Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-07

AND SUPREME COURT REPORTER

Special Dispatch to The Star.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June THE DEM
ocratic state convention was late In conven-
ing this morning. owing to the fact that the
platform committee not through with
its arduous labors in getting "a platform
that would suit it's thirteen members, much
less the entire state convention. The COM
mittee worked all night, but would give
out no copy in advance. the reason being
that the members feared fight on the
floor of the convention from the ant!-Tag-
CART folks.
State Chairman O'Brien called the con-
vention to order about half hour after
scheduled time. Permanent Chairman Ben
1amin F. Shively spoke from notes and his
speech was 6,o00 words long. The crowd
listened eagerly to Shively, who indorsed
Bryan, and the great convention cheered
wildly, showing conclusively Bryan folks
had the convention all their own way.
Shively then spoke for an hour on the tar
tf
The platform indorses Bryan for the
presidency, denounces graft in the United
States Senate and calls for railroad reform
and reform In the administration of state
officers. The platform denouncing graft In
the United States Senate was placed In at
the request and finally at the demand, Of
Hearst men on the resolutions committee.
The writings Of David Graham Phillips In
the Cosmopolitan Magazine, owned by
Hearst, were taken as basis from which
denunciatfon of the Senate was built The
platform also commended Hearst's work
before the interstate commerce commission
In the New York representatives efforts
to get at the coal trust before that COM
Hour 20
the present work of the commission now
being done at the behest Of President
Roosevelt several years, but the platform
any place, although it did commend his
work.
BY Associated Press.
. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June 7.-Der1o-
Gratis of Indiana in convention today adopt
ed platform strongly indorsing w j..
Bryan for the presidency, and selected a
state ticket for all offices except governor
and reporter OF the supreme court. Ben
iamin F. Shively of South Bend, former
congressman from the thirteenth Indiana
district, was permanent chairman. In his
address he said:
Chairman Shively's Address.
The use of governmental power sfor pri-
vate purposes is the beginning of what is
today called graft. Such use of govern
mental power creates distinct class In the
country, with interests special and apart
from the interests common to their fellow
citizens. The beneficiaries of governmental
power unconsciously come to regard their
own peculiar privileges as of paramount
public concern. They come to countenance
and even support other abuses and mis-
chiefs in government SO long as their own
special advantages are. conserved. The re-
suit of this old system of farming out the
powers Of government has been to bring
into the republic confederacy of special
privilege that is today contesting for su-
premacy with the American people.
In exchange for the favors 1t has re-
ceived, and expects to receive, 1t has for
many years capitalized the republican or
ganization. financed Its campaigns, secured
the election of its candidates and required
them to stand pat after they were elected.
The MeCalls. McCurdys and Alexanders
had witnessed the trust properties of gov
ernment turned over to private interests
and its power farmed out for selfish gain.
They had witnessed these functions which
had been conferred for beneficfent purposes
transformed into merchandise They could
not appropriate the great trust funds in
their charge for political purposes without
crime. The chairman and treasurer OF the
receive those funds without crime. Yet,
because of the moral turpitude, born of
persistent and successful merchandising in
power, these men not only made this crimi-
nal use Of trust funds; but openly and un-
blushingly justified 1t.
Republican United States Senator Nit
chell had witnessed the wrongful appropri-
alton of the public property to private In
dividuals under the form of law and he
and his associates attempted the wrongful
appropriation without the form of law of
300, coo acres of the public land, and he
died on his way to prison. republican
4fDA futn cat1nf tor fro, NnIH ex1rnv va.1
died out the post offices of his state for his
own gain as a hawker peddles fish and
only escaped conviction a technicality
Republican United States Senator Burton
OF Kansas employed the power of his
atorial Office to protect get-rich-quick
concern that was picking the pockets of
his Kansas constituents. Platt and a
Depew-men long in the public life of the
country and who had been regarded as
paragons of Official and business integ-
rity--are at last discovered to have been
the commonest sort of common grafters.
The disease itself suggests the remedy.
1t began where public power was first di-
verted from public purposes, and made the
source Of private property Withdraw
privilege and the temptation to the corrup-
ton which it engenders disappears. Let
all men, all interests, all occupations stand
equal under the law and all men will then
have common interest In clean and just
government"
Mr.. Shively discussed the tariff. reviewed
emphasized the support given by the demo-
Gratis In Congress In the interest of inter-
state commerce legislation.
Referring to w. J. Bryan, he said:
..That which is today eulogized and ap-
proved as broad craftsmanship and en-
1ightened patriotism In Theodore Roosevelt
was only few years ago denounced as re-
dictionary. revolutionary and unpatriotic in
William Jennings Bryan. The aftersight
OF the one is almost equal to the foresight
of tho other.
The Platform.
The resolutions committees report was
not really until the convention was in ses-
sion. ia was read by Samuel Z, Ralston OF
Lebanon, chairman OF the committee, ana,
besides, number of pianks on state issues,
said:
The democracy of Indiana, ii convention
assembled. renews It's allegiance TO the
principle OF constitutional xoverpmeft
GConttnued on Second FaSe.1 s.