminently wise, patriotic
and efficient
After reviewing the work Of the party in
the past the platform outlines the future
policy, as follows:
ut is settled and unf1agging purpose Of
the party to further improve the public
school system, to extend the greatest pos
sible aid to deserving pensioners and to
omit nothing in the way of enactment and
. execution of the laws that will tend to
promote the intellectual and material prog
ress OF the commonwealth.
I'VE promise that in all departments of
the government rigid economy shall be
practiced which the taxpayers are entitled
to demand.
ter of serious Importance to all citizens
and we are in favor Of the adoption of eff
fectlve measures to secure the obvious and
manifold advantages to be effected by their
speedy and permanent Improvement at the
expense OF the counties In which they are
located.
eve are in favor Of the enactment by the
general assembly Of a bill modifying the
fellow-servant doctrine so as to impose a
just and reasonable liability upon hazard
Gus transportation companies in respect
to their employees.
I'VE declare unalterable opposition to the
criminal trusts and to every Illegal combi-
nation Of capital. We denounce such
trusts as serious menace to public well
fare, restricting the opportunities and abb
sorbing the substance Of the people They
are the direct product of partial and unjust
legislation and a reckless multiplication Of
corporations. without suitable provisions
for their control. The rights Of American
freemen must not be sacrificed in the in
terests of corporations banded together for
their destruction. We arraign the repub-
lican party both for its failure to enforce
existing laws and to enact others against
the trusts.
The democratic party recognizes as it
ever has done, the great Importance of the
fish and oyster industry of the state of
Virginia. and it pledges itself to foster and
encourage these industries by all necessary
legislation and that the public rocks and
bottom shall be held for the exclusive use
OF our own citizens.
I'VE declare ourselves as favoring the
principle of the selection Of party candi-
dates by primary election, believing this
to be the surest method Of arriving at the
VIII or the people and maintaining demo-
cratic institutions. We accordingly direct
the state central committee to provide a
primary election plan for the choice Of par
ty candidates for the United States and
for all elected state officers, and for the
members of the House Of Representatives
Of the United States, for members of the
general assembly and for county and mu-
nicipal officers, except where no party
nominations are made and except in the
case Of county and municipal officers where
for special reasons the local party authori-
ties shall deem 1t inexpedient And the
party plan of organizing, in 80 far as the
same may conflict with any of the above
requirements, is hereby altered to that ex-
tent. We further favor the enactment by
the general assembly Of a law legalizing
the primaries to be conducted under the
plan herein provided for, said plan when
adopted by the committee to be uniform
as to method and to require the elections
to be held on the same day throughout the
state, districts or counties, as the case may