The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-07
TARIFF AN ISSUE.
Massachusetts, Democrats De-
clare 1t to Be Paramount.
Also Favor Municipal Ownership
of Public Utilities.
PRAISE ROOSEVELT
For His Action in Bringing
AbOut Peace.
Give the Life Insurance Com
panies a Rap.
RAISE ROOSEVELT

Boston. Oct THE only drawback
to unanimity on the voting at tile
Democratic state convention at Faneuil
hail in this city today, was the
possible entrance as d candidate for
governor of former Mayor John H. H
AIcNamee of Cambridge. The state
committee had arranged a slate head
ed by General Charles w Bartlett of
Boston as the candidate for governor
and Henry NJ. Whitney of BrookIyne
for lieutenant governor.
Efforts had been made to induce Mr..
McNamee to withdraw. He seemed
determined, however, to go into the
convention because he had been given
the support of the delegates from
Medford and Cambridge and of some
from the western part of the COM
monwealth. The remainder of the
tieke@ as agreed upon included Henry
NJ. Little of NewburypOrt for secretary
of state. John P. Leahy of Boston for
attorney general, Patrick J. Ashe of
North Adams for auditor and Daniel J.,
DOherty of Westfield for treasurer and
receiver general.
The platform as presented by the
committee on resolutions contained
plank favOring mild or gradual mu-
nicipaI ownership, a declaration
against federal supervision of insur-
ance companies and a reciprocity PLAN
almost identical with that proposed by
the committee of 100 of the Boston
chamber of commerce of which Henry
NJ. Whitney is president.
Former Congressman John p
Ihayer of Worcester, was selected as
permanent chairman.
The following platform was adopted:
The Platform.
ssrThp nara m O1117f issue AT fbie firoa
before the people of Massachusetts is
relief from tariff restrictions. The eff
feet of this policy forged upon the
dominant Republican party by the
greed of great and selfish interests has
been to cut Massachusetts, from its
national markets of sale or purchase
and to push the state toward the dan
ger line of Industrial decline. 1t is
shown in trade reports, financial state
ments and census returns that while
the industries of the country as whole
have materially increased in the past
decade, those of this state have re-
NAMED nearly stationary. We believe
I that sensible relief from these evils
could be obtained without disturbance
to business by placing upon the free
list a number of raw materials of our
industries. such as coal, iron. lumber
hides, wood pulp and by the immediate
enactment of a dual tariff law which
while having the present tariff as its
maximum would give liberal reductions
in duty rates to those nations that
viii accord to US favorable trade OPP
pOrtunities.
I'VE believe that general laws should
take the place of special laws in legis-
latiOn relating to public service corpor-
atoms; that all corporations should be
prohibited from contributing money to
be used for political purposes; that as
the tariff is the mother of trusts these
offspring should be deprived of tn
excessive protection by the means of
ixTrl1i 2
that United States senators should be
elected by the people and pending the
passage of a constitutional amendment
state legislation should be provided for
their nomination by direct popular
vote; that in all attempts made to reg
ulate the business of the country
through the medium of the national
government. care has not been taken
to respect the rights of the state gov
ernments and to prevent the creation
of bureaucratic authorities capable,
when treated in a distinct capacity and
when working without direct respon-
sibility, of overriding the wishes and
destroying the liberty of the people.
For Municipal Ownership.
1--WE believe that legislation should
be enacted giving to cities and towns
broader powers in the conduct and
control of business which derives its
profits from the necessities of the com
munity, experience having demon
strated that under favorable condi-
lions and proper management the
business of public utilities can be con-
Quoted by municipal corporations with
profit to the people, both in price and
in service.
1--WE believe that the revelations of
life insurance corporations brought
out by the investigation now going on
! in New York city make it evident that
there can not be for these corpora
tfons too much or too close official
/ oversight and we protest against sub
shutting a system of national control
/ of more than questionable constitu-
tionality for the existence of state
supervision. We heartily commend
/ the diplomatic courage and sagacity
/ of President Roosevelt in exeFting the
great influence of his Office to bring to
an end the terrible and bloody war in
the far east.
1--WE deeply regret that Governor
/ Douglas has declined the richly de-
4 served honor of a denomination. lie
/ has shown in his official career an
+ honesty, courage and dignity which
have won for him the Communications
alike of political friends and oppon-
The platform as reported was
adopted, although a substitute was
offered by Delegate Watson, who in
answer to query from the gallery
said it was written by William ].
Bryan of Nebraska. The substitute
reaffirmed the financial views of Mr.
Bryan and advocated municipal own
ership and federal control of railroad
--tsr Dos4f-D eor- err- an