The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-07-16
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL
PLATFORM FOR THE
CAMPAIGN OF 1908

.
Denver. July 1s.-FoIiowing is the plat.
form adopted by the democratic national
convention early this morning at the con-
clusion OF Its reading by Governor Has
kell, OF Oklahoma, chairman of the com
mittee on resolutions.
We, the representatives OF the demo
tcracy OF the United States, In national
convention assembled, reaffirm our belief
ia. and pledge our loyalty TO, the prin-
We rejoice al the increasing signs Of an
awakening throughout the country. The
various Investigations ave traced graft
and political corruption TO the representa-
tives OF predatory wealth and laid bare
1he INSCRIPTIONS methods by which they
have debauched elections n preyed upon
a defenseless public through the subServ-
tent officials whom they have raised to
places and power,
The conscience OF the nation is now
aroused TO free the government from the
grip Of those who have made Il a business
asset Of the favor-seeking corporations; IL
must become again a peoples government
and be administered 4, all is departments
equal rights to all and special privileges
TO none
'Shall the people ruler" is the over
ahadowlng issue which manifests itself
in all the questions now under Discus
To Many o~ffoehoIders.
Coinctdent with the enormous increase
H. III -" - NANS vi llIN I'LL
Der OF new officeholders.2 During the past
year l3,784 were added, costing SIG, 15S, 600,
and Az the past six years of republican adj
ministration the total number OF new Of
fees created. aside from many commits
sions, has been 99,318, entailing an addi-
tonal expenditure Of nearly $4,000, 900, as
der the cieyyeiand and S VeISSs eye sSmin Ip-
trations, which involved an expenditure of
= only Sc, 900, 000.s We denounce this great
and growing increase in the number of Of
"a AnnhnlnnTl. nu MT .nnlu 1InnACanCaY .tg - N1
ytasteful. but also as clearly indicating a
deliberate purpose on the part of the adj
ministration to keep the republican party
creasing the number OF its retainers and
dependents. Such procedure we declare
to be no less dangerous and corrupt than
the open purchase OF votes at the polls.
Waste Peoples Money.
The republican congress In the session
Just ended has made appropriations
amounting to $1,00S, 600, 900, exceeding the
total expenditures Of the past fiscal year
by $90,0OO,O0 o and leaving a deficit of more
than $50, 100000 for the fiscal year. We
denounce the needless waste of the peo-
pies money which has resulted in this APP
palling increase and shameful violation OF
all prudent conditions of government as
no less than a crime against the millions
of working men and women from whose
earnings the great proportion of these.
colossal sums must be extorted through
excessive tariff exactions and other indi-
rect methods. 1t Is not surprising that in
the face Of this shocking record the re-
publican platform contains no reference
TO economical administration nor promise
thereof in the future. We demand hi
a stop be put TO this %frightful extrava-
gance and insist upon the ~strictest eco
Monty in every department compatible
with frugal and efficient administration.
Cut Cars Power.
The House of Representatives was de-
signed by the fathers of the constitution
to be the popular branch Of our govern
ment, responsive to the public will, The
House of Representatives, %as controlled
In recent years by the. republican party,
has ceased to be a deliberative and legisla-
tive body, responsive TO the will OF q ma
Jortty of its members. but has come un-
der the absolute domination of the speak,
er, who has entire control of its delibera-
tons and powers OF legislation, We have
observed with amazement the popular
branch OF our federal government help
less to obtain either the consideration or
enactment of measures desired by a ma
Jority o. its members. Legislative govern
ment becomes a failure when one man in
the person of the speaker is more power
ruI than the entire body. We demand that
the House of Representatives shall again
become q deliberative body, cont. oiled by
a majority of the peoples representatives,
and not by the speaker, and we pledge
ourselves TO adopt such rules and regula-
tions to govern the House of Representa-
ives as Will enable a majority. of its
members to direct its deliberations and
control legislation.
Misuse of Patronage.
We condemn. as q violation of the spirit
of our institutions, the action Of the pres
ent chief executive in using the patronage
of his high office to secure the nomina-
ton of one of his cabinet officers. A
forced succession in the presidency is
scarcely less repugnant to public sentiment
than is life tenure in that office. No good
intention on the part of the executive and
no virtue In the one selected can Justify
the establishment Of a dynasty. The right
III the nRnnI9 m franIU oaloaf fhnf~ nf-
gated.
Campaign Contributions Il Publicity.
We demand federal legislation, forever
terminating the partnership which has ex-
listed between corporations of the country
and the republican party under the ex-
pressed or implied agreement that in re-
turn for the contribution of great sums Of
money wherewith to purchase elections
they should be allowed to continue sub
stantially' unmolested in their efforts to
encroach upon the rights of the people.
Any reasonable doubt as to the existence
of this relation has been forever dispelled
by the sworn testimony OF witnesses ex-
amtned in the insurance investigation in
challenged by the republican national
committee--of a single Individual that he
himself, at the personal request Of the
republican candidate for he presidency,
raised over a quarter Of a million of dol
lars to be used in a single state during
the closing hours OF the last campaign. In
OrOSr Cnat TINS practlCe snail be stopped
for all time we demand the passage Of a
statute furnishing with Imprisonment any
officer of a corporation who shall either
contribute on behalfo Of, or consent to the
contribution by, a corporation of any
money or anything of value to be used in
furthering the election of a president or
vice president of the United States or any
member of the congress thereof.
We denounce the action of the repub-
llcan party, having complete control Of
the federal government, for its failure to
pass the bill introduced in the last con-
gress to compel the publication Of the
names OF contributors and the amounts
contributed owerd campaign funds, and
point to the evidence of their insincerity
when they sought by an absolutely iTrele-
want and impossible amendment to defeat
the passage OF the bill. As a further evil
dence of their intention TO conduct their
campaign in the coming contest with vast
sums of money wrested from favor seek
ing corporations we call attention to the
fact that the recent republican national
convention at Chicago refused, when the
issue was presented to II, to declare
against such practices,
We pledge the democratic party to the
enactment of a law prohibiting any cor
pOratiOn from contributing TO a CampaiRn