Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-29
The Platform.

We, Independent American citizens,
representing the Independence party in
A state; ana two territories, nave met
in natioral convention to nominate, alb
sulutely independent of all other po-
IitlCal DartieS, candidates for PreSi-
tert and Vice President of the United
States.
our action is based upon d ,leIermi-
nation t. wrest the conduct of public
affairs from the hands Of selfish inter-
ests, political tricksters and corrupt
bosses, and make the government, as
the founders intended, an agency for
the common good.
At d Leriod of uneXampled rational
prosperity and promise, staggering
| blow was dealt to legitimate business
by the unmolested practice Of stock
watering and dishonest financicrlng.
| Multitudci of defencelesS investors,
| thousands of honest business man and
| an army of idle workingmen are. pay
| ing the penalty. Year by year, fostered
| by wasteful and reckless government
| tai extravaganza, by the manipulation
of trusts and by privilege creating
tariff, the cost of living mounts higher
and higher. Day by day the control of
the government drifts further away
| from the people and more firmly into
! the grip of machine politicians and
! party bosses. Our object is not to In
troduce violent innovations or start
| ling new theories. We, of the INDIE
| pcnGcncc party look back, as Lincoln
| did. to the Declaration of Independence
as the fountain head OF all political
| Inspirations. 1t is not our purpose to
attempt to revolutiOniZe the American
| system OF government, but 70 restore
! the action government to the principles
| of Washington and jefferson and Lin
| coin. 1t is not our purpose to effect a
radical change in the American system
of government. but to conserve for the
| citizens of the United States their priv
ilcses and liberties won for them by
the founders of this government and
to perpetuate the principles and pol
| icics upon which the nations greatness
| has been built.
DIRECT NOMINATION.
As Of first Importance in order to
restore the power of government to
the people to make their will supreme
in tile primaries, in the elections and In
| tn contro, of public officials after they
have been elected, we declare for direct
nominations, the initiative and refer
| end,un and the tight of recall.
| Representative government is now a
mockcry by the system of moderi
party conventions dominated by bosses
and controlled by cliuues We demand
the natural remedy of direct nominal
lions by which the people not onfy-alcct
but which is far more important, seiec,
their representatives.
THE REFERENDUM
We believe in the principle of the in
itiativc and referendum and we par
ticularly demand that no franchise
grant go into operation until the terms
and conditions have been approved by
popular vote in the locality interested
THE RECALL.
| We demand for the people the righ:
to recall public officials from the pub
lie service. The power to make officials
resides in the people and in them also
should reside the power to unmake and
remove from Office any official who
demonstrates his unfitness or betrays
the public trust.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT EI.EC-
TIONS.
OF next Importance in destroying the
power of selfish special interests and
the corrupt political bosses whom they
control is to wrest from their hand:
Il their main weapon, the corruption
i fund. We demand severe and effective
legislation against all forms of corrupt
/ practices at elections and advocate
prohibiting the use of any money al
elections except for meetings, literature
and the necessary travelling expense:
of candidates.
ECONOMY.
We demand honest conduct of public
Office and businesslike and economical
administration of public affairs and WI
condemn the sross extravaganza o.
federal administration and it's appal
ing annual increase in appropria tons
j Unnecessary appropriations mean un.
necessary taxes and unnecessary taxes
whether direct or indirect. are paid by
a the people and add to the cost of liv'
4 ing.
I OVER CAPITALIZATION II
We couae.nn The evil of over capital