Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1908-09-18
Platform Adopted by Mise
souri, Democrats at JEFF.
ferson City.

adopted August 8, 1908 by the Demo-
cratic State Convention at Jefferson
City:
The Democracy Of Missouri, conscious
Of an inyulnerable recoal and confident
of victory in November, heartily en-
dorses, in every particular, the national
platform adopted at Denver, and pledges
to Bryan and Kern the editorial votes
of this great State.
We point to the superb school system
of Missouri as a monument to the INTEL
ligent public spirit and sound business
management of the Democratic party,
and we challenge the Republicans to the
issue, which their party organs have
raised, of converting the present state,
county, municipal and school district
securities into low-interest- bearing
Government bonds, which would reduce
the income Of the common schools from
this source fully two-thirds. We favor
continuance Of the liberal policy for
popular education in Missouri and re-
cognize in our public school system the
bulwark OF our free institutions, which
rest upon the virtue and intelligence Of
our people.
We challenge the Republican party
managers and Republican press OF the
state, who for years have charged the
Democratic party with Shooting the
school fund.-" to point to single dollar
not honestly accounted for in the more
than thirty years during which all the
executive departments Of the state were
under Democratic control. Through
many campaigns they clanored to "see
the books" For nearly four years they
have had control of the books. They
have utterly failed to make good any OF
their charges and should publicly
confess them to be false and libelous.
After clamoring for years to see the
books" in the State Capitol, and then
finding them SO perfectly kept and
every dollar Of public money so com.
pletely accounted for that their SANDER
GUS tongues are forever silenced, they
are put to shame by the disclosure Of
shortage Of S6i 800 in the Sub-treasur.
at st. Louis while in charge Of the Re-
pabliean National Committeeman fcor
Missouri.
The Democratic party favors the fair
est and fullest expression of the voter
at the polls, and pledges an honest anC
sincere purpose to protect the integrit!
of the ballot. In accord with this higl
purpose, the Democratic party has Civ
en- the state an absolute impartial elec
ton law, under the provisions of whicl
the Republicans have equal representa-
ton with the Democrats in Judges an
clerks at each polling place in the stat
and every possible safe guard is provide
for the prevention Of fraud and for tn
secrecy of the ballot OF the honest vote
and drastic penalties are prescribed 70
the punishment of those who violate tn
law. No fraud can be perpetrate
without the consent and connivance {
the judges and clerks of both partie
appointed upon the recommendation
their respective committees If,
spite of these safeguards, fraud is pei
petrated at any election or primary, tn
! Democratic party favors the amend
ment OF the law, 80 that the ballot be
may be opened, if necessary, to the SUI
cessful prosecution and conviction
those who violate its provisions, and v
demand the vigorous prosecution Of a
Eviolators OF the law without fear or iav,
or hope of mere partisan advantage.
In striking contrast with this fair al
impartial Democratic law is the brut
> record Of the Republican party leade
when in power in this state, when tn,
. not only refused Democratic represe
: tation in judges and clerks, but
, purely partisan advantage depriv
General Frank P. Blair and thousan
Of other honest, law-abiding and 10y
' citizens Of the state Of the right to vo
r and In order to defeat the honestly e
: pressed will of the people burned u
ballots which their own judges a
clerks had accepted as legal, for I
: purpose Of giving to Republicans I
Il Offices to which Democrats were faiI
. elected.
We denounce the insincere pretense
the Republican press and Republic
. party leaders in their loud and IA
clamor for fair elections. We gla
+, challenge a comparison Of the reco
"a Of the two leadiag parties in Aiisso
on this important issue
le We condemn the action of the Rep
ol licah party bosses in their effort
nullify the primary Law in this state
fixing the state ticket in secret eau
"a in advance Of the primary election.
3 We favor an amendment to the |
mary law prohibiting the members
one Of the parties participating in
lnnrninaiinn .nf fka candidate Of annll