The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-13
DEMOCRATIC
PLATFORM IS
FORECASTED
continued from FIRST Pnge.1

= AGilAdihtl CIV I STU AAt AFAVA
remarkable change i'm the political affairs
of the State has been writ in the minds
Of Utmost every man of adult age at TINS
time. and IT is unnecessary Tor me no"
to repeat it.
while his catastrophe cast a dark
cloud over the party and caused iis-
may and CONSERVATION among all those
who still loved their party, because OF It's
princinles and achievements, yet there was
a silver lining to the cloud. Those VINO
still kept the faith. and there We're many
recollected the glorious and imperishaole
record of accomplishments, in the cause
Of the people, performed by Democratic
administrations in the past.
Their hopes for the future rehabiiita-
ton Of the party, and its reinstatetneht III
the confidence of the people became quick,
cred and strengthened when they recalled
the magnificent administrations and the
unexcelled craftsmanship OF the lIustrlous
line Of Democratic Governors. They re-
membered that in the stress and narrow
ing days Of the Civil Wal a Democratic
Governor and a Democratic ADMINISTRATOR
had wisely and safely conducted the snip
of State over the turbulent seas of those
DAYS; that when the white mamie OF psace
had settled over the land and the aftalrs
of State had assumed Their n9rmat conf
tion. and when the highest order OF aplliy
and statecraft was required to efnclently
and successfully administer the multi
farious and complicated problems constant
" arising III connection with the govern.
ment of a state like ours, with It's ne.
work Of railroads and canals, its Var1en
and growing Industries, its agricultural 10
main. its riparian rights and coast nne' us
forests and mines, its schools and system
Of education. its public institutions us
great and Heterogeneous population, anu
| an the other factors that enter into the
texture ald life Of such a wonderful COM
mEnitv as is found within the confines OF
our magnificent commonwealth tnat the
Democratic party. represented IN tne eM
ecutive and legislative branches OF gov
| eminent. had always solved these problems
with unduestioned intelligence ana aolhty,
and in a statesmanlike manner 70 me
credit and honor of the party anu IT'S rep
resentatives and the renown Of the state.
.'The record of these Democratic ad-
ministrations. conclusively shows. that the
strained: the rapacity of public utility con-
Germs checked: the grant Of any conccs-
sion or privilege to business corporations
properly ~safeguarded; the requirement OF
special privileges not tolerated; legislation
for the advantage of the many. the rule,
and not the exception; the rights OF the
people to the potable waters of the state,
controlled for their benefit; the taxation OF
miscellaneous corporations accomplished;
collateral inheritors required to contribute
to the State treasury; the Werts excise
and election laws enacted, which have been
the model for Legislation Of a like kind in
other States; the integrity of the general
railroad law of the State preserved for the
benefit Of the people; the seed sown. re-
sultlng In the agitation for limited fran
chises. the principle asserted and estab-
llS1eu, nn9llN resulting In the. law Tor Ine
taxation Of franchises; labor protected In
its rights. and Legislation enacted for the
amelioration of its burdens.
MAY I not say in this connection that
the iniutiitous system. so long maintained
i'm the State. regarding the taxation of
railroad and canal property, was given its
death blow in the crusade made by the
lamented Albeit In 1SS3-S4, and that the So
called count tax acts of 1884 and all sub
seduent legislation upon that subject are
the product of his initiative and inspira-
ton. Under those administrations the
government of the State was conducted
honestly and efficiently. and with an eye
single to an economical administration of
the affairs of State. Public office was
then deemed a PUBLIC trust, and public
of their office. In the days of Democratic
administrations the government of the
State was indeed a government by and for
Now, with this splendid record of ac-
compllshment and achievement in govern
mental affairs recalled, and the inspiration
of the careers of the Industrious statesmen
I have referred to stirring the memories
of those who still believed In the vitality
of the Democratic party and its mission to
serve the people under such n form OF gov
eminent as ours, is 1t any wonder that they
lived in the hope that Ii would once again
assume the influential and useful position
1t had occupied in the State, notwithstand-
ing the errors and mistakes that had been
committed by those who had, finally OBJ
tanned control of its organization and as
sumed. to exercise Its functions and control
its policies. Throughout the State and in
every section thereof there Is found an
awakening of the Democratic spirit OF old.
Despair has been supplanted by hope. en-
thusiasm has taken the place of apathy.
No longer does faction or distrust disturb
our ranks. We believe that the people OF
the State have at last renewed their conf1-
dence in the party and have determined
that the time is op%portune for a change in
the administration Of the political AFFAIRS
of the State.
II am not so influenced by, self,interest
or enthusiasm as to conclude that the chaS-
tening the party has received during the
last ten years and its rehabilitation at the
present time has been the sole inducing
cause for the change OF sentiment with
the people. The old, old story has been re-
peated In the political history Of the state.
The political party, which has been in al.
most absolute control of the functions of
government IN the State for the last de-
cade have departed far from the high
ideals the party and its representatives
pretended to rave established in their con-
duct of governmental affairs. The Repub-
lican party and its organization IN the
State have become the personal assets of
n few men who believe hat they possess
the God-given right to control It's policies
and exercise its functions for their sell
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and the reward OF their
friends and henchmen. Perpetuation OF
their control and power was the first con-
sideration. the interests of the people but
an incident.
ITO assure continuance In power, cor
1 DgtHtiDiiCs BlfdA anu EAihlis nav ONth DhA
ticulaTly favored. The great railroad sys-
TENS and public utility concerns, operating
In the State, have exercised a commanding
influence with the leaders Of the party,
The latter under the system which they
have puilt up, have asserted control over
the functions of the Legislature. Glass
legislation has been most common, while
that sought by the people has been wrune
from the Legislature only after long and
persistent effort. In almost every case
where substantiatiVe and meritorious legls'
lation In the interest of the people has
been enacted, the Initiative was on tbs
part of the people. or inspired by repre-
sentatives of the Democratic party. Ranl
partisanship las prevailed in connection
with the filling of offices. Economy ir
the administrator of public affairs has no
been considered ~consOnant with the bril-
liancY and magnihcence of Republican ad
ministrations. Scandals have been eX
; posed, exhibiting in a striking way how
the present regime look upon ubli office
not as a public trust, but as a private
snap Isn't the old proverb fully ex
emplifed. that old politicians chew OF
l the last, by the disclosures made, undel
the lance of the Hahn committee?
r In conclusion | want to say that II l
> my earnest conviction that a change o
party administration Is impending in tn
{ State, and that the Democratic party n
this time feel that it has a mission to per
e form, and that 1t is to set up and admin
J lister a government in the State that will
E be truly representative of the Who'll
! people.
: Further, and without prophetic antici
Z patton. | honestly believe and / can prom
!, Use. that at the coming convention Of tn
: party a platform OF principles win b
adopted which will be fully responsive I
Q and in consonance with the demands o
tha ppoDla and that fhp norninpa for Gov