The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-07-18
National Democratic Platform.

tons of the national democratic convention at Den
yer last week in the preparation of the declaration
of principles promulgated by the convention.
The platform perfected represents not only the
renting toll of mature minds, but also the genius
of the hour. 1t is up to date in all of its depart
nents rejecting the hopes and expectations of the
aroused constituency of the nation at large.
1t endorses the issues that had their birth in demo-
cratic intention and have been stimulated by the ag
gressve zeal of a republican president, who thereby
gained for himself lasting place in the affections
of the people.
With an inconsistency that can be accounted for
other hypothesis than that the fortune swollen
interests in control, the party of the president
refused to give these issues its endorsement
1t would merely have neglected to endorse Them
instead of refusing but for the presence in the vast
republican convention assemblage of one man, only
one who courageous enough to place the dis
credited issues before that body and urge their adop
ton. The world knows that they nearly unan-
nously and almost Indignantly rejected by the
publican convention.
They came from the thought of Senator La Foil
cite and were placed before the convention by Rep
resentative Cooper of Mr. La Follette's state They
reflected the executive efforts of President Roose-
welt
The democratic convention at Denver incorpor-
ated into its platform nearly all of the panks of the
La Toilette minority report, cast out by the republ
can convention at Chicago.
The democratic convention committed the party to
a law compelling publicity of campaign contribu-
tons 1t demanded the reduction Of duties art
icles that can be made to compete with the products
of trusts. 1t called for physical valuation of rail
road property as a basis upon which to establish
transportation charges 1t favored legislation for the
relief of labor from harsh and unnecessary njunc-
ton proceedings and the right of trial when charged
with contempt. 1t pledged the party to the creation
of department of labor and mining 1t placed
itself record the advocate of the election of
United States senator's by direct of the people
These the features of the minority report
defeated by the republican bosses at Chicago Much
farther the democratic convention travelled along the
road that leads in the direction pointed by the
aroused hopes of the l-used millions of the United
States.
The platform commands halt in the extrava-
gance Of the servants of the nation, saying
The republican congress in the session just ended
has made appropriations amounting to $1,00S 100000,
exceeding the total expenditures of the past fiscal
year by $90000000 and leaving deficit of more than
$60000,000 for the fiscal year.
We denounce the needless waste of the peoples
money which has resulted in this appalling increase
as shameful violation of all prudent conditions of
government and as no less than a crime against the
millions of working and from whose
earnings the great proportion of the colossal sums
must be extorted through excessive tariff exactons
and other indirect methods 1t not surprising that
in the face Of this shocking record the republican
platform contains reference to economic admins
traton or promise thereof in the future. We de-
mand that stop be put to this frightfu extrava-
gance and insist upon the strictest economy in every
department compatible with frugal and efficient adj
Coincident with the enormous increase in the ex-
pendtures is like addition to the number of office
holders. During the past year 23 784 were added,
costing S16,156000 and III the past six years of re-
publican administration the total number of new of