The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-05-26

no more than a reasonable charge +!
for the transportation of passengers
and freight within the state and the
Republican marty pledges itself to
enact and faithfully administer law
creating a state railway commission
empowered to fix and enforce reason
able transportation charges so far
as the same may be subject to state
control. Discrimination is one OF
the greatest evils in our transporta-
ton system We pledge the party
to enact such legislation as will put
an end to this evil and will place
every shipper similarly situated on
the same footing as his competitor
in the matter of trans portation rates.
The enormous increase Of freight
rates upon the interstate commerce
of the country, aggregating as re-
Gently reported to congress by the
interstate commerce commission
more than $500, 900, 900 in the last
three years, is an astounding revela-
ton calling for prompt action for
the protection of the people who
must pay in higher prices
on all the necessaries of life for these
advanced freight rates.
Interstate Commerce Law.
The recommendations Of the inter-
state commerce commission that the
Interstate commerce act be so
amended as to give that commission
full authority to control transport
ton charges aud to reduce the same
where excessive to reasonable
basis, are of vital Importance to the
people of Wisconsin and of the whole
country. Such recommendations
submitted to congress in 1897 by the
interstate commission have been
urgently renewed in their protest to
congress each succeeding year to the
present time, and have been support
ed by the petitions and memorials
from agricultural, maC ufacturlng
and commercial interests through
out the country and by the legisla-
lures of many states, and have been
reinforced by the recommendations
Of the President. The republican
party of Wisconsin gives it's unquali-
fed approval to the recommends
tions of the interstate commerce
commission and of President Roose
welt, and pledges it's support to
secure relief from the increasing
burdens imposed upon the people by
these public service corporations.
Platform Pledges Sacred,
We believe that platform pledges
are sacred obligations binding upon
every member of the party, that the
candidates of the party becomes its
trusted agents to execute in good
faith it's promises to the voters, that
that the acceptance of nomination
for any Office to the duties of which
platform promises may relate i'm
poses upon the candidate the obi
cations OF, the party and the voter to !
aid in redeeming every pledge in
letter and spirit, that to receive the
vots of the citizen as the candidate
of the party which has promised
legislation and then to oppose. such
legislation or to conive at it's defeat
is fraud upon the voter and de-
prives him of his right of suffrage as
effectually as though he were dis
franchised by law.
That the platform pledges of both
parties have been openly and fla
GRAVITY violated in Wisconsin must
be recorded as the political history
of the last six years. Legislation
promised by the accredited delegates
of the republican party has been
defeated session after session by the
members of the party chosen from
it's ranks to represent it in the
Legislature. Sometimes these men
have secured the votes of constitu-
ents by silent acquiescence in the
promises of the platform, sometimes
by open declaration to support the
legislation pledged by the party.
In either case. as trustees of the
honor of the party and the rights Of
the voter and taxpayer they are
guilty of having betrayed their trust.
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