The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-11
TIE CoLUM BUS PLATFoRM.
1t Opposes Trusts and Imperialism, Champions
the Cause of the People.
(By Associated Press. J

Columbus, Ohio, July 10.-The report
to the democratic State Convention by
the Comittee on Resolutions contained
nearly two thousand words. 1t consists
of a preamble and sixteen articles under
the following heads:
Municipal government, taxation, con-
duct of State affairs, ETC., peoples rights,
tariff reform, monopolies, merchant ma
rine, imperialism and expansion, the
Beers, Monroe Doctrine, the navy, civil
| service, election Of Senators, agriculture
and labor Republican responsibility and
boss rule and political corruption.
1t is declared that the municipalities
Of the State should be radically reformed
and that no franchise, extension or re-
newal thereof shall hereafter be granted
except upon vote Of the people.
| On the subject of taxation the platform
says:
THE acceptance of free passes from
the railroads by the public officers or en-
| ployes shall be made adequate grounds for
vacating the offices held by them. All
the public service corporations shall be
| required by law to make sworn public
reports, and the power and duty of visi-
| tation and public report should be con-
| ferred upon the proper State and local
| auditing officers, to the end that the true
value of the privileges eld by these cor
| porations shall be made plain TO the
| people.
Steam and electric railroads and other
corporations possessing public franchises
shall be assessed in the same proper
tion to their saleable value as are farms
and city real estate"
The Republican administration and the
| Republican majority of the General AS
| sembly are denounced.
Tariff reform is demanded on the ground
| that the production of the country far
exceeds its power of consumption
| The enactment and rigorous enforce
| ment of measures to prevent monopolies
and combinations in restraint of trade and
commerce is demanded, as is also the
| suppression of all trusts and a return to
industrial freedom" AS means to
that end the platform declares that all
| trust products should be placed on the
free list and the Government should ex-
ercise more rigid supervision of trans
portation. Restoration of the merchant
| marine is favored without subsidies, how
ever
On the subject of Imperialism and ex-
pansion' the platform says
Powers granted the Federal govern
ment were not meant to be used to con-
quer to hold in subsection the people of
other countries.
The Democratic party opposes any ex-
tension OF the national boundaries not
meant to carry speedily to all inhabitants
full equal rights with ourselves. If these
are untitled by location, race or charac-
ter, to be formed into self-governing ter
ritories, and then Incorporated into the
Union of States they should be permitted
to work out their own destiny
Maintenance Of the Monroe Doctrine Is
demanded; a navy adequate to the pro-
lection of American citizens and property
the world over. Election of the Sena-
tors by direct vote and the right of labor
to combine for the assertion of it's rights
and the protection cf it's interests. 1t is
declared that the burdens of the unjust
and discriminating laws for which the
Republican party is responsible. fall
chiefly on those woh till the soil or la
boz at other forms OF production" The
Democratic party pledges its efforts to re-
lieve them of the burdens which class
legislation has laid upon them. On the
subject of Republican responsibility" it
is declared the Republican party always
has upheld class interest and cannot be
trusted to deal with the evils of it's own
creation" On boss rule" etc, the party
pledges itself to rescue our Government
from the grasp of selfshness and corrup-
tion, and restore it to its former fair
ness, purity and simplicity" wide
spread corruption the article declares.
now threatens our free institutions and
menaces the destruction Of public vir-
tues" with and aid to the British gov
ernemtn in its efforts to destroy the South
African Republics"