The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-07

This policy of development was
strongly urged in former Democratic
national pla forms and so earnestly
both houses of congress, stands in
Driil1ant contrast with the imperial
policy of the Republican party in the
exploitation of distant territory for the
benefit of favored few. 81
Witness the beneficent operation of
national irrigation which had it's origin
in the Newlands bill and which owes
Its place on our statute books, not to
the opposition of Republican leaders
In conference, but to Francis New
who labored in and out of season for
the reclamation of our arid lands un-
der federal aid and supervision.
The preservation of our forests and
the conservation of all our natural re-
sources were taken up by a Republi-
can president only after years Of agi-
tation by the Democratic party.
1t is the Democratic party that is
leading the fight for the improve
ment of our land waterways along
comprehensive and scientific lines.
The last Republican congress turned a
deaf ear to the appeals of the presi-
dent and refused to organize an in
land waterways commission to
examine and report upon the situation
and the opposition of the Republican
party to the policy of preserving and
developing our natural wealth in the
interests of the whole people, has its
origin in that unholy alliance between
the Republican party and the land
transportation monopolies of the
country.
The triumph of the people
can come only through the Democratic
party. for the life of its chief political
opponent is so absorbed into the
artificial life of the monopolies and
trusts that 1t excludes the hope that
the Republican party will ever be able
or willing to regain separate exist
ence which it can honestly discharge
its duty to the people.
Revision of the Tariff.
With the power and opportunity to
carry out Democratic principles we
Will be called upon to revise our tariff
laws in the interests Of the whole
people. This issue cannot be disposed
of by the assertion that the Republi-
can party also stands for tariff reform,
Republican revision and Democratic
revision are two different things.
The Democratic idea is that where
tain a system Of extortion the duty
should be removed from all trust
made goods, so that competition from
abroad may compel reasonable prices
to our own people. There is a vast
difference between the protection of
AhAOiiSdh lHuQSlTl6S ana lnc pIOIeC-
ton Of criminal monopolies.
The expenses Of our government,
even when most economically ad-
ministered, will always require sub
stantial tariff rates. for the customs
duties will always be our chief source
of revenue.
The distribution Of tariff rates must
always be established with special
reference to the expenditures of gov
eminent, keeping in view the greatest
good to the greatest number and partic-
ularly prohibiting the conversion of the
tariff into an accomplice of monopoly
in the robbery of the American con-
sumner. The Democratic idea is that
the collection of sufficient revenue to
meet the necessities of government
must be the basis for tariff regulations
and that the Republican policy Of ex-
Guiding competition by tax on the
American consumer which requires him
to pay greater prices at home than are
demanded abroad is a pernicious abuse
OF the tax system and a manifest in
justice to our own people.
An election is a party affair and the
people have a right to know before
casting their votes whether a campaign
is being financed by the trusts and
monopolies and just exactly what in
f1uences are being exerted to gain con-
troll, for it is not to be presumed that
large appropriations for election pur-
pOoOo al e bOil6 maui Inc tI6dSuT-
les of the corporations without an ex-
press or implied promise that the con-
tributors shall receive special benefits
in consideration of their subscriptions
Upon on no other subject has the Re-
publican party shown such bitter con-
tempt for the wishes Of the. people and
its refusal to use cash register in it's
political affairs clearly exhibits a
crookedness and dishonesty that will
not bear the light of day.
Campaign Fund Publicity.
In the Chicago convention a
minority report Of the committee on
resolutions. containing a declaration
in favor of publicity was overwhelm-
fngly defeated upon roll call of the
convention and the Republican party
placed itself squarely upon record in
favor of concealing the names of the
contributors, and the amounts Of
their subscriptions. BY vote of fifty
two to one in the committee, and a
vote of more than ten to one in the
body of the convention they confessed
charge so frequently made by our
party that Republican success in the
past has largely depended upon the
vast sums of money collected from
the great monopolies of the country
and corruptly used in the conduct Of
its campaigns. Yet the voters of this
country seriously consider whether
the refusal of the Republican party
to disclose the sources and amounts
of its election finances is not a con-
fession of the debasing and corrupt
use of moneys in its campaigns.
1t is eminently proper that this
convention should define the Demo-
cratic attitude toward the regulation
of transportation companies and call
the attention of the country to the
indisputable fact that it was only at
ter years of Democratic effort that
an amendment was made to the in
terstate commerce law authorizing
the commission 20 establish reason
able rates whenever it appeared that
an existing schedule was unjust or
| unreasonable. The national platforms
of the Republican party remained
silent upon this great question for
years and the fact that the necessary
charge was advocated by a Republi-