The sun., 1908-07-10


further evidence Of their intention TO
conduct their campaign In the coming con-
test with vast sums Of money wrested from
/ tho favor seeking corporations we call
attention to the faot that the recent He-
publican national convention at Chicago
refused when the issue was presented to
u TO declare against such practices.
We pledge the Democratic party to the
enactment Of law prohibiting any cor
horation from contributing to campaign
fund and any individual from contributing
an amount above q fixsd reasonable sum.
and providing for the publication before
election o2 all such contributions.
THE RIGHTS OF THE STATES.
Believing with jefferson in "the sup
port Of the State Governments In all their
rights as the most competent admipistra-
tion for our domestic concerns and the
surest bulwark against anti-republcan
tendencies,' and In -tho preservation OF
the general Government in it's whole con-
stitutional vigor as the sheet anchor OF
our peace at home and safety abroad.
we are opposed to the Capitalization implied
in those suggestions now frequently made
that the powers OF the general Government
should be extended by judicial construc-
ton. There Is no twilight zone between
the nation and the State In which exploit
4 ing interests can take refuge from both;
and it Is necessary that the Federal Govern
mont shall exercise the power delegated
to II, as IL 10; that the State Governments
shall use the authority reserved to them
but we insist that Federal remedies for
the prevention Of private monopoly shall
bo added to, not substituted for. State
remedies
We welcome the belated promise Of
tariff reform now offered by the Republi-
can party In tardy recognition of the right
eousness Of the Democratic position on
this question, but the people cannot safely
entrlst the execution Of this important
work to a party which is 80 deeply obli-
gated to the highly protected interests
as is the Republican party We call at
tention to the significant fact that the
promised relief is postponed until after
The coming eleotion-an election to sue
ceed in which the Republican party must
have that same support by the benefciaries
of the protective tariff as it has always
heretofore received from them, and to the
further fact that during the years Of un-
interrupted power no action whatever
has been taken by the Republican Congress
10 correct the admittedly existing tariff
iniquities
We favor immediate reduction Of the
tariff by the reduction Of import duties.
Articles entering into competition with
trust controlled products should be placed
upon the free list and material reductions
should be made in the tariff upon the
necessaries Of life, especially upon articles
competing with such American manu-
features as are sold abroad more cheaply
than at home, and graduated reductions
should be made in such other schedules
as may be necessary to restore the tariff
to a revenue basis
Existing duties have given to the manu-
facturers OF paper q shelter behind which
,hey have organized combinations to raise
the price Of pulp and Of paper. thus i'm
posing tax upon the spread Of knowledge.
We demand the immediate repeal OF the
tariff on wood pulp. print paper lumber,
timber and logs. and that these articles be
placed upon the free list.
TRUSTS.
A private mo. ..opoly is indefensible and
ntolerable. We therefore favor the vigor-
ous enforcement Of the criminal law against
guilty trust magnates and officials and
demand the enactment Of such additional
legislation as may be necessary to make
IL impossible for q private monopoly to
exist in the United States. Among the ad-
ditional remedies we specify three:
First, a law preventing a duplication OF
directors among competing corporations;
second, a license system which will, without
abridging the right of each State to create
corporations or it's right to regulate as 1t
will foreign corporations doing business
within its limits, make it necessary for
manufacturing or trading corporation en-
gagged in interstate commerce to take out
q Federal license before it shall be per-
mitted to control as much as rs per cent.
Of the product in which it deals. the license
to protect the public from watered stock
and to prohibit the control by such corpo-
rations Of more than so per cent. Of the total
amount Of any product consumed in the
United States, and. third. law compelling
such licensed corporations to sell to q II pur-
chasers in all parts Of the country on the
same terms after making due allowance
for the cost Of transp orattion.
RAILROAD REGULATION.
We demand such enlargement Of the pow
ers of the Interstate Commerce Commission
to perform their dutie as common carriers
and prevent discrimination and extortion.
We favor the efficient supervision and
rate regulation OF railroads engaged in
Interstate commerce. To this end we
recommend the physical valuation Of rail-
roads by the Interstate Commerce CON-
mission. such valuation to take into CON-
sideration the original cost of reproduc-
tion and all elements of value that will
render the valuation made fair and just.
We favor such legislation as will pro-
hibit the railroads from engaging in bust
nees which brings them into competition
with their shippers: also legislation which
will assure such reduction in transporta-
tion rates as conditions will permit. care
being taken 10 avoid reduction that would
compel reduction OF wages. prevent ade-
quate service or do injustice to legitimate
investment,
! We heartily approve the laws prohibit
ing the pass and the rebate and we favor
any further necessary legislation to restrain,
correct and prevent such abuses.
We favor such legislation as will increase