Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-07-17
Democratic Platform Adopted and the
Nominations Made at Denver.

The Democratic National Convention held
at Denver last week nominated William
Jennings Bryan, of Nebraska, for President,
and John W. Kern, of Indiana, for Vice
President and adopted the following plat
form:
We, the represen tativss OF the Democrats
Of the United States, in national convention
assembled, affirm our belief in and pledge
our loyalty to the principles OF the party.
We rejoice ct the increasing signs OF an
awakening throughout the country. The va
rious Investigations have traced graft and
political corruption to the representatives OF
predatory wealth, and laid bare the unscru-
pulous methods by which they have debauch-
public through the subservient officials whom
they have raised to place and power.
The conscience of the nation Is now arous-
ed 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 peoples government, and be admin
istered In all the departments according to
the Jeffersonisn maxim of "equal rights to
all and special privileges to none"
owing issue which mAnifests itself in all the
questions now under discussion.
OFFIcEHoLDERs.
Coincident with the enormous increase In
expenditures is like addition to the number
of oficeholders. During the past year 49,
1874 were added, costing Sic, lb6, 900, and In
the past six years Of the Republican admins
tration the total number Of new offices crea-
ted, aside from many commissions, has been
90, 3l9, entailng an additional expenditure
Of nearly $40, 900, 900, as against only lO,279
new Offices created under the Cleveland and
Mckinley administrations, which involved
an expenditure of only Sc, 100000.
We denounce this great and growing increase
In the number OF officeholders as not only
unnecessary and wasteful, but also as clear ly
indicating an administration to keep the Re-
publican party in power at public expense by
thus increasing the number of Its retainerso
and dependents. Such procedure we declar
to be no less dangerous and corrupt than the
open purchase of votes at the polls.
PUBLIC ECONOMY.
The Republican Congress in session jusl
ended has made appropriations amount
ing 10 $l,0Os, 900 900, exceeding the total
expenditures of the last fiscal year by $780,
OOO, 900, and leaving deficit OF more than
500, 900, 900 for the fiscal year.
We denounce the needless waste OF the
peoples money, which has resulted in this
ali prudent conditions Of government as no
| less than a crime against the millions OF
| working men and women, from whose earn
| ings the great proportion OF these colossal
sums must be extorted through excessive tar
| iff exactious and other indirect methods. 1t
| is not surprising that, in the face OF this
shocking record, the Republican platform
contains no reference to economical admins
tration or promise thereof In the future. we
/ ha mat In o
extrAvagance, and insist upon the strictest
economy In every department compatible
with frugal and efficient administration.
| ARBITRARY Power.
| The House Of Representatives was designed
| by the fathers of the Constitution to be the
| popular branch of our government, respcn-
sive 10 the peoples will.
The House Of Representatives, as controls
| ed in recent years by the Republican party,
| has ceased 10 be a deliberative and legislative
| body. responsive to the will OF majority OF
Its members, but has come under the abso-
lutte domination Of the Speaker, who has en-
tire control OF the deliberations and powers
of legislation. . -,
We have observed with amazement the
popular branch of our federal government
helpless to obtain either the consideration
or enactment Of measures desired by major
ity of its members.
Legislative government becomes failure
when one member in tn person OF the Speak
or is more powerful than the entire body.
We demand that the House OF Representa-
tives shall again become deliberaiivt
body, controlled bya majority OF the Peo-
pies representatives and not by the SPEAK
or, and we pledge ourselves to adopt such
rules and regulations to govern the hons'
of Representatives as will enable majority
of its members to direct its deliberations and
control legislation.
PATRONAGE
We condemn, as a violation Of the spiri
of our stitutions, the action OF the presen
chief executive in using the patronage OF hi
high office to secure the nomination of one
of his cabinet officers.
forced succession in the presidency Il
scarcely less repugnant to public sentimen
than is the life tenure In that office. Nc
good intention on the part Of the executive
and no virtue in the one selected can justify
the establishment Of dynasty. The RICH
Of the people to freely select their officials is
inalienable and cannot be delegated.
| PUBLICITY.
We demand federal legislation forever ter
minaling the partnership which has existet
between corporations OF the country and thu
Republican party under the expressed or i'm
piled agreement that in return for the con-
tribution OF great sums OF money wherewitt
to purchase elections they should be allowed
TO continue substantially unmolested in their
efforts to encroach upon the rights OF the peo'
pie.
ANY reasonable doubt as to the existence OF
this relation has been forever dispelled by the
sworn testimony Of witnesses examined In
the insurance Investigation in New York,
and the open admission, unchallenged by the
Republican National Committee, OF single
individual, that he himself at the personal
request of the Republican candidate for the
presidency raised over quarter OF million
of dollars 10 be used In single State dur
ing the closing hours OF the last campaign.
In order that this practice shall be stopp ed
for ell time, we demand the passage OF a
statute furnishing with imprisonment an Officer
Of 9 corporation who shall either contribute
on behalf OF, or consent to the contribution
by 9 corporation OF any money or thing Of
| value to be used ia furthering the election oil
Q President and Vice-President of the United
States or OF any member OF the Congress
thereof.
We denounce the action Of the Republican
party, having complete control of the federal
government, for its failure to pass the bill,
introduced in the last Congress, 70 compel
the publication of the names OF contributors
and the amounts contributed toward cam
paign FUNDS, ana point 10 Tue eVioonco vi
their insincerity when they sought by an ABB
soutely irrelevant and impossible amendment
to defeat the passage of the bill. A further
evidence OF their intention to conduct their
campaign in the coming contest with vast
sums OF money wrested from favor-Seeking
corporations, we call attention to the fact
that the recent republican national conven-
ton at Chicago refused, when the plank was
presented TO it, TO decide against such prac-
| tees.
enactment Of law preventing any corpora
ton contributing to q campaign fund, and
any individual from contributing an amount
above 9 reasonable minimum, and pro-
viding for the publication before election
Of such contributions above a reasonable
minimum.