West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-08-11
THE PLATFORM.
Adopted by The State Democracy at
The Parkersburg Convention.

The Democracy of West Virginia in con-
vention assembled declare:
1. That We endorse the platform adopted
by our national convention at ST. Louis aud
pledge our devoted support to the candi.
dates Of the convention. Judge Alton b.
Parker, a safeguard of our property aud
political rights, and Henry G.. Davis, our
honored fellow citizen and trusted counsel
Tor.
=. We araign the Republican party in
this state for its wasteful extravaganza
in appropriations, aud for its corrupt and
fraudulent use of the machinery Of elections,
to the end that it might be perpetuated in
power and at the taxpayers expense. II
has increased the burdens of government
and through the acts Of its venal plscemen
has corrupted the ballot and lessened respect
for our institutions. We demand the cor
rection Of these practices and the restoration
OF our politics to a decent plane to the end
that neither ourselves nor our posterity shall
be deprived of the blessings of honest, popu.
lar government.
3. We believe that efficient and honest
government can only be secured and main
tanned by combining the right of suffrage
strickly to the legal and bona fide citizens of
the state, and we believe that the strIctest
legislation should be enacted TO confine the
right of suffrage to this class. And we es-
peeially denounce the action of the states
Republican executive and its legislative ma
Jority in disregarding the mandatory and
clearly expressed will of the people, an
nounced by the adoption almost two years
ago OF a constitutional amendment recurring
the legislature to enact a registration law,
which would prevent illegal voting. That
such disregard was for the purpose of con-
tnuing their party in power by means of
venal, corrupt and illegal votes is rendered
the more conspicuous by the fact that the
legislature has, since the adoption of such
amendment, convened in regular session
without the enactInent of such a registration
law and has also been since convened by
the governor in extraordinary session under
call which permitted and required the
enactment of laws creating aud independent
school district, and other laws of relatively
FAR less import than the securing of honest
elections by the legal citizens and voters of
our state, but failed to provide for the en-
actment of a registration law. We declare
that the crying evil in our state and the
greatest menace to our civic veal is the de.
bauchery of the ballot by means of repeat
ing and illegal voting, which is, and has
been, Systematically carried on In many
counties of the state by a ring of corrupt
Republican officials, state aud federal and
which is rendered possible by the sympa-
thetic importation of illegal negro voters in
to the state and by the Republican party's
refusal to enact a registration law, as re-
CURED by the constitutional amendment.
4. We furthur condemn the Republican
majority in the present legislature for hav-
ing defeated the submission of n cons,itu-
'ional amendment prerequisite to the right
to vote
S. We condemn the present special and
extraordinary session of the legislature.
called by Republican governor upon a
hollow pretense of tax reform and designed
for the purpose of enacting into laws a hybrid
bill concocted beyond the limits of the
state>with the intent not to relieve but to
deceive the people. We condemn the same
as hyPocritcal, futile and ex,ravagant.
3. We declare that the Democratic party
now, as it always has been, is in favor of
uniform system of taxation, so arranged as
that it will bear equally upon all persons
and property alike, so that equal and exact
justice may be done to all with special priviI-
eyes and exemptions from such burden may
prevail. But, believing that these objects
may not be attained in the fullest and fairest
sense under the present constitution, we APP
prove the enactment of law providing for
call for convention TO frame a new con-
stituIion for the state to the end that the
people thereof may vote upon aud decide
the questions here involved in accordance
with their wishes and best judgment.
7. We recognize that capital and labor
are dependen, upon each other and that
each has sacred rights which are entitled to.
and must have equal protection before the
law.
8. To the accomplishment of these ends
the cooperation Of all patriotic citizens is,
regardless of past or present party affiliations,
most cordially invited, and their consum-
nation, in the event of Democratic success,
is in good faith promised.