The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-07-25
THE ISSUE IN OHIO AND IOWA.

THE ISSUE IN OHIO AND IOWA.
The Ohio republican platform empha.
sizes national questions, and number
Of the speakers at the convention, nota-
bly, Senator Foraker, declared that AZ
President McKinleyis an Oaioan the
paramount question to be determined
by the election is whether his admins
tration and politics shall be approved
or condemned.
What has impelled Senator Foraker,
Senator Hanna and other republican
leaders to wish to make national ques-
tions paramount are the resolutions re-
Gently adopted by the democratic con.
vention of Cuyahoga county. The re-
solutions are as follows:
We, the democrats of Cuyahoga
county, IN convention assembled, de-
clare our allegiance to. the time honored
principles of the party.
In approaching a campaign in which
national issues are not involved we re-
strict our declaration of principles to
matters of state and local concern.
The most important question before
the people is growth of public service
corporations and their absorption Of
privileges from the public, which are
used by them without public accounting
or supervision and, in large part, with
out adequate return to the people. For
the purpose Of conserving the rights of
private property, both individual and
corporate, and at the same time protect.
ing the interests OF the whole people
from the encroachments of great aggre-
cations Of capital enjoying monopolistic
privileges, without accountability to the
people and based upon public grants,
and for the equalizing among all classes
of citizens of the public burdens neces.
sary to be borne, we demand:
First-That all property shall be ap.
praised by assessing boards whose mem
bers shall be in session for at least part
of each year, whose proceedings and de-
liberations shall be open to the public,
that power be given to employ repre-
to present the interests of the
public in hearing before these boards,
and that in making assessments all
shall be appraised at not less
than its saleable value.
Second-That the present law for as
sessing the property of steam railroads
be SO changed that these properties
must be assessed at not less than their
saleable value as going concerns, and
that the present evasion of just taxation
by the railroad companies be prevented.
fhAat the aeceplance Of free passes Or
other favors from railroads by public Of
ficers or employees shall be adequate
ground for vacating offices held by
them.
Fourth-That all public service cor
porations be required by law to make
sworn public reports, and that the
power of visitation and public report
over such corporations be given to the
proper state and local auditing officers
to the end that the true value of the
privileges held by them may be made
plain to the people.
Fifth-That fraud in party primaries,
when held under the general election
law, should be prevented by joint pii-
maries, held at the same time and place
and using single ballot for all parties,
and be conducted by the officers author
lied to conduct general elections, and
that the provisions governing general
elections should apply to primary elec.
tions.
Sixth-That U nited States senators be
elected by popular vote, and nomina-
tions of senators made by state conven-
tions.
Seventh-That no renewal or exten.
sion of time of any street railroad or
other public service franchise shall be
valid until the ordinance providing for
it be ratified at special election called
therefor after its passage by the munici.
pal council.
We call upon all democratic candidates
for the legislature to secure, SO far as
they can, the enactment of these princi'
Piles into law, as we believe them neces.
sary for the protection Of the rights and
interests Of all the people.
We instruct our delegates to the state
convention to make every effort to Sc
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