Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-07-06
ADOPT A PLATFORM.
Declaration CT Principles by Democrats
CT Wisconsin IN State Con-
veltIon.


vened in this city Wednesday and Thurs
day of this week:
The Democratic party of the state of Wis
consin, in state convention assembled, IN
the enjoyment of the constitutional pro
vision Uhat The right of the people peace
ably to assemble to consult Tor the common
good shall not be abridged, recommends
The adoption of the following platform OF
principles.
We recognize that the gigantic trusts and
combinations designed to enable capital 10
secure more than Its just share OF the JOINT
products of capital aud labor, and WhIch
nave been foStered and promoted under he
publican rule, are Il menace to b eheueta1
competition, and are obstacles to pet1hd-
Rent business prosperity. A private lhoLop-
oily is indefeuSIble and intolerable
We demand strict enforcement or exist
ing civil and criminal statutes against an
trusts, combinations and monopoiIes, anu
we commend the Democratic members OF
both houses OF Congress for the loyal sup
port they have given to the rate bill. the
pure food bill and other measures now IA
process of enactment, ana wnIch Wou4u
have wholly failed but for their unsWerV-
ing and faithful support
We favor revision of the present tariff,
and hold that the tariff duty should be lev
led for the purposes of revenue, such duties
to be SO adjusted TO operate equally
throughout the country. and not dlserlm-
iuate between classes or sections, and the
taxation should be limited to the needs OF
the government honestly aud economically
administered,
goods be put ON the free liSt.l
We deem is imperative in order TO pro-
feet the people from the inordinate exac-
tiouS of coal and oil combinations and
moa0pogies. that the federal government
should reserve from sale all coal and oil
rights in all government lands hereafter
granted.
We believe in the principle of income tax
alton and favor such amendment TO the
federal constitution as will permit federal
taxation ON incomes.
We insist that we ought to do for the
t.,'pinos what we nave already done for
the Cubans, and it is our duty to make
that promise now, and upon suitable guar
anttes OF protection to citizens OF our own
and other countries resident there ut the
time of withdrawal, set the Filipino
people upon their feet. free and tndepend-
emit to work out their own destiny.
We favor the election of United States
senators by Il direct vote of the people,
and we demand that the Constitution OF
the United States be amended accordingly.
We favor governmental control aud resu-
lation of all public service corporations so
that they shall be operated for the benefit
of the people for whom they were intend
ed.
We favor the enactment Of a law by the
next Legislature amending the present
law, so as to authorize the state railway
commission TO correct upon its own initia-
tive any schedule or tariff of rates which in
it's judgment should be corrected or modi-
tied.
We favor such legislation as will enable
municipalities to own, construct anu ac-
quire by purchase such public service utli-
tiles as they may deem proper; ana TO en-
able them to- do so favor amending
Section of Article II OF the consti-
tuition OF our state so that INDEBTED
ness incurred in acquiring such public utll-
tiles shall be excluded from the Hmlta-
tons of said section. thus permitting mu-
uicipaI corporations to aSquire public utl!-
tiles and to restrict the constitutional lint
tations of Indebtedness to debts incurred
for uOn-produetive property.
We favor the passage of law by the
eating to municipalities the power to tx
the price ut which public service corpora
lions within the municipalities shall FUR
niSh their service aud commodities 10
users and consumers.
We are i'll favor of maximum rate OF
charge by all railroads doing business IN
the state of Wisconsin of cents per
mile for passenger traffic within this state
We favor the enactment of laws proyil-
ing full protection for policy holders in
all life insurance companies transaetIpg
business IN this state.
We favor the enactment and enforce
ment of laws giving labor and capital I'M
labor ought not TO be enemies. Each Is
necessary to the other. Each has its rights.
but the rights of labor are certainly not
less vested nor less sacred and no less in
aI.eratle than the rights of capital
We favor the enactment of law est&5-
fishing the doctrine of comparative nesii-
gence in all personal injury cases.
Equality Of contribution to the pubuc
burden is essential to equality Of social and
DO iticaI rights. The recent decision OF
our supreme court in the railway cases has
opened the way for Ii more equitable DIS
tribution of the tax burden and speedy
return to the constitutional rule OF UNI
formity. We now insist that all laws I'M.
posing Il license fee on earnings in lieu OF
taxes, except as to foreign corporations. be
repealed. and that all property within
the jurisdiction of this commonwealth be
assessed and taxed on an ad Yulorem ba-
sis until superseded by more scientific
method. We incline to the opinion that
Il graduated income tax as the groundwork
of all taxation will prove to be L more
scientific and equitable method than the
antquated system now In use. We there
fore favor the adoption of the cOnStltu-
tiOuaI amendment permISSIYe OF gfauu-
We are in favor of the highest efficiency
of the public schools and all institutions
of learning. including manual training and
agriculture; schools. And we demand that
party considerations be whony eliminated
from the management OF these institu-
The construction of good highways is en-
titled to the highest consideration of the
We demand that the present state debt
of s. 251. 600 borrowed from the trust funds
of the state for war purposes and bearing
interest at the rate Of per cent per am
mum. for which an annual tax levy OF
S15I 80 is made, shall be paid in accord
ance with the mandates Of the constttn-
ton: aud we condemn the action of the Re
publican administrations for diverting the
sum or S1-1S4, D-)J 70, received uuf1Ie tue
years 1908 and 1860. from the United States
government in repayment of the war
claims of the state. from the trust funds,
from which this fund was originally taken,
to the general fund, and its use i'll the pay
ment of general state expenses
We favor primary elections as being dem
ocratic in principle but recognize some
defects III the present law and favor such
changes and amendments in it as time and
experience may demonstrate to be neces-
sary after fair trial.
We regard with just pride and admira-
ton the typical American who has been
jourueying in foreign lands the past year,
ard. although only a private citizen with
none of the alIurements uf place or power
about him. has been accorded distinguished
consideration and attention wherever he
has gone solely because his course in pub
lie and private life alike has shown him
to be patriotic citizen, Il wise and far
seeing statesman. and Il thoroughly hon
est and upright tuau. III whom the people
can safely repose their utmost confidence.
We therefore dec are that we are heartily