The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-03-28
PLATFORM AND PRINCIPLES.
On Which Roy Hoffman Submits His
Candidacy for United States
Senator.

To the People of Oklahoma:
am candidate before the Demo
cratic primaries for the office OF
United States senator.
In that connection a statement OF
my views upon some questions which
are now engaging the attention OF the
public is due the people of the new
state.
am Democrat of the school that
believes the will of the majority is
the safest guide for the nation. be-
lieve that the majority may sometimes
20 wrong. but that the chance of the
minority going wrong is so much
greater that the safest thing for the
public is to follow implicitly the rule
of the majority. The people will act
right if they know the facts. | there
fore believe in the return of all power
to the people. In late years power
has been arrogated by certain public
corporations and men--a policy which
Is un-Democratic and therefore dan.
gerous.
Our constitutional convention has
performed one of its noblest works by
placing in the constitution the initia-
tive and referendum. thus guarantee
ing in perpetuity to our people the
power of direct legislation.
The right of the people to control
every monopoly. including railroads,
coal mines and pipe lines, Is inherent.
II is the right and duty of the peo-
| pie to render every public employment
safe and sanitary,
We should have primary nomina-
tions for the selection of all candi
dates for office.
Free transportation is one of tht
most subtle but none the less potent
forms of official bribery. We should
have stringent anti-pass laws, making
| II a crime for one man to give or an
o.her receive asDass. except he be al
! employe of the person giving the pass
We shoulf have a ballot law enab
ling every citizen to cast his vote and
have it counted as it was plainl,
meant to be, without technicaity and
confusion and without the necessity
of court Intervention.
/ am opposed to rebates and dis
elimination, and believe our country
should not tolerate a tribute levied
upon its commerce to support specu
| lation and pay interest on fictitious
issues of stocks and bonds
The government should supervise
and control issues of railroad and pub
lie service corporation stocks and
bonds. and the interstate commerce
commission AMI state commission
should be vested with power to ascer
tain the true value of railroads, based
upon the cost Of reproducing them In
order that basis for taxation and the
fixing of reasonable rates may be
reached. With this to work from just
rates and 2cent fare will become q
reality. and every dollar invested il
such securities bear its proper share
of the burdens of government. The
power of federal courts to grant In
functions in such cases Is very dan
ferous and unsatisfactory expedient
The machinery of our Interstate
commerce commission is SO cumbrous
complicated and remote that our peo
! pie do not regard II as an instrument
! Of iu;tice The punishment now pro
vlded for violating its regulations Is
wholly inadequate. IL should be EN-
, larged both In membership and pow
ers until at least one branch of the
body is In continuous session in every
state IN the Union, and II should al
ways be of ready and inexpensive ac
cess To every citizen.
Our country owes the same duty tC
the railroad man. the miner. the fac
tory hand. the craftsman or the farm
hands-that IL does to every othel
citizeni: and in the light of equa
opportunity 10 every man public ques
tions should be determined. The basi.
of all wealth Is labor Under ou
government there should be no aris
tocracy but that of labor and brains
That government Is good ana secure
where labor is honored contented an'
prosperous This condition can onl'
arise where those who toll have pron
er time for rest study and recreation
and receive a just share OF the fruit
of their endeavor All measures tend
ing 10 pro mote such results will rt
ceive my hearty support
Believing that good roads are O
vital Importance to the new common
wealth am for the employment o
convict and punitive labor In buildm
them: and / will undertake to secur
national and state aid TO help ever
community establish and maintain IN
best system of roads that can be do
viscd.
AS matter OF right We are el
titled to the sum which the govern
nrent has realized from sales OF on
pablic lands, amounting TO nearly 81
600 600 besides In addition we shoul
have extended the substantial fave
with which other states have been n
garded. for the drainoge OF our owe
TOW. the watering of our semi-arl
lands. and in preparing such rive
channels as are adaptable for Ravig
ton
Corporations should be prohipitt
from making compaign donations.
Free rural mail delivery should
| nrlnadnd until The service reachl