Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-07-16
Salient Features of the Platform.

Salient Features of the Platform.
We denOunce the growing increasr
IN the number of office holders a.
not only unnecessary and wasteful.
but also as clearly indicating a de
iberate purpose on the part of tn
administration to keep the Republi
can party in power at public expens
by thus increasing the number of it
retainers and dependents. Such pro
cedure we declare to be no less dan
gerous and corrupt than the open
purchase of votes at the polls.
We demand that the House OF
Representatives shall again become
deliberative body, controlled by a
majority Of the peoples representa-
tives, and not by the Speaker, and
we pledge ourselves to adopt such
rules and regulations to govern the
House of Representatives as to en-
able majority of it's members to
direct its deliberations and control
legislation.
We demand Federal legislation
forever terminating the partnership
which has existed between corpora
lions of the country and the Repub-
lican party under the expressed or
implied agreement that in return for
the contribution of great sums of
money wherewith to purchase cleo
lions they should be allowed to con-
tlnue substantially unmolested in
their efforts to encroach upon the
rights of the people.
We pledge the Democratic party
to law preventing any corporation
from contributing to campaign
fund and any individual from CON
tributing an amount above a reason
able minimum and providing for the
publication before election of all
such contributions.
We favor immediate revision of
the tariff by the reduction of import
duties. Articles entering into COM
petition with trust-controlled prod
ucts should be placed on the free
list. Material reductions should be
made in the tariff upon the neces-
saries OF life, especially upon articles
competing with such American man
ufactures as are sold abroad more
cheaply than at home: and gradu-
ated reductions should be made in
such other schedules as may be nee
essary to restore the tariff to a reve-
nue. basis.
A private monopoly Is indefensible
and intolerable. We, therefore. ia
vor the vigorous reform of the crimi-
nal law against guilty trust mag
mates and officials, and demand the
enactment of such additional legis-
lation as may be necessary to make
1t impossible for a private monopoly
to exist in the United States.
We assert the rights of courts to
exercise complete control over inter-
state commerce and the right of each
state to exercise control over COM
merce within its borders. We de-
mand such enlargement of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission as may
be necessary to compel railroads to
perform their duties as common car
riers and prevent discrimination and
extortion.
We pledge ourselves to legislation
under which National banks shall be
required to establish guarantee
fund for the prompt payment of the
depositors Of any insolvent National
bank under an equitable system
which shall be available to all bank
ing institutions wishing to use it.
We favor an income tax as part
Of our revenue system, and we urge
the submission of a constitutional
amendment specifically authorizing
Congress to levy and collect tax upon
individual and corporate incomes, to
the end that wealth may bear its
proportionate share of the burdens
of the Federal Government.
We favor the eight-hour day on all
Government work.
We pledge the Democratic party
to the enactment Of law by Con-
gress as far as the Federal jurisdic-
ton extends for a general employ
ers' liability act covering injury to
body or loss of life of employees
The courts of justice are the bull
wark of our liberties and we yield
to none in our purpose to maintain
their dignity. Our party has given
to the bench long line of distin-
guished judges who have added re-
spect and confidence, in which this
department must be jealousy main
tanned. We resent the attempt of
the Republican party to raise a false
issue respecting the judiciary. 1t is
an unjust reflection upon the great
I body Of our citizens to assume that
they lack respect for the courts.
1t is the function of the courts to
interpret laws which the people
create, and if the laws appear to
work economic, social or political in
justice, it is our duty to change them.
The only basis upon which the in
tegrity Of our courts can stand is
that of answering justice and pro-
lection of life and property If judi
cial processes may be abused we
should guard against abuse.
Experience has proven the neces-
sity of a modification of the present
law relating to injunctions, and we
reiterate the pledge of our National
platforms of 1895 and 1904 in favor