The Democratic advocate., 1906-08-10
Some Principal Planks in the Demo
cratic Platform.

Our neighbor, the Sentinel, grows facetious
at our expense, because We said recently that
the Democrats point with pride to the fact that
they forced the Republican majority in Con-
gress to vote for q railroad rate bill and other
remedial measures which have for years been
among the principal planks of the Democratic
platform; and denies that the Democratic party
demanded such measures.
Now, in the Democratic platform Of 1904
we find the following
1--WE especially denounce rebates and dis
ordinations by transportation companies as
the most potent agency in promoting and
strengthening these unlawful conspiracies
against trade.
1--WE demand an enlargement of the powers
of the Interstate Commerce Commission, to
the end that the travelling public and shippers
of this country may have prompt and adequate
relief from the abuses to which they are sub
jected in the matter of transportation. We
demand a strict enforcement of existing, civil
and criminal statutes against all such trusts,
combinations, and monopohes; and we de
mand the enactment of such further leglsla-
ton as may be necessary etfectually TO sup
press them.
"Any trust or unlawful combination engaged
in interstate commerce which is monopoEzlng
any branch of business or production, should
not be permitted to transact business outside
ofthe State of its origin. whenever 1t shall be
established in any court of competent Juris-
diction that such monopolizatlon exists. Such
prohibition should be enforced through com
prehensive laws to be enacted on the subject.
The Republicans havenever demanded such
legislation in their national platform. Some
of the Republican Senators denounced the
rate bill as Democratic measure pure and
simple. Mr.. Foraker, of Ohio, for instance, so
denounced it. The Republican president
urged the passage of rate bill by the friends
of the railroads, in the interest Of the rail
roads, Such bill passed the House, where
there is practically despotism admitting of
no opposition aud no debate. But the Demo
cratic Senators forced the Republican majori-
ty TO adopt the McLaurin amendment, the
Culberson amendment and others, which did
much to help the cause of the people. They
voted for the LaFollette amendments, but
were beaten because those amendments we're
''too Democratic The HIlmsn. Gillespie
resolution was forced through both Houses by
the Democrats, and was signed BY the Presl-
dent reluctantly" Tha; resolution resulted
in the investigation of the relations between
the railroads and the coal and oil trusts, and
that investigation brought forth the facts
which, in connection with other facts disclosed
By Senator TiIlman, so aroused public opinion
as to compel the passage Of the rate bill in a
form far different from that which Roosevelt
had suggested.
The Republicans never intended to pass an
honest rate bill or an honest meat inspection
bill. They would never have passed any sor,
of remedial legislation il the Democrats had
not compelled them to go on record. Their
venerable and variegated trickery has so dis
gusted the workingmen Of the country, that
President Gompers and all his allies have
declared war on them as scamps unworthy OF
the confidence of American citizens.
The Sentinel may attempt to deceive the
people, but nobody bat an iguoramous can be
deceived or caioled by its rot.