The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1908-09-24

port from the beneficiaries of the high
protective tariff rs 1t has always here
tOfore received from them, and to the
further fact that during years Of un.
interrupted power no action whatever
has been taken by the Republican con-
gress to correct the admittedly existing
tariff iniquities.
We favor immediate revision of the
tariff by the reduction of import du-
ties. Articles entering into competition
with trust controlled products should
be placed upon the free list. and mate.
:ial reductions should be made in the
tariff upon the necessarles of life. es-
pecially upon articles competing with
such American manufactures as are
sold abroad more cheaply than at
home, and graduate reductions should
be made in such other schedules as
may he necessary to restore the tariff
to a revenue basis.
Existing duties have given to the
manufacturers Of paper shelter be-
hind which they have organized com.
binations to raise the price Of pulp and
of paper, thus imposing tax upon the
spread Of knowledge. We demand the
immediate repeal Of the tariff on pulp,
print paper. lumber. timber and logs
and that these articles be placed upon
the free list.
The house Of rep.
Arbitrary Power resentatives was de-
Of Speaker. signed by the To-
theirs of the consti-
tuition to be the popular branch Of our
government, responsive to the public
will.
The house Of representatives, as con-
trolled in recent years by the Repub
Iican party, has ceased to be deliber.
alive and executive body, responsive
to the will Of majority of its men,
bers, but has come under the absolute
domination Of the speaker, who has
entire control Of its deliberations and
powers of legislation.
We have observed with amazement
the popular branch Of our federal gov
eminent helpless to obtain either the
consideration or enactment Of meas
ures desired by majority of its men,
bers.
Legislative government becomes a
failure when one member in the per-
son Of the speaker Is more powerful
than the entire body.
We demand that the house of repre-.
sentatives shall again become delib-
erative body, controlled by majority
Of the peoples representatives and not
by the speaker, and we pledge our
selves to adopt such rules and regula-
tons to govern the house of represent
members to direct its deliberations and
control legislation.
We demand fed.
Publicity Of eral legislation for
Campaign ever terminating the
Contributions. partnership whic b
has existed betweea
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 elec-
tons. they should be allowed to con-
tinue substantially unmolested in their
efforts to encroach upon the rights of
the people.
Any reasonable doubt as to the ex.
istence Of this relation has been for
ever dispelled by the sworn testimony
of witnesses examined in the insurance
investigation IN New York and the
open admission. unchallenged by tho
Republican national committee. Of .
single Individual that he himself. at
the personal request of the Republican
candidate for the presidency, raised
over $250.OOO to he ased in q single
state during the closing hours of the
last campaign. In order that this prac-
tice shall be stopped for all time. We
demand the passage Of statute pun
ishing with imprisonment any officer
Of corporation who shall either con-
tribute OH behalf Of or consent to the
contribution by corporation of any
money or anything Of value to be used
In furthering the election Of presi-
dent or vice president of the United
States or Of any member of congress
thereof.
We denounce the action OF the Re
publican party, having the complete
control of the federal government. for
its failure to pass the bill. introduced
In the last congress. to compel the pub
lication Of the names of contributors
and the amounts contributed toward
campaign funds. and point to the evi.
dence Of their insincerity. when they
sought by an absolutely irrelevant and
Impossible amendment to defeat the
passage Of the bill. As further evi.
dence Of their intention to. conduct
their campaign In the coming contest
with vast su.ls of money wrested from
favor seeking corporations. We call at.
tention to the fact that the recent Re
publican national convention ut Chi
cago refused, when the plank was pre-
sented to It, to declare against such
practices.
We pledge the Democratic party tt
the enactment of law preventing any
corporation contributing to campaign
fund, and any individual from contrib
uting an amount above a reasonable
minimum, and providing for the pub