Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-03-26
OREGON DEMOCRACY
PROGRESSIVE Democrats OF
OREGON DECLARE PRINCIPLES
A Unique Mass Meeting to Announce
Principles Upon Which Candidates
for Nomination Must Stand at the
Primaries, Under the Direct Nom.
inatiOn Law.

AV Iuo DenOcratlc mass convention OF
Oregon, held at Portland on the 7th,
declaration of doctrines was adopted
which advocates municipal ownership of
public utilities; the abolition OF the pro-
tective tariff as special privilege, an un.
warranted Interference by government
In the laws OF trade for the benefit of a
lew and at the expense OF the many, one
OF the causes OF those dangerous aggrega.
tions of capital called trusts, and denial
OF the right Of the common man to buy
where he can buy cheapest; and the re.
peal OF the ten per cent. tax against pri.
vate banks as a special privilege and an
interference by government with the
right to issue notes on good and absolute
security any for free banking under
proper supervision and direction. Pro.
ceeding, the declaration further avows:
1--WE believe the democratic party ex.
lists for the benefit Of the masses Of the
people, and that one of the monopolies
which keep the many poor and make the
few rich is the monopoly Of valuable
lands for speculative purposes by nom
users. 1t is monopoly by nature, and
any system which results in unborn
generations finding themselves barred
from the use of lands which lie idle
awaiting speculative profit from the
growth OF the community must be worthy
OF examination. and we Call t! 9 attention
OF the democratic party and the whole
people to some system OF taxation or
land title by which the evils Of land
monopoly may be lessened in the inter.
est OF the masses Of people, and in this
connection we declare in favor OF state
law limiting the right to the use OF 40.
proprlated water to the quantity actually
put to beneficial use.
1--WE declare that the principle which
lies at the root Of regulation OF railroads
and municipal ownership of public utili-
ties is that the public corporations are
only trustees for the people, and may be
regulated or wholly ousted from their
management and control on paying them
for the values which they themselves
have created, which would exclude the
value OF franchises, they being created
by gift OF the people themselves. So
long as the present system of private
management OF public corporation exists
we are in favor Of a tax on gross earnings
and franchises.
1--WE believe it false to the very founda-
tions OF this Republic and wholly OPP
posed to democratic principles to govern
by military force colonies and inferior
races. We believe this opens the door
to exploitation of these races by the few.
That none OF our plain people can ever
make their homes in the tropics and that
our colonial system is an excuse for mill
tary expenditures"
These avowals were put forth not as a
binding platform, but as declaration of
democratic doctrine. In accordance with
it Governor Chamberlain was invited to
become the candidate OF the party for
governor at the primaries under the
direct nomination law. Other persons
were invited similarly to become candi.
dates for other offices. G. f. S. Wood
was leading figure in this unique mass
meeting OF state party. He was invited
to become a candidate for United States
senator, but declined.