The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-05-14
Following is the platform.

In the eternal struggle between the
many who produce more than they enjoy
and the few who enjoy more than they
produce, Democracy takes it's stand with
the many, and sets its face against the
privileges, outlawed or legalized, by
which they are despoied.
We believe that the cure for the sup
posed ills of Democracy is more demo-
cracy; that to the people belongs not the
shadow merely of political authority, but
it's substance and that the power to ini-
tiate new laws and to review the actions
of their representatives is essential to
the preservation of popular sovereignty.
We therefore favor the initiative and ref
erendum in state and local matters, and
the principle that questions submitted to
the electors should be determined by a
majority of the votes cast thereon.
Unqualified home rule for the cities and
villages Of Ohio, leaving them free to de-
eide the question of public or private
ownership of public utilities is declared
for.
Revision Of the existing system of tax
alton in Ohio, declared to be unequitable
and unsound, is demanded, as is also the
pa ssage of laws imposing taxes upon the
value added to tangible property of pub
lie service corporations.
The platform favors further legislation
to perfect the child labor law passed at
the recent session of the general assem-
bly, An eight hour day on public work,
an employers liability act and a law
limiting the power of judges to issue in
functions in labor disputes are favored.
Declaring that "the state government
is now controlled and administered by
the Republican machine" the platform
says:
The Republican state machine, too long
in power, has planned to perpetuate its
control by sitting the Republican masses
in their political action and forcing the
nomination of deputies and favorites.
The Republican primary was sham and
the last convention Of that party was
the most completely bossed political
gathering that ever assembled in Ohio.
The auditor of state has built up a
powerful organization, having as it's chief
purpose protection OF the interests from
which it derives it's power. In control of
| this machine, he has refused to enforce,
either in letter or in spirit, the law tax
| ing the property of public service COM
| panies, permitting them to write their
own tax bills and relying upon those who
| profit by his lawless acts to save him
| from the indignation of the people whose
| laws he has set aside. Corporations are
| bribed to the support of his machine by
the promise of immunity from just taxa
ton. The auditor is charged with having
wasted the public funds by unnecessary
and frequent examinations for political
| purposes
1t is charged that the state has lost
more than 100000 year by failure OF
the state treasurer to take advantage OF
the depository law. 1t is charged that
enormous sums of state money are de-
| posted in banks owned and differed by
the state treasurer, his deputy and the
state auditor, and that the refusal OF the
| auditor to audit these, discloses peril tc
| public funds and scandal in the manage
ment of these great offices. The state
| treasury Is employed to enrich the
| friends of the system through the Re-
publican organization, says the platform
| The platform continues: Three hun-
! dred thousand dollars of the peoples
| money is now in the bank of the chiei
Republican boss OF the state and this
boss at the last Republican convention
forced the nomination Of his candidate:
| for attorney general, state auditor an6
1 state treasurer, who comprise ma jority