Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-28
VIEWS OF DEM oCRAT
LETTERS RECEIVED BY THE CON-
GRFssIONA1ocoMM
Republican Platform Denounced as
One CT EvAsiona Expressions on
the Declaration of Principles.

In the letters that have been received at
the headquarteSs Of the democratic congress
sional committee since the adoption of the
republican platform members of the COM
mittee and OTHER representatives in Con-
gress have expfessed, themselves quite free
ly on the subject of the Chicago declaration
of the principles. These letters and ex-
pressaons will in all probability form a
part of the democratic handbook of the
coming campaign. - :
The democrats are unit in agreeing with
Chairman Cowherd. Of the congressional
committee that the republican platform lis
platform of evasion" On all the para
mount issues of the day, they claim, the
platform Is either a straddle or is silent
Letters are coming in from all parts of the
country and the expressions of the writers
are directed to the various features of the
Chicago document, as the principles 1t ex-
pounds seem to affect their respective con-
stituencies.
Canadian Reciprocity.
From New England, from Michigan, and
other states along the Canadian border
comes the criticism that the republican
platform takes no decided stand on the
subject of Canadian reciprocity. This reci-
procity Idea was widely discussed in the
last session of Congress. The democratic
writers assert there is much disappoint-
ment among republicans in the states,
which, 1t Is claimed, would be benefited by
closer trade relations with the dominion Of
the north.
from the south. comes the denunciation
OF OF the so-called revival of the idea of a
1orce Dill In the plank which proposes to
reduce the representation in Congress Of
those states which have enacted election
laws which dfsfranchise the negro voters.
Representative Crumpacker of Indiana,
VINO has SO forcibly demanded that this
plan OF reduction be adopted, comes in for
large share Of criticism, and it is appar-
ent that no matter what the result Of the
presidential election in November may be,
there will be. some lively debate at the
next session of Congress on the subject
which the republican platform so boldly
takes up.
Reduction Of Representation.
The conservative. democrats agree that
there Is little to fear from the reduction
plank. They declare that the laws so
strenuously condemned by the republicans
have been upheld by the Supreme Court of
the United States. and that as now written
there Is nothing In them on which claim
of unconstitutionality could be based. The
democrats say they deplore the bringing of
this issue into the campaign, for 1t is cal
culated and was doubtlessly framed to APP
peal to the passions and to arouse a Sec
tional feeling which 1t was hoped was fast
disappearing. The negro vote of the north
ern and middle western states will I'M
the Crumpaoker plank. but in the south, it
is claimed. the effect will simply be to weld
together stronger than ever the white pop
ulace. MT
The Solid South.
Writers to the congressional committee
are somewhat gleefuliover what they claim
is death blow given to a struggling white
republican element in the south. Where
the growth of this element was most prom
Using the cry Off negro domination is be-
ing raised anew, and whether it has
foundation in fact or not it will be used to
advantage in the Campaign.
.Roosevet's negro ,polcy'-.is vigorously
attacked by the democratic writers and it
is stated that Il there ever was chance
for the republicans to break the solid
south that chance has been shattered for
years to come n12 =
The democratic committed is making a
point of procuring written interviews from
the prominent men Of the party, in Con-
gress and out, and in addition to incorpo-
rating number OF these into the cam
paign book, win probably use the others as
campaign documents. p