The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-07-17
Democratic National Platform

allowing is the platform adopted
The I1amocratic National Convention al
Denver: Preamble.
~. representatives of the Democracy
We. tTnited States in national conven-
Of the sSambled reaftirm our belef In and
ton assn onr LOYALTY to the principles of the
pledge oul
party oioice at the increasing signs of an
We rtJ y~ throughout the country The
awakehlniS1 rasti cations have traced graft
various, zeal corruption to the representa-
and pOf predatory wealth and laid bare
tyes unscrupulous methods 9y WHICH tney
have ueeUnneIess public through the subser-
the deleMciaIs whom they have raised to
o 0Iore and power. 90 tho nation is now
the TO 70 free the government from the
arousee +b b who have made it business
grip. o. Of the favor seeking corporations; II
asset u hocnme again the peoples. govern
msSt and be administered h IN a s G
partimnee Of Equal rights to all. and special
prliSsheIi the people ruler! is lne oVersna
shall is .n which manifests itself in all
dOWlhs now under discussion.
Office Holders.
o.,,o;dent with the enormous increase
T., 'Sxpenditures is Ike auui,ion tho Ia ct
number OF 0 Srnre added. costing $40 1856 OO0
year 25,iof last six years of the Republican
ana ~ iS trait the total number OF new
A a4nes created, aside from many Eon addi-
siOns; mwunoonditure of nearly $7O,OO0,O0O. as
tiOnal eA nPnIr 10279 new offices created I'M
agalInESoo 1GIeyeland and Mckinley ADMINS
a.1 Der ITs which involved an expenditure
Of only SG,OUo,Oolih is oraat and growing in:
We denoq Ihe number of ofticeholders as
clt" only unnecessary ana Waslelul' uu'
a nT as clearly indicating aeptratG pu f.
pose t tho Renublican party in power at the
keep tn nxnense by thus increasing the mum
puOlpltf iti rptainers and dependents; Such
Der o 81 we declare to be no less Danger
PpnS and corrupt than the open ui'i"'e
Of votes at the polls
Economy in Administration.
rho Republican Congress in the session
inst ended has ooo maze ma 6oo apypceeding the
a LtOi "prIlTnendtures of the last fiscal year
tota Zoo 6d0 600 and leaving a deficit OF more
ny io %'S sG0 600 600 for the fiscal year. 49,,
'H Ne Fdenounce the needless waste OF + tie
WI VIZ money which has resulted IN TINS
peoples increase as Il shameful violation
appamn' n7rudent considerations OF govern.
Of aii and rs no less than crime agalnst
E lIo millions of working men ana women
sor whose earnings the great proportions
HUN Ihosn colossal sums must be eXtorte0
OF tneI excessive tariff eXactions and
thor Indirect methods. 1t Is not sur m
G ;lp that in the face of this shocking rec
ord the Republican PLATFORM f iStratinS or
yafarence to economical ADMINISTRATOR VI
nromise thereof in the future. ,>.o
rTn demand that a stop be put 10 tils
frirhtful extravaganza ana insist upon .nt
rtrctpst economy in every Geparthiel1
st,nrnotible with frugal and efficient al
ministratlon.
Arbitrary Power of Speaker.
The House of Representatives was de-
snned Inv the fathers of the Constitution
to he the popular brancn 4i our i,, so'ein
The House of Representatives, as con
troled in recent years by the Repuolicaid
marty. has ceased to be deliberative ano
legislative body responsive TO the VIII OF
tho majority of the members, but has come
under the absolute domination OF the
Sneaker. who has entire control OF its de-
literations and powers of Legislation;
We have observed with amazement the
nopular branch of our Federal government
HELPLESS to obtain either the consl9eratlol
or enactment of measures desired Dy
majority of its members: e.,,
legislative government becomes Iall
ure when one member in the person OF
the Speaker is more powerful than the en-
tire body.
We demand that the House Of Repre-
sentatiyes shall again become dellee ia,
people's representatives and not ny ths
Speaker and we pledge ourselves to adop
such rules and regulations to govern INT
majority of it's members to direct its de
lterations and control legislation.
Misuse of Patronage.
We condemn as a violation of the sp1r1,
Of cur institutions, the action of the pres
ent Chief Executive in using the patronage
Of his high office to secure the NOMINATION
Of his Cabinet officers. \ forced success
sion in the Presidency is scarcely less re
pugnant to public sentiment than is life
tenure in that office. No good intention
on the part of the Executive. and no vir
tue in one selected can justify the estaD
lishment of a dynasty. The right of the
people to freely select their officials is in
alienable and cannot be delegated
Publicity of Campaign Contributions.
We demand Federal legislation forever
terminating the partnership which has eX
listed between corporations Of the countr!
and the Republican party under the ex
pressed or implied agreement that In re
turn for the contribution of great sums
they should be allowed to continue sub
stantially unmoleSted in their efforts t.
encroach upon the rights of the people.
ANY reasonable doubt as to the existenc,
Of this relation has been forever dispellet
BY the sworn testimony Of witnesses eX
ahmed IN the insurance Investigation IL
New York and the open admission. un
challenged by the Republican Nationa
committee, of Il single individual that III
himself. GA the personal request Of the
Republican candidate for the Presidency
raised raised over quarter of million OF dol
lars to be used in a single State. during
order that this practice shall be stopped
lor all time we demand the passage Of 6
statute Furnishing with imprisonment any
omcer in a corporation who shall either
hn1,1 4n 6f
contribution by a. corporation Of any
money money or thing of value to be used II
TWgrlherlng the election of q President OIL
VICE President of the United States or Of
any w. member sda OF the Congress thereof.
we denounce the action of the Republi
G Ena party, having complete control of the
ae pr government, for it's failure to pass
nj Yl introduced in the Congress to com
butourISe pu pup of the names OF contri
s %ddu campaign funds. and point to the
evidence evidence Of their insincerity when they
n USsn1 Dy an absolutely irrelevant and i'm
Of fS fbo e,; amendment to defeat the passage
iuto ene Dill AS a further evidence Of theil
co ,ehielon to conduct their campaign in the
Wrna.g contest with vast sums of money
tio rs'e ~ from the favor seeking corpora
recant we cal attention to the fact that the
C Event Republican National Convention a,
sa ntago refused when he issue was pre-
tees. ei"ie aSaihst sueh pfac
| enactmpn ietage the Democratic party to the
por ett;ent OF a law prohibiting any cor.
fnnd d', on. from contributing to campaign
aTna land ana any, individual from contributing
and aI nsu above a fixed reasonable sum
electip panoVidlng for the publication before
VI all such contributions.
No. Rights of the States.
UC prttl 4, with jefferson in "the sup,
riebtsV l Ihe State governments in all theil
ton ia as the most competent administra
Sun. ior our domestic concerns and the
tenSa s. 5ulwark against anti republican
the caSa and in 1.-The preservation OF
stitu ffitnepal government in its whole con
our naoaa vlgor as the sheet anchor OF
are peace at home and safety abroad" we
in tbapSpe osed to the Capitalization implied
that the e suggestions now frequently made
shoultdI due powers of the general government
ton Tberoe extended by judicial construc