Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1906-03-02
CAN'T TRUST CANDIDATES
Democratic Leaders Meet Quietly and
Prepare Platform as They Think
1t Ought To Be.

IDENTIFY afraid 70 let their candidates
write their own platforms according
70 the beauty bright system evolved
bv Populist U'Ren and his com
patriots, aud 50, met at the court
house 10 the number of a baker :
dozen, Saturday afternoon, and wrote
a platform for these candidates 10
stand upon.
The information was handed out 10
the curious ones before the meeting
began, that the gathering had been
called for the purpose Of getting a
better understanding of the Direct
I Primary Law. but il had been evident
for many weeks prior thereto that the
real objec. was 10 get as far away
from the spirit OF the Primary Law as
it would be possible to get without
arousing the suspicious of the trust
ful voter who believes in "a more
direct government by the plain people
and signs Jonathan B0urne's postal
cards.
I The meeting was held behind closed
doors, and little Information was
given ont as TO what was going on 10
side, but it is rumOred that the candi-
\ dacy Of J. NJ Grant for Sheriff was
indOrsed, and that the adyisability Of
putting no candidates in the field for
Clerk and Treasurer was discussed.
The platform sounds strangely like
the voice of Judge Sibley. but there
are many, who, after reading il, will
Insist that Ike Whealdon had a hand
in helping him write il The dOcu-
ment, in full, with parenthetical CON-
ment is as follows:
We. the Democratic Central Com
mittee ot Polk County assembled, do
hereby proclaim the following declar-
alton Of principles:
/ We heartily commend the admins
tration of Honorable George E. Cham
berIain, Governor Of Oregon, on
account Of his honesty, efficiency and
wise administration Of the affairs Of
State. (The only peg the Democrats
have on which TO hang a hope in the
/ present campaign.)
We demand the doing away with
all unnecessary officials, fat salary
/ for all officers and the cutting of Of
1 all unnecessary mmissiOHs. We
demand an economical administration
Of all State Institutions. NO Objec-
tion.)
/ We demand that every citizen and
I a
/ right to demand and insist upon
equality Of rights aud privileges and
a complete and ample protection of
/ personal business and property. That
/ all legislation, state or national,
granting special privileges or i'm
/ n.unities to any citizen, class or cor
country is inimical to the best interests
] -. 70
/ free institutions. Good old stereO-
typed declaration; first written in
1928, aud repeated by every Demo-
cratic convention since that time.)
| We demand that the system of CIV
/ ing free passes on railroads be pro-
hibited by law. (Highly pleasing to
/ the common people, but tough on a
! few high Democratic Office holders.)
! We insist that all public utilities
should either be owned or controlled
| by the Government. Strong bid for
the six or eight Socialist votes in Polk
county,
| We demand that the locks at Ore
gon City be free, and that the State or
| general government purchase and
own the present locks, or build other
locks, and operate the same free of
charge 70 shippers. (Swiped from
Walter Tooze's platform and from the
editorial columns of the Capital
Journal)
We demand such legislation as will
prevent the unwarranted and useless
appropriation of public money for the
maintenance of State institutions of
| learning. Somewhat vague and in
definite as to any particular institu-
tion-say, for instance, the Monmouth
State Normal School)
We favor the election of United
States Senators by direct vote of the
people, thereby doing away with
legislative hold-ups and the disgrace
! full corruption incident thereto. Mild
rebuke to the brethren who signed
Jonathan Bourne's postal card
! We demand such Legislation as will
/ prevent peculation in the manage
ment of State school lands and funds.
(Boquet for George and Oswald.)
! We demand that public salaries,
/ both County and State, should be
made to correspond to the services
rendered, and we denounce the present
| tendency of Republican Legislation
favoring high salaries as an outrage
upon the people Its a cold day
when an assembly Of Democrats can e
find something to ''view with alarm. y
We reaffirm our adherence to the
| principle of a tariff for revenue only,
and condemn the trust breeding high
tariff policy of the Republican party
that enriches the few at the expense
of the many. Did for a repetition of
| Grover Cleyeland's bond-issuing,
| tariff-tinkering administration
Among the Democrats present at
the meeting were Chairman J. W.
Kirkland, Secretary Oscar Hayter,
State Committeeman G.. w. Myer,
Judge ]. L. Sibley, Wash Gibson,
Hon. T. J. Hayter, William Ridgeway,
James Simonton, Hon. 1. NJ. Simpson,
Cass Riggs, J. B. Num-, 1. H. Wheal-
don, H. L. Fenton, E. V. Dalton and
Charles Leonard.