The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-24

to the question of Imperialism, not d I plank that defines the partys position on that subject not a protest against the surrender of the doctrines of self govern ment. The Kansas City platform stated the party.s opposition to colonial poll icy. but the New York platform not only fails to endorse the Kansas City plat fern. but fails to take any position at all on this important question.
 The Labor Question.
 The labor question Is an issue. The laboring men have been before the com mittees of Congress endeavoring to se- cure three important measures. One is the arbitration of differences between corporations engaged in interstate com merce and their employees Both the Chi cago and Kansas City platforms declared in favor of arbitration, but the New York platform not only fails to refer to the arbitration plan of these platforms. but 1t fails to write new plank concerning this subject
 The laboring men are also trying to secure an eight-hour day, but the New York platform is silent on this subject. The laboring men are trying to secure the abolition of government by injunc- tion. Both the Chicago and Kansas City plat contained blanks on this sub- ject, but the New York platform dodges this as 1t does ali other vital questions. As the capitalists now have what they want and are in the position of defend- ants in suit. while the laboring men arc in the attitude of plaintiffs seeking relief, the failure of the New York plat form to advocate what the iaboring men desire is really deelaration against them.
 The Matter of Tariff.
 'on the tariff question no issue is joined. It was reasonable to suppose that on this question. at least. some thing would be said. but MT. Hill and Judge Parker seem to be as much afraid of the tariff question as of oth- CT issues.
 The money question is ignored en- tirely. No reference Is made to bimet- allism, at any ratio--not even to inter- national bimetallism to which Mir. Hill seemed to be so attached in the Chic ago convention. No reference is made to the measure now before Congress to melt up nearly 600. 100000 legal ten- der silver dollars into subsidiary coin that Is only a limited legal tender. Nothing is said about the asset cur- rency which is a part of the scheme of the financiers. Nothing Is said about the Aldrich bill which proposes to subsidize the banks Into opposition to tax reduction by loaning them the sur plus money in the Treasury. There is no condemnation of the corruption that such a system would lead to. The platform does not antagonize the prop osition now before Congress to give the national banks unlimited control over the volume of paper money. In other words, there is not line in the platform that is written in behalf of the people; not a line that will excite criticism in Wall street
 . Income Tax Ignored.
 ''The platform ignores the income tax, 1t fails to endorse the election Of Senators by direct vote, and also omits the plank of the Kansas City platform deRouncing corporate domination in politicE.
 The New York platform Is a dishon- est platform. fit only for . dishonest party. No one hut an artfui dedger would staad upea t The snbmission at such blatforsh to the voters of a State Is an Insult to their intelligence, for 1t is intended to deceive them. and a deliberate attempt to deceive--espe- eially so clumsy an attempt as. this platform is--is a reflection upon the brains of those to whom 1t Is submit ted.
 This platform proves that the oppo- sition to the Kansas City platform Is not opposition to silver, but opposition to every needed reform and opposi- ton to all that the masses desire.
 T had expected that a platform pre- pared by Mir. Hill for Judge Parker would be evasive and lacking in frank ness. but I did not conceive that any body of men calling themselves Demo- crats would present such platform as a recommendation of a candidate. If ora f4 faG hn Arlr r<la as an indication of what the next Dem ocratic platform Is to be in case the reorganizers control the convention, then who will be able to deny the se- nret purpose of the reorganiZers to turn the party over to predatory wealth?
 Could Raise Large Fund.
 With such a platform and candi- date who would be willing to run upon it, the party could secure as large campaign fund as tho Republican par ty has ever secured. but in securing 1t it would. like the Republican Party, secretly pledge the administration to a construction of the platform satis- factory to the corporations and the combinations.
 Can any one doubt that with such platform as was adopted in New York, and with candidate whose con- science would permit nlm to run upon such a platform-does any one doubt that with such a platform and candl- date the party would be mortgaged be- forehand to the corporations that are now using the government as a pri- vate asset and plundering the people at will?
 But there is another reason why the Democratic party cannot afford to go before the country with an ambig- uous platform and an uncertain cam didate No matter how people may differ as to the relative importance of issues. all must recognize that the trust question to-day presents an i'm portant phase of the great conflict be- tween plutocracy and Democracy We have recently had a Supreme Court decision on the merger case This de- cision was rendered by a bare major ity of one, and that one (Judge Brew er) in a separate opinion has stated his position in such a way as to leave no doubt that in the first case involv- ing a trust he may join the majority and defeat the sherman law.
 Naming Supreme Court.
 The President to oe elected this fall will doubtless have the appointment of ono or two. and possibly three. Su- preme Court judges. If his sympathies are with the corporations he will doubtless appoint judges satisfactory to the corporations-espec if obli- gated to the corporations by large campaign contributions-and these judges can make it impossible to se- cure any remedial legislation for years to come. If. four years hence the peo-