The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-07-17

ton:
We. the representatives OF the De
mocracs OF the United States. in Ma
tional convention assembled. reaffirm
our belief in and pledge our loyalty
TO the principles of the party.
we rejoice at the increasing signs
Of an awakening throughout the c5un.
try. The various investigations have
traced graft and political corruption
Ia the representatives Of predatory
wealth and laid bare the unserupu'
Ions methods by which they have de-
bauched elections and preyed upon a
defenseless public through the sub
servient officials whom they have
raised to place and power.
THE conscience of the Nation is
now aroused to free the Government
from this grip of those who have
made il a business asset of the favor
seeking corporations; it must become
again a peoples Government and be
administered in all its departments ac-
cording to the Jeffersonian maxim,
Equal rights to all and special PRIV
ileges to none Shall the people rule
is the overshadowihg issue which
manifests itself in all the questions
now under discussion.
Otficeholders.
"Coincident with the enormous IN
crease in Expenditures has come a like
addition to the number of oficehold-
ers. During the past year 23,7S4 were
added. costing $16.156,0O0, and in the
past six years Of the Republican Ad-
ministration the total number OF new
Offices created, aside from any COM
missions. has been 99,319. entailing
an additional expenditure of nearly
$4,000, 900 as against only 1929 new
offices created under the Cleveland
and Mckinley administrations, which
involved an expenditure of only So
O0O,OO0 We denounce this great and
growing increase in the number OF
oficeholders as not only unnecessary
and wasteful, but also as clearly in
dicating deliberate purpose on the
part of the Administration to keep
the Republican party in power at pub
lie expense by thus increasing the
number of its retainers and depend
ents. Such procedure we declare to
be no less dangerous and corrupt than
the open purchase of votes at the
polls.
Economy in Administration.
1.-THE Republican Congress in the
session just ended has made appro-
priations amounting to s1,O0S, 900, 900,
exceeding the total expenditures of
the past fiscal year by $9O,OOOOOO,
and leaving a deficit of more than
100000, 900 for the fiscal year. We
denounce the needless waste of the
peoples money which has resulted in
this appalling increase as shameful
violation of all prudent conditions OF
government no. less than a crime
against the millions of workingmen
and women from whose earnings the
great proportion of these colossal
sums must be extorted through Excess
sive tariff exactions and other indirect
methods. 1t is not surprising that in
the face of this shocking record the |
Republican platform contains no ref |
erence of economical administration |
or promise thereof in the future. We
demand that stop be put to this |
frightful extravaganza, and insist up
on the strictest economy in every de-
partment compatible with frugal and
efficient administration.
Arbitrary Power of Speaker.
The House of Representatives was
designed by the fathers of the Con-
stitution to be the popular branch of
our Government, responsive to the
public will. The House of Represen-
Latives, as controlled in recent years
by the Republican party, has ceased
10 be a deliberative and Legislative
oody, responsive to the will of ma
ority of its members, but has come i
lnder the absolute domination of the {
Speaker, who has entire control of |
is deliberations and powers of legis- Ee
alton. We have observed with 9
that popular branch of our b
'saera, Government helpless to OBJ
ain Nther the consideration or enact u
nent of measures desired by ma b
GRITTY of its members. Legislative f
overnment becomes a failure when d
ne member in the person of the b
peaker is more powerful than the 81
ntire body. We demand that the II
Iouse of Representatives shall again
ecome delberative body. controlled In