The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-04-17
ANOTHER PLATFORM SIGGES-
TIO<

Thoughful men all over the State
are giving ~attentiop to vital questions
that touch present conditions. Their is
an inevitable conflict on in the DEM
ocratic party (the only party that does
not belong to- any Old trust that viii
PUT up the money! between the men
who stand for the rule of the people
and the s~traddlers who talk NIT TIA
people and vote nit the monOpolies
and trusts. We will be invited by
the last to accept a platform that will
be full Of gliJtering ge~neralities and
platitudes, and not q few men VIII
advise that course. But the hour has
struck to nave lone with g~enerdliZa-
tons and ~straddles, and to put in
plain terms the attitude OF the party
upon live questions. But h people
must make known their viii or the
agents of monopoly n straddlerS viii
write a platform that will require a
Philadelphia lawyer to interpret. In
spite of the vigilance of the people,
some agents Of monopoly and some
s%traddlers will break into the Lesis-
lature. The thing to do is to instruct
them by q State platform.
one of the ablest lawyers in West
ern North Carolina, in a private letter,
&ives his suggestions as to a platform
and his reasons why he favors the
rlanks he suggests. He writes as fol-
lows:
Il suggest that every Democratic
county convention in the State instruct
their representatives in the next Iegis-
lature to vote for the following meas
ures:
i. Y demand for two cent passen-
ger fare on railroads..
-. For lower freight rates. leav-
ing the railroads q fair dividend on the
actual value of their property, ex-
Guiding water.
3. For taxation upon 4 fair valua-
ton, governed by earning capacity.
l also suggest that the State DEM
ocratic convention declare for these
measures in their platform.
"1heS2 measures would be Just. !
believe that ~ninety-nfne per cent. OF
the people Of the State would approve
of them. The effect would be to great
ly q taxation. There would be
more travel on the railroads because
it would be cheaper.
The tobacco trust is q great object
lesson. The decaying tobacco ware
hOuse and the thousands OF men that
have been made Door by the tobacco
trust, speak in strong terms to the
people to protect their property. to wit:
the franchises of railroads in North
Carolina form the transportation trust;
franchises are the gifts of the sover-
eiSn people of this State. and they
should guard them with jealousy. and
with a view to II the interest OF
all the people. The property and
wealth that should have come TO thou
sands of tobacco farmers and ware
house men have gone to swell the cot
fers of Buck Duke and others TO spenG
in riOtOuS living.
Instead OF paying dividends Oh
Watered stock, let the railroads bt
Just TO the people of North Carolina
Instead of being controlled by one OF
two men, let the railroads hear thu
voice of the inarticulate many cryins
for justice and equal opportunities
Let h Democratic County ConVen.
ton speak out boldly on this question
Such action will receive the com
mendation of all disinterested peopl,
in North Carolina"
Let other Thoughtful men make sug
gestions. I'm the multitude OF cOun
sci there is WISDOM Unless the Dem
ocrats Who ave no axe to grind ar
alert, the straddlers Will be sure t
write a platform that upon all point
will be clear. forcible and to til
point, bat perfectly non-committaI.