Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-07-22

Denver, Col.-The platform of the
Democratic party, as adopted by a
unanimous vote of the convention. is
as follows:
Preamble.
We, the representatives of the Democ-
racy OF the United States in national con-
Vention assembled reaffirm our belief in
a9d pledge our loyalty to, the principles
We rejoice at the increasing signs of an
aWakening throughout the country The
various Investigations have traced graft
and political corruption to the represen
fatives of predatory wealth and laid hare
the INSCRIPTIONS methods by which they
,have debauched elections and proved
subservient officials whom they have
raised to place and power.
me conscience of the nation is now
-aroused 70 Tree the government from the
grip of those who have made II a bust
ness asset of the favor-seeking corpora
e 10ns: IL must become again a peoples
Its departments according to the Jeffer-
sonian maxim Of equal rights to 'ls all
anu special privileges to none"
OmcehOIders.
Coincident with the enormous increase
I'm Expenditures is a like addition to the
number OF ofticeholders. During the last
and in the last six years of the Repubo
ncan administration the total number
commissions, has been 99319, entailing
an an additional expenditure of nearly $7O,-
.oOO, 600. as against only 1929 new offices
created under the Cleveland and McKin-
ley administrations, which involved an
expenditure of only $500 900. We de n
nounce this great and growing increase
IN the number of officeholders as not only
unnecessary and wasteful. but also as
clearly indicating a deliberate purpose on
me part OF the administration to keep
the Republican party in power at public
expense by thus increasing the number
procedure we declare to be no less dan
-gerous and corrupt than the open pur-
chase of votes at the polls.
Economy In Administration.
The Republican congress in the session
Just ended has made appropriations
amounting to $l.00S, 0O0.0C0 exceeding the
total expenditures of the past fiscal year
Oy S9OOOO,OO 600 and leaving deficit of more
than $6OOO0,O0O for the fiscal year We
denounce the needless waste of the peo-
pies money which has resulted in this
appalling increase as a shameful viola
ton of all prudent conditions of govern
ment as no less than crime against the
tnillonS OF Workingmen and women from
whose earnings the great proportion of
these colossal sums must be extorted
Snnrrough excessive tariff eXactions and
other indirect methods. 1t is not surpris-
ing that: in the face of this shocking
record: the Republican platform contains
no reference to economical administra-
zion or promise thereof in the future We
demand that a stop be put to this fright
-fui extravaganza and insist upon the
rstrictest economy in every department
ministration. 80
Arbitrary Power of Speaker.
The house of representatives was de-
Slgned by the fathers of the constitution
ITO be the popular branch of our govern
ment. responsive to the public will
The house of representatives, as con-
trolied in recent years by the Republican
party. has ceased to be a deliberative and
legislative body. responsive to the will
OF majority of it's members but has
come under the absolute domination of
She speaker. who has entire control of its
deliberations and powers of legislation.
We have observed with amazement the
POPULAR branch of our federal govern
ment helpless to obtain either the consid-
Grafton or enactment of measures desired
by majority of its members.
Legislative government becomes a fail
ure when one member in the person of
the speaker is more powerful than the
We demand that the house of renre
Asentatives shall again become a delib-
-erative body. controlled by a majority of
tne peoples representatives and not by
the speaker. and we pledge ourselves to
adopt such rules and regulations to gov
ern the house OF representatives as win
rect It's deliberations and control legis-
Misuse of Patronage.
We condemn, as a. violation OF the
spirit OF our institutions. the action of
the present chief executive in using the
patronage OF his high Office to secure the
nomination of one OF his cabinet officers
A forced succession In the presidency Is
scarcely less repugnant to public senti-
ment than Is life tenure in that office.
No good intention on the part of the ex-
ecutve and no virtue in the one selected
can justify the establishment of a
dynasty. The right of the people to free
~ select their officials is inalienable and
cannot be delegated
Publicity of Campaign Contribution.
We demand federal legislation forever
terminating the partnership which has
existed between the corporations OF the
country and the Republican party under
the expressed or implied agreement that
IN return for the contribution OF great
sums OF money wherewith to purchase
elections they should be allowed to con-
tnue substantially unmolested in their ef-
forts to encroach upon the rights of the
Any reasonable doubt as to the exist
ence OF this relation has been forever dis
pened by the sworn testimony of wit
nesses examined in the insurance inves-
ugation in New York, and the open ad-
mission unchallenged by the Republican
national committee OF single Individual.
that he himself at the personal request OF
the Republican candidate for the pres
4oency raised over quarter of mil
Ion dollars to be used In q single state
during tho cloafng hOunn NJ fha lnof