Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-16

Y. JULY is, 1908.
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 ser
vice should be honestly and rigidly en-
forced to tho end that merit and ability
shall be the standard Of appointment and
promotion rather than services rendered
to political party.
PENSIONS.
| we favor generous pension policy
both as matter of justice to the sur
viving veterans and their dependents
and because 1t tends to relieve the
country of the necessity of maintain
Ing large standing army.
HEALTH BUREAU.
We advocate the organization of all
existing national public health agen-
cies into national bureau of public
health with such power over sanitary
conditions connected with factories,
mines, tcnements. child labor 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 agencies
AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICAL
EDUCATION.
The Democratic party favors the ex-
tension of agricultural mechanical and
industrial education. We therefore favor
the establishment Of district agricultural
experiment stations. the secondary agri-
cultural and mechanical colleges in the
several States.
POPULAR ELECTION or, SENATOR'S.
We favor the election of United states
senators by direct vote of the people
and regard this reform as the gateway
to other national reforms.
OKLAHOMA.
We welcome Oklahoma to the sister
hood of States and heartily congratulate
her on the suspicious beginning of
great career
ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.
The national Democratic party has for
the last Is years labored for the adj
mission of Arizona and New Mexico as
separate States of the federal Union
and, recognizing that each possesses
every qualification to successfully main
tain separate State government, we
favor the immediate admission of there
Territories as separate States.
GRAZING LANDS.
The establishment of rules and reg
ulations. If any such are necessary in
relation to free grazing upon the pub
lie lands outside OF forests or other
reservations until the same shall
eventually be disposed Of should be
left to the States respectively in which
such lands may be situated.
WATERWAYS.
Water furnishes tho cheapest means
of transportation and the national
government. having the control of
navigable waters should improve them
to their fullest capacity. We earnest
ly favor the immediate adoption of a
liberal and comprehensive plan for
improving every water course in the
Union which Is justified by the needs
Of commerce and to secure that end,
we favor when practicable the con-
nection OF the great lakes with the
navisable rivers and with the gulf
through tho Mississippi river and the
navigable rivers with each other and
the rivers, bays ana sounds OF our
coasts with each other by artificial
canals with view to perfecting a
system OF inland water ways TO be
navigated by vessels of standard
draught.
We favor the ordination of the
various services OF the government
connected with water ways in one
service for the purpose OF aiding in
the completion Of such a system of
inland waterways; and we favor the
creation of fund ample for continu-
Gus work which shall be conducted
under the direction of commission
Of experts to be authorized by law.
POST ROADS.
We favor federal aid to State and local
authorities in the construction and
maintenance OF post roads.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.
We pledge the Democr ratio party to the
enactment OF a law to regulate the rates
and services OF telegraph and telephone
companies engaged in the transmission
Of messages between the States. under
the jurisdiction OF the Interstate COM
merce commission.
NATURAL RESOURCES.
We repeat the demand for internation-
al development and for the conservation
of our natural resources contained In
previous platforms, the enforcement OF
which Mr.. Roosevelt has va1nly sought
from reluctant party and to that end.
we insist upon the preservation protec-
ton and replacement OF needed forests.
the preservation Of the public domain
for homeseekers the protection of the
national resources In timber. coal. iron
and oil against monopollstic control the
development of our water ways for
navigation and every other useful pur-
pose. including the irrigation of arid
lands, the reclamation Of swamp lands,
the Qualification of stocks. the develop
ment of water power and the preserva-
ton OF electric power generated by this
natural force from the control Of mono
ercise of all powers. national State and
municipal both separately and incoopera-
ton. We insist upon a policy Of ad-