The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-10-01
ENDORSES DENVER PLATFORM
Democrats Make the Usual Bids for the
Support of Wisconsin Voters
in Frantic Effort to Garry
State for Bryan
From Friday Daily

following is the text Of the platform:
GIVE, the Democratic party of Wis
onsin, in convention assembled, heartily
indorse the platform adopted by the
national Democratic convention and
pledge to the platform and candidates
our active and enthusiastic support;
and we especially commend the planks
Of the national platform with respect
to the reduction Of tariff duties, the
control Of trusts and combinations, the
physical valuation of railway property
and the election of United States sena-
tors by direct vote of the people.
I'VE favor the enactment of such
legislation in this state as will guar
antee deposits in state banks
''We favor the amendment Of the
primary election law SO as to authorize
political parties to call state conven-
tons for the purpose of adopting a
declaration of principles which shall be
binding upon their candidates for office.
"We favor an economic administra-
ton Of state affairs, to the end that
UdAdGIOA SuCilI uOG NC UNNECESSARILY UuIU-
ensome.
eve earnestly invite the co-opera-
ton of the electors of this state,
irrespective of party utilization, in sup
port of that eminent commoner, William
Jennings Bryan, and the distinguished
John W. Kern and the policies Of the
Democratic party.
Gin addition to the above declaration
, of party principles which we approve
as our platform, we recommend the
F., adoption Of the following resolution:
"We believe unreservedly in the
principle of primary election, bringing
home to the voter direct control Of
nominations.
believing this, we stand for all leg
islation that will tend more and more
| to perfect the primary election law with
| the motive always in view of making
it more and more expressive of the real
| sentiment of the voters, uncontrolled
| by the power of money, the influence
Of bossism or the greed of corporation
! desire.
"We hear with profound regret the
reports that come from every part of
Wisconsin telling of the golden flood
that enveloped the state during the re-
| cent contest for the Republican nomina-
+, ton for United States senator, cf the
, shameful expenditure of hundreds of
! Io 20 Jo11
make the power of money the dominat-
ing factor on this question, and not the
will of the people, and we are appalled,
at the charges publicly made that not
money by the successful Republican
plurality candidate, but that with his
! outpour Of gold he is accused of being
in close alliance with the privilege seek
/ ing corporations whose influence on
Wisconsin official life in the past has
been most demoralizing and damaging.
elf money can thus rule Wisconsin,
if the holders of swollen fortunes
made up from the returns of special
! privilege legislation can thus, by the
broadcast expenditure of their gains
! in every precinct and hamlet of Wis
consin through the corrupt bribery
of the electorate by the hiring Of
thousands Of voters and through in
fluencing the public press, be regis.
tered as the choice Of the people,
then we may as well do away with
our elections and let the fact plainly
be known that Wisconsin bows in
humble servitude as a worshipper of
Mammon.
"We, the candidates of the Democra-
tic party here assembled, do not be-
lieve the people of Wisconsin, the
unbought and unpurchasable voters
of the state, want money instead Of
men to rule and this stigma on
the fair name of the state shall rest
unchallenged.
GIVE, therefore, demand. that the
coming legislature Of the state rise
above partisanship and in behalf of
the honor of Wisconsin name a COM
mittee empowered by law to investigate
thoroughly, honestly and worthily the
extent of the influence of money and
corporations in the recent primary cam
paign.
'fWe demand further, full, complete
and stringent legislation to strengthen
the primary election law, reasonably
limiting the expenditure of money in
political campaigns, requiring the pub
licity before the primary and general
elections of all political accounts by
candidates or parties, and the adoption
of a law combining voters to their own
party primary; and such other provi-
sions as will carry out an honest en-
/ deavor to make the primary election
law as it should be, an instrument af-
fofding the voters Of Wisconsin oppor-
tunity to express their choice for nomi-
nations untrammeled by corrupt and
demoraizing influences.
owe heartily indorse the action of