Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-07-21
Is not confession Of the debasing and cor.
rupt use of moneys In its campaigns
A To Rail Rates

Is not confession OF the debasing and cor
rupt use Of moneys In Its campaigns
As 10 Rail- Rates.
1t Is eninently proper that this convex
| ton should define the Democratic attitude
toward the regulation of transportation CON-
panies and call the attention of the country
| to the indisputable fact that Ii was only
after years Of Democratic effort that an
amendmenI was made to the interstate CON-
merce law authorizing the commission to
| establish reasonable rates whenever IL APP
| peared that an existing schedule was unjust
and unreasonable.
| The national platforms OF the Republican
party remained silent upon this great ques-
ton for years and the fact that the neces-
| sary change was advocated by q Republican
President. who succeeded only through the
aid Of the Democrats in 9th branches of
| Congress in placing the amendment upon
our statute books, does not affect the credit
| to which our party is entitled for having
worked persistently for such an enactment.
Further amendment TO our laws giving
| the Federal government supervision over the
issuance OF railroad stocks and bonds is de-
handed
The fixing of transportation charges IND
the control of issuanceS OF railroad seeuri-
| ties are inseparably connected with the ac-
| tual valuation of railroads. The Democratic
party believes that the first thing TO do is to
secure a physical valuation of the roads
| that is, a valuation of the solid rather than
the liquid assets Of railroad companies
while. the other hand. the Republican
party, on a roll call in the convention. by
an overwhelming vote, took an unequivocal
stand in favor of system of water rates
without giving the people the benefit Of
meter.
Slap at Congress.
We search in vain for one syllable in the
Chicago platform pledging the Republican
party to retrenchment and reforms and
ii is no mere coincidence that has given
billion dollar session of Congress on the
eve OF q national election and the possible
revision of the tariff.
So long as we maintain the present meth
cd of electing United States Senators we
cannot hope that the upper chamber OF Con-
gress will reflect the popular will.
On five different occasions the House of
Representatives has passed constitutional
amendment providing for the election of
United States Senators BY the direct vote
OF the people, but these measures have been
sandbagged in the Senate by those who are
determined that the Senate shall not become
an integral part of eur free, representative
Institutions.
The Democratic party will continue to
labor for the direct election OF United
States Senators, and II appeals to the voters
of all America to elect members of the diff
ferent State Legislatures who will pledge
themselves to vote for no candidate for TIE
United States Senate that is not In favor
of this reform.
The affirmative position Of the Democratic
party upon these great questions will be
made clear during the impending campaign,
and, disdaining all subterfuges, it will
speak in language that cannot be misun-
derstood. Its voice will ring with a gen
uine love for humanity, and the charge of
insincerity will never be brought to its
doors. Let our party declaration in this
convention present the strong contrast be-
tween that which we here propose and that
which was declared at Chicago. Let any
man take the temperature of the Chicago
platform and discover. II he can, any sign of
human warmth. Not a single sentiment is
there to redeem it from the materlalism
permeating it through and through
For Navy in Pacific.
On the bosom OF the Pacific will be en-
acted the mighty commercial struggles OF
the future, and the interests Of American
commerce will demand that an adequate
naval strength be maintained in the waters
of the Pacific to protect our expanding com
merce.
This magnificent Western country of ours
has not only proved attractive to our own
people and the other white nations Of the
earth, but 1t has likewise proved alluring
to the brown and yellow races of the East.
Some protection has been afforded by the
exclusion of Chinese labor, but the evil is
but half met II the immigra ton of other
Asiatic people be not excluded from our
shores. Not only the white toilers OF Amer
lea, but all our people without respect TO
class or residence are vitality interested In
this menace to our social and industrial life
from oriental quarters
This national convention meets at a time
when the angel of peace is lowering over
the entire world, and the nations of the
world each day are strengthening those
ties Of friendship and common interest that
vii! render war less frequent and permit
mankind to turn their hands to the peace.
able pursuits of life rather than to the de-
struction of one another.
The Democratic party realizes the weight
that America must inevitably exert in the
affairs Of the world and will demand that
her influence ever be cast on the side of peace
on the side of justice, and not on the side
OF oppression, and If the will of the people
shall commit to Democratic hands the scep-
ter of power it will be used for the reaii-
zation of those high American ideals that
| lift our own people to loftier and better
| things and through precepts and ex-
| amples contribute to the well-being and hap
piness of all mankind.