Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1904-07-13

Its voice is mild on the subject of
Imperialism and in marked contrast
with the past utterances of the party.
1t consists of fault finding of the ad-
ministration in its conduct of affairs
in the recently acquired territory.
On the tariff question it asserts that
"the democratic party has been, and
will continue to be, the consistent op-
ponent of that class of tariff Iegisla-
ton by which certain interests have
been permitted, through congressional
favor, to draw heavily tribute from
the American people.
''We denoUnce protection as the
robbery of the many to enrich the
few, and we favor tariff limited to
the needs of the government economi-
cally administered, and so levied as
not to discriminate against any indus
try, class or section, to the end that
the burdens of taxation shall be dis
tIibuted as equally as possible.
"We favor a revision and a gradual
reduction of the tariff by the friends
of the masses and of the common
wealth and not by friends of abuses,
extortions and DETERMINATIONS, keep
ing in view the ultimate ends of
equality of burdens" and equality
of opportunities and proper purpose
of raising revenue by taxation, to wit,
for the support of federal government
in all its integrity and virility, but
in simplicity"
1t might be incidentally mentioned
in this connection that the last time
the democratic party was in power it
experimental with "a revision and
gradual reduction of the tariff" with
the result that for the first and only
time in the history of the country, its
chief executive was compelled to is
sue and sell bonds to raise money to
defray the natural expenses of the
government in time of peace.
But listen to this self laudation of
the party on the question of reclama-
ton of arid lands:
'We congratulate our western
citizens upon the passage of a law
known as the Newlands irrigation act
for the irrigation and reclamation of
the arid lands of the west-a measure
framed by democrat, passed in the
senate by a non-partisan vote and
passed in the house against the op-
position of almost all the republican
leaders by a vote, the majority of
which was democratic.
'We call attention to this great
democratic measure, broad and COM
prehensive as it is, working auto
matically throughout all time without
further action of congress until the
reclamation of all the lands in the
ar id west capable OF reclamation is
accomplished, reserviDg the lands re-
claimed for home seekers in small
tracts, and rigidly guarding against
land monopoly, as an evidence of the
policy of domestic development con-
by the democratic party
should it be placed in power
Nearly every state and territorial
which met to elect dele
gates to this national convention, de-
nounced the administration for its &C
ton in connection with the isthmian
canal. The national convention did
not dare to repeat their utterances in
its platform but meekly says that
democrats are willing to take up the
work where the republicans quit and
carry it through to completion. The ut
-erances on this question are the mild
est of the mild and reads as follows:
Democracy when ent rusted with |
power will construct the Panama canal |
speedily, honestly and economically,
hereby giving to our people what
democrats have always contended for
"a great inter oceanic canal, furnish
ng shorter and cheaper lines of
and broad and less
trade relations with other
'eople of the world.''
The above covers the most salient
eatures in the platform and want of
pace prevents its publication in full.