The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-07-10
LAB0RANDRA|L ROADS
Text Of Important Planks Of the
Democratic Platform.
WOULD MODIFY INJUNcTIoNs

Recommends Physical Valuation Of
Railroads as a Basis for Efficient
Regulation Of Rates by Commerce
Commission.
Denver, July 10.-Following is the
full and correct text of the injunction
plank as adopted by the sub-com
mittee of the committee on resolu.
lions:
1.-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 a long line of distinguished
Judges, who have added to the respect
and confidence in which this depart
ment must be jealousy maintained.
We resent the attempt of the Repub-
lican party to raise a false issue re-
speeding the judiciary. It is an I'M
just reflection upon a great body of
our citizens to assume that they lack
respect for the courts.
1T is the function of the courts to
interpret the laws which the people
create and if the laws appear to work
economic, social or political injustice
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 protection
of life, personal liberty and property.
If judicial processes may be abused
we should guard them 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 1896 and 1904 in favor of
the measure which passed the United
States senate in 1896, but which a
Republican congress has ever since
refused to enact; relating to con-
tempts in federal courts and providing
for trial by jury in cases of indirect
contempt.
Rigid lmpartiallty Demanded.
"Questions of judicial practice have
arisen, especially in connection with
Industrial disputes. We demand that
the parties to all judicial proceedings
should be treated with rigid impartial
ity and that injunctions should not be
issued in any cases in which injunc-
lions would not issue If no industrial
dispute were involved.
"The expanding organization of in
dustry makes it essential that there
should be no abridgment of the right
of wage earners and producers to or
game for the protection of wages and
the Improvement of labor conditions
to the end that such labor organiza-
lions and their members should not
be regarded as illegal combinations in
restraint of trade.
1--WE favor the eight-hour day on all
government work.
eve pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of law by congress,
as far as the federal jurisdiction ex-
tends, for a general employers nabi1
ity act covering injury to body or loss
of life of employees.
1--WE pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of law creating a de-
partment of labor, represented sep
arately in the presidents cabinet,
which department shall include the
subject Of mines and mining"
The railroad plank, IS adopted by
the full committee, Is as follows:
Plank Relating to Railroads.
1--WE assert the right of congress to
exercise complete control over inter
state commerce and the right of each
state to exercise Just as complete con-
troll over commerce within its borders.
I'VE demand such enlargement of
the powers of the Interstate commerce
commission as may be necessary to
enable it to protect persons and places
from discrimination and extortion and
to compel the railroads to perform
their duties as common carriers.
1--WE favor the efficient supervision
and rate regulation of railroads en-
gagged in interstate commerce. To this
end we recommend the physical val
uation of the railroads by the inter-
state commerce commission, such val
uation to take into consideration the
original cost of construction and all
elements of value that will render the
valuation made fair and just. We ia
vor such legislation as will prohibit
the railroads from engaging in bust
ness which brings them into competi-
ton with their shippers, also legisla-
ton which will assure such reduction
in transportation rates as conditions
will permit, care being taken to avoid
reduction that would compel reduc-
ton of wages, prevent adequate serv-
ice or do injustice to legitimate invest
ments..
1--WE heartily approve the laws pro-
hibiting tho pass and the rebate and
we favor any further necessary legis-
iation to restrain, correct and prevent
such abuses"
The last plank to be acted upon by
the committee was the demanding of
a system for the guarantee of depos-
it's in national banks; an alternative
provision was inserted recommending
the establishment of postal savings
banks in the event that the bank guar
antee provision is not carried into
effect.
Guffeys Successor Chosen.
Denver, July 10.-The Pennsylvania
delegation, at caucus in the cenyen-
ton hall, elected James Kerr of Clear
field national committeeman. L. Nc