The Washington times., 1908-07-05
Coz. Haskell as Bryan's Agent,
May Champion Radical Platform
Oklahoma Executive Maybe
Chairman of Resolutions
Committee at Denver.
By ]. C. WELLIVFR.

! DuN II lS frankly understood IN Demo-
cratic circles.
Likewise it is stin better known that
Mr. Bryan wrote the Nebraska Demo-
cratic platform adopted by the March
! convention in that State.
Comes now the straight tio from Lin
coin that unless there Is a change of
program. Governor Haskell, OF Okla
homa, who bossed the constitutional
| convention which adopted that constt-
tuition. will be chairman Of the commit
tee on resolutions of the Democratic
| national convention.
With these premises, the conclusion as
to the substance Of the Democratic plat
form is not difficult
Aside from these grounds from which
70 conjecture, it is known that while no
complete draft of the platform mas
come from Lincoln, and while II is not
the intention OF Mr.. Bryan 70 write a
complete platform, yet he has prepared
| tentative drafts OF four or FIVE planks
which viii be confided to various friends
for presentation to the resolutions COM
mittee- These include the antl-tnJunc-
ton plank, the declaration for Govern
ment guarantee Of bank deposits. the
planks OF railroad regulation and trust
| control, revision Of tie tariff, and the
+, pledge to make valuation Of the rail-
roads.
Election of Senators
| To these things will be addeA, perhaps
/ verbatim ct iiteratim, the rejected la
Toilette Planks from Chicago On pub
! hcity OF campaign expenses ard cleo
ton OF Senators by direct vote-iind the
platform can be pretty accurately pieced
! together. On the basis OF this inforrna-
I tod a.- -
/ by various people who have carefully
gone over platform questions with the
Lincoln leader, IL can be said that the
platform viii. in substa zee, declare:
| That the various Investigations have
proved the relation OF Ir-datJry wealth
| TO political corruption and graft, ana
have aroused the public conscience 50
| far that II IS prepared, II honestly sp-
pealed 70, to free the Government from
! the strip OF those who have attempted TO
/ make II a business asset Of favOr-seek-
! ing corporations, and 10 make Il once
more a Government "Cf the people, by
the people. and for the people"
/ This will Ls declared the paramount
4 issue before the nation The anti-pass
| and anti-rebate laws viii be commend
| ed, and additional legislation demanded
4 to prohibit corporations contributing to
| campaign funds and requiring publicity.
| before the election, OF all individual con-
/ tributions above some modest mini
/ mum.
Oppose Federal Powers.
| Further extension or Federal powers.
so as TO overshadow the State govern
! ments, viii be opposed; especially the
! suggestion that the process Of judicial
construction should be relied upon TO
/ produce this effect II will be insisted
that the General Government shoJid not
undertake the whole burden Of prevent
ing monopoly and regulating interstate
! commerce. but rather that the Federal
! Governments contribution 10 this effort
| should be complementary and supple
/ mental 10 that & the States.
Enforcement Of the criminal law
| against trusts and trust magnates will
! be demanded. Remedies proposed viii
/ be three in number: prohibition of du-
! plicating directors among competing
! corporations; a Federal license law for
/ corporations doing interstate business,
| under which the Government shall be able
| TO prevent stock-watering, and the Fed
| eraI and State governments shall be
| assured full regulatory power with
| prohibition to any corporation OF the
/ right TO control over 90 per cent Of the
! national aggregate Of the bLsIness in
I its line; and, third, a law compelling
such corporations 70 sell TO all buyers,
I wherever located, on the same terms
aside from allowance for transportation.
Legislation compelling foreign cor
| poratiOns to domesLicate themselves in
| each State where they do business. and
! to submit legal disputes to the state In
| stead OF the Federal courts, will be de-
manded.
Revision of Tariff.
On the tariff, the platform Will say in
! substance
I'VE welcome the beIated promise by
J the Republican party Of tariff revision,
| but cannot accept the dlctum that the
tariff should be revised by its friends
/ those friends under whose administra-
/ ton the present abuses have grown
up. The promise now made Of revision
! IS negatived by the use of the qualify
/ ing words under which present tariff
| inequities have developed We favor i'm
! mediate revision by reduction Of duties.
! Articles competing with trust products
| should be placed upon the free list.
/ Schedules affecting necessaries of life
! should be materially reduced Reduc-
! tions should be made in such other
| schedules as may be necessary to place
| the tariff on a revenue basis"
Income and Inheritance taxes will be
| demanded. with the submission OF a.
/ Constitutional amendment to authorize
/ levy Of such taxes The swollen for
I tunes already existing are to be reduced
! by this process, but it will be declared
that prevention of future acquisition OF
such immense accumuIations is the
| safer policy, and will be that Of the
! Democratic party.
The Railroad Plank
The railroad plank is radical enough
/ TO suit any save the advocate OF Gov
| ernment ownership It's purpose is to
| secure the benefits Of Government
| ownership without the responsibilities.
| II that be possible. It will be demand
| ed that a valuation Of the roads be
made. based on the present cost of
reproduction; stock watering must be
| forbidden; railroads must be prohibited
! from engaging in any business except
| transportation. and rates must be re-
duced until they reach a point where
they viii yield only a reasonable return