The copper era., 1908-07-02

lican doetrine which insists that
every dollar shall be based upon and
as good as gold.
We favor the establishment of a
postal saving bank system for the
convenience of the people and the
encouragement of thrift.
CONTROL OF TRUSTS.
The republican party passed the
Sherman antitrust law over demo-
cratic opposition, and enforced it
after democratic dereliction. 1t has
been d wholesome instrument for
good in the hands of wise and fear
less administration. But experience
has shown that its effectiveness can
be strengthened and its real object
better attained by such antendme
as will give to the federal govern
ment greater supervision and con-
troll over and secure greater public
ity IN the management of that class
of corporations engaged in inter
state commerce, having power and
opportunities to effect monopolies.
RATE LAW is FAVORED.
We approve the enactment of the
railroad rate law and the vigorous
enforcement of the present admins
tration of the statutes against re-
bates and discrimination, as a result
of which the advantages firmly
possessed by the large shipper over
the small shipper have subsequently
disappeared, and in this connection
we commend the appropriation by
the present congress to enable the
interstate commerce commission to
thoroughly investigate and give pub
licity to the accounts of interstate
railroads.
We believe, however, that the in
terstate commerce law should be
further amended so as to give rail-
roads the right to make and publish
traffice agreements, subject to the
approval of the commission, but
maintaining always the principal of
competition between naturally com
peting lines and avoiding the COM
mon control of such lines by any
means whatsoever. We favor such
national legislation and supervision
as will prevent the further over-issue
of stocks and bonds by interstate
carriers
RAILROAD AND GOVERNMENT EN-
PLoYES.
The enactment in constitutional
form at the present session of con-
gress of the employers liability law;
the passage and enforcement of the
safety appliance statutes, as well as
the additional protection secured for
engineers and firemen; the reduction
in the hours of labor for trainmen
and railroad telegraphers; the sue
cessful exercise of the powers of
mediation and arbitration between
interstate railroads and their en-
ployes, and the law making begin
ming in the policy of compensation
for injured employees of the govern
meat, are among the most commend
able complishments of the pres
ent administration.
But there is further work in this
direction yet to be done, and the re-
publican party pledges its continued
devotion to every cause that makes
for safety and the betterment of
condition among those whose labor
contributes so much to the progress
and welfare of the country.
WAGE FARMERS IN GENERAL.
The same wise policy which has in
duced the republican party to main
tain protection to American labor:
to establish an eight-hour day on the
construction of all public works: to
increase the list of employees who
shall have preferred claims for
wages under the bankruptcy laws;
to adopt child labor statute for the
District of Columbia to direct an in
vestigation into conditions of work
ing women and children, and later,
of employees of telephone and teie-
graph companies engaged in inter-
state business; to appropriate $780,,
900 at the recent session of congress
in order to secure thorough inquiry
into the causes of catastrophies and
loss of life in the mines; and to
amend and strengthen the law pro-
hibiting the Importation of contract
labor, will be pursued in every legiti-
mate direction within federal author
ity to tighten the burdens and in
crease the opportunity for happiness
and advancement of all who toll.
The republican party recognizes
the special needs of wage workers,
generally, for their wel-being means
the well-being of all. But more i'm
portant than all other considerations
is that of good citizenship, and we
stand for the needs of
every American, whatever his occu-
patton in his capacity as self-rc
speeding citizen.