Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-07-17
We favor the eight-hour day on all govern.

l
actment Of a law by Congress, as far as the
federal jurisdiction extends, for general EN-
ployers' liability act, covering injury to bod y
or loss of life Of employees.
We pledge the Democratic party to the en-
actment of q law creating department OF
labor, represented separately In the Presi-
dents cabinet, which department shall in
clude the subject OF mines and mining.
| SHIP SUBSIDIES.
We believe in the upbuilding Of the Amer
lean merchant marine without new or addi-
tiona burdens upon the people and without
bounties from the public Treasury.
TIE NAVY.
The constitutional provision that a navy
be provided and maintained means an ade-
quate navy, and we believe that the interests
Of this country would be best served by hav-
ing a navy sufficient to defend the coasts of
this country and protect American citizens
wherever their rights may be In jeopardy
| PRoTEoToN OF CITIZENS.
We pledge ourselves to insist upon the Just
and lawful protection Of our citizens at home
and abroad, and to use all proper methods
to secure for them, whether native born or
naturalized, and without distinction of race
| or creed, the equal protection of law and the
| enjoyment of all rights and privileges open to
| them under our treaty, and II, under existing
treaties, the right Of travel and sojourn Is
| denied TO American citizens, or recognition
is withheld from American passports by any
countries on the ground Of race or creed we
favor prompt negotiations with the govern
ments of such countries to secure the removal
of these unjust determinations.
We demand that all over the world duly
authoritated passport issued BY the govern
ment of the United States to an American
citizen shall be proof Of the fact that he Is an
American citizen and shall entitle him to the
treatment due him as such.
CIVIL SERVICE.
The laws pertaining to the civil service
should be honestly and rigidly enforced, to
the end that merit and ability shall be the
standard OF appointment and promotion,
rather than services rendered to a political
party.
PENSIONS.
We favor generous pension policy, both
as matter Of justice to the surviving veter-
ans and their dependents and because 1t tends
to relieve the country Of the necessity of
maintaining large and standing army.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
We advocate the organization of all exist
| ing national public health agencies into
national bureau Of public health, with such
power over sanitary conditions connected
and other such subjects as are properly within
the jurisdiction Of the federal government and
do not interfere with the power of the States
controlling public health.
| EDUCATION.
The Democratic party favors the extension
of agricultural, mechanical and industrial
education. We therefore favor the establish
ment Of district agricultural experiment sta
| tions the secondary agricultural and me.
chanical colleges in the several States.
ELECTION OF SENATORS.
We favor the election of United States Sem
ators by direct vote Of the people, and regard
this reform as the gateway to other national
reforms.
We welcome Oklahoma to the sisterhood of
States and heartily congratulate her on the
suspicious beginning Of great career.
The TERRITORIES.
The national Democratic party has for the
last sixteen years labored for the admission of
Arizona and New Mexico as separate States
of the federal Union, and recognizing that
each possesses every qualification to success
| fully maintain separate State government, we
favor the immediate admission OF these terri
tories as separate States.
| GRAZING LANDS.
The establishment of rules and regulations,
| II any such are necessary, In relation to free
grazing upon the public lands, outside of for
eat or other eservations, until the same shall
eventually be disposed of should be left to
the people of the States, respectively, in
which such lands may be situated.
WATERWAYS.
Water furnishes the cheapest means OF
transportation, and the national government,
having the control Of navigable waters,
| oh ham IN "
We ca rnestly favor the immediate adoption
of q liberal and comprehensive plan for i'm
| proving every water course in the Union
which is justified by the needs Of commerce,
and to secure that end we favor, when prac-
ticable, the connection Of the great lakes W 18th
the navigable rivers and with the gulf through
the Mississippi river, and the navigable rivers
with each other and the rivers, bays and
sounds OF our coasts with each other by arti-
fetal canals. with view to perfecting sys-
tenn of inland waterways to be navigated by
vessels Of standard draught.
We favor the coordination of the various
services of the government connected with
water ways. in one service, for the purpo Sc Of
aiding In the completion OF such system OF
inland waterways, and favor the creation OF
fund ample for continuous work, which
shall be conducted under the direction OF a
commission OF experts to be authorized by
law.
NATIONAL ROADS.
We favor federal aid to State and local au-
| thOrities In the construction and maintenance
Of post roads.
TELEaRApH AND TELEPHONES
We pledge the Democratic party to the en- :
actment OF law to regulate the rates and
services OF telegraph and telephone companies
engaged In the transmission Of messages
hat fha n
of the interstate commerce commits ion.
NATURAL RESOURCES
We repeat the demand for internal devel-
opment and for the conservation OF our nat
ural resources contained In previous plat
forms, the enforcement of which Mr.. Roose-
welt has vainly sought from reluctant
party, and to that end we insist upon the
preservation, protection and replacement OF
needed forests, the preservation OF the public
domain for home seekers, the protection OF
the national resources In timber, coal, iron
and oil against monopolistic control, the de-
yelopment OF our waterways for navigation
and every other useful purpose, including
the irrigation Of arid lands the reclamation
Of swamp lands, the Qualification OF streams,
the development Of water power and the
preservation of electric power generated BY
| this natural force from the control OF monop-
| oily, and, to such end, we urge the exercise
Of all powers national, State and municipal
both separately and in corporation.
We insist upon a policy Of Administration
of our forest reserve which shall relieve II Of
the abuses which have arisen hereunder, and
which shall, as far as practicable, conform 10
the police regulations Of the several States
where they are located, which shall enable
homesteaders as Of right TO occupy and &C.
auire title TO all portions thereof which are
especially adapted to agriculture, and which
shall furnish a system Of timber sales avail
able az well TO the private citizen az to the
larger manufacturer and consumer.
HAWAII.
We favor the application Of principles Of
the land laws Of the United States TO our
newly acquired territory, Hawaii, to the end
that the public land OF that territory may be