Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-27
HARTMAN HEADS TICKET
Named for Treasurer by Penn
syIvania Democrats
AT STATE CONVENTION
Nominee Is Former Member of the
Legislature.
PLATFORM ON STATE ISSUES
Pledges Party to Searching Investi-
CATION of Auditor Generals Office.
Charges Against Republicans.
PLATFORM ON STATE ISSUES

HARRISBURG, Pa, June 27.-John G.
Hartman of Columbia county was nominated
for state treasurer by today's democratic
state convention on a platform confined to
state, issues. Hartman is a former member
of the Legislature,
State Treasurer William H. Berry, who
claims the credit for having uncovered the
capitol scandal, was chairman Of the con-
vention and made a.speech advocating the
election of a democratic treasurer as
check on the republican state officials. He
commended the capitol investigation COM
mission and said that much of the testi-
mony taken by the commission has sub
Stimulated the charges he made in the last
campaign.
The platform pledges the party to a
searching investigation Of the auditor gen.
erals office, and demands the speedy pros
ecution of those responsible for the alleged
frauds in furnishing and equpping the cap
itol. The republican party is condemned for
its failure to amend the ballot laws and
for the defeat by the recent legislature Of
the bill for a popular vote at the primaries
upon United States senatorial candidates.
The following is the abstract of the plat
form:
The Platform.
The platform is devoted entirely to state
issues, the revelations of the legislative
commission which Is investigating the ex-
penditure of 100000 in furnishing the
state capitol forming the feature of the
document. 1t challenges the wisdom of
continuing republican rule in Pennsylvania
and declares the dominant issue before the
people of the commonw ealth to be whether
Dishonesty in public place shall cease or
be continued; whether graft shall be sus-
tanned or rebuked and punished"
Believing this to be the vital question in
this state it says, I'VE are not to be led
astray by the perfunctory Endorsement of
any candidate for President in 1SOS, or the
declamatory laudation of the present in
cumbent of that high office.
These fraudulent devices In the republic
can platform, intended to befog the issue,
and the praise of the Fifty-ninth Congress
can only be equaled by the condemnation,
so richly deserved, of almost all high OFF,
Gals in the state government Of Pennsyl-
vania.
I'VE recall with shame and reprobation
the official acts in regard to the building
and furnishing Of the state capitol, of gov
ernors, state treasurers, auditors general
and superintendent of public grounds and
buildings; and with special notice condemn
the conduct of representative In Con-
gress who, while drawing his salary at
Washington, was helping to loot the treas
ury at Harrisburg. We suggest that this
resignation would be a fitting end of his
congressional career.
The Capitol Graft.
Noting that the republican platform dis
claims any responsibility for the capitol
graft we claim and assume all responsible
ity for the discovery and complete disclosure
of the graft, and further claim that the only
means of securing complete restitution of
the loot and punishment of the looters is to
elect second Berry, man who knows no
party in the performance of his duty except
that of honest citizenship, and who, when
graft and greed snamefully disgraced the
state, is alert to detect and discover wrong
doing, and capable of Furnishing wrong
doors.
with the proof in hand so clear that all
honest men are convinced of the guilt of
many in high places, we demand of the
present administration speedy prosecution
of the accused, both civilly and criminaly,
SO that the taxpayers may regain their own,
the honor of the state be indicated, and,
finally, that no guilty man may escape
The platform demands q searching inveSti-
cation of the auditor generals department,
and holds that taxation is justifable only to
the extent that may be needful for the
maintenance of government.
With regard to the control of trusts and
other combinations the platform says:
The Resolutions.
At the meeting of the resolutions COM
mittee S. NJ. Seibert of Potter county took
exception to the silence of the platform
submitted on national matters. Mr.. Seibert
cratic party should be afraid to indorse
William j. Bryan. There were cries for
vote the platform, but Mr. Seibert
stood his ground and offered the following
resolution:
I'VE are heartily in accord with the be-
liefs and positions TAX by our p erlass
leader and statesman, William Jennings
Bryan, the Jefferson and Jackson Of the
democratic party of today, and indorss his
candidacy for the democratic nominate
for President in 1SOS.'
The resolution was laid on the table, after
which the platform as 1t had been drafted
was adopted by the committee.
After the platform had been read on the
floor of the convention Mr.. Seibert asked
permission to submit a minority report
The chairman of the resolutions committee
said that no minority report was made in
the committee, and, therefore, could not bbe
considered by the convention. He then
moved the previous question, and the plat
form was unanimously adopted.
The convention then proceeded to the
nomination of a candidate for state treas
Grer.
The Trusts Denounced.
While we recognize the right of capital
within this commonwealth in all legitimate
| lines of enterprise to combine for the in
crease of business, for enhanceAient of
| profit by enlarging productive capacity and
decreasing the cost of production, thus
| lessening the price to the consumer, yet
when such combination in its purpose or
effect creates tends to create monopoly
| in its production, to restrain trade or to
| stihe competition, to increase cost to the
| consumer or to control the market for the
| labor il employs, it violates the spirit of our
| laws, becomes inimical to public welfare
and peace and should be Sc regulated, con-
| trolled or prohibited by law as to apply to
| protect the public interests.
| I'VE believe that by wise legislation, rigid
| ly and impartally enforced against such
| combinations, their evil tendencies can be
| prevented without needless destruction to
| the capital upon which labor must depend
for employment and compensation; that in
| this matter the path of safety lies in rigid,
! honest and impartial regulation. control and
prohibition. rather than in ruthless destruc-
ton, which may involve the greatest loss
| upon the innocent
within these principles we favor the
most rigid regulation OF trusts and combina-
tons that wisdom can devise under laws
of universal anriiCa ton and impSrtiaI en-