The Western news., 1904-10-26
Democratic State Platform.

vention to be governed thereby:
believing in the principles of
democracy as taught by Thomas JEFF
ferson, we indorse the platform of the
national democratic party as adopted
by the St. Louis convention, and de-
clare our allegiance to the nominations
OF Alton B. Parker for president and
Henry G. Davis for vice president of
the United States.
I'VE acknowledge with gratitude
the public services rendered by our
two United States senators, especially
in securing the passage of bills open
ing for settlement the Crow and Flat
head Indian reservations.
1--WE endorse the system of national
irrigation provided for by the New
lands act. We believe that it
should be carried out by competent
engineers in a non-partisan manner
and without favor to special localities.
eve are glad to learn from the con
gressional records that among the
earliest advocates of this system were
Governor Toole and other democratic
representatives in congress from the
territory of Montana.
"We endorse the wise, conservati We
and judicious administration of Gov
ernor Joseph K. Toole. We especially
commend the action of the state board
of equalization, under his chairman
ship, in increasing substantially the
assessments of railroads in this state.
"We favor reducing the number of
state and county officers and boards to
the smallest possible consistent with
the proper transaction of public busi-
ness, and to this end pledge our legis-
lative candidates to careful investi-
cation and revision of existing laws.
| "We denounce the action Of the re-
publican governor of Colorado in at
tempting to legalize the crimes of a
lawless mob, under the pretext of mil
itary necessity.
! 1--WE denounce the unlawful depor-
tation of citizens and the destruc ii on
of private property as the greatest
crime ever perpetrated against our
American form of government.
eve pledge all officers elected upon
the democratic ticket to forever re-
frain from so turning the machinery
o government into an instrument of
oppression, but instead thereof, we
pledge them to so administer the law
as to secure as nearly as possible,
equal and exact justice to the weak
and powerful alike.
| endorsing Governor Toole's recon- :
,nendations to the Eighth legislative
assembly.
"We demand: l. An initiative and
referendum amendment, identical in
all material provisions with the
amendment adopted by the voters of
Oregon and sustained by the supreme
court of that state, and we pledge all
members of the legislative assent mbly,
elected upon the democratic ticket to
vote and work therefor.
"(2) A state railroad commission to
be elected by popular vote.
"(3) A direct primary nomination n
law conducted under the Australian
ballot system, covering the state,
county and municipal elective officers
and providing for the printing of the
names of all candidates upon one bal
lot under proper party titles.
go An efficient fellow servant law,
guaranteeing adequate protection to
all classes of workingmen engaged IN
hazardous occupations, and especially
to all railroad, mining and smelter
employees.
"t5) Election of all important state
officers by popular vote.
go A constitutional amendment
empowering the state board of equali-
zation to equalize property assess.
ments in the state.
20 The period of employment OF
workingmen in all underground ,nines
and mills and smelters for the treat
ment of ores is now fixed by law at 8
hours per day. 1t is proposed to en-
BODY this principle in a constitutional
amendment, extending it's scope so as
to cover the works or undertakings
carried on or aided by any municipal,
county or state government, and all
contracts let by them, and to prevent
the employment of children under six.
teen years of age underground. We
favor the adoption of this amendment
at the ensuing election.
1--WE favor the election of United
States senators by direct vote of the
people.
1--WE instruct our candidate for con
gress, if elected, and our UnitedState.
senator's to vote for a strict Chimes,
IexcluSiou act.