The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
w. R Hearst Prssides At the
 Initial Meeting
HIGH IDEALS ARE SOUGHT
MT. Hearst Makes Forcible Address and Is Followed By Others Who Announce Their lndepend-
 ence of All Parties.


 About 250 men from S5 states met in the parlor of the Auditorium hotel to- day and made plans for the launching of new political party which is to take up the duties of honest and pro gressive Americanism where the old parties left off some years ago.
 As yet the party Is not named. That office will be performed by national convention after the republican and democratic nominations. The follow ing of the party is the Independent league which was organized in New York at the time William R. Hearst was a candidate for mayor, and which has since spread the leaven of it's prin- ciples and politics until now it is the second party of Massachusetts the bal ance of power in New York and Cali fornia and the menace of bossis min Illinois, New Jersey, Vermont, indiana and many other states.
 As chairman of the leagues provis- ional national committee appointed at conference in New York last Septem- Der, Mir. Hearst called the meeting of today to discuss future policies and
 
 plans. The committee of which MT. Hearst is chairman was authorized by the conference to call national con- vention, and the conference adopted a resolution in favor of dropping the name of League and adopting the broader name of the Independence party.
 This action vas taken after Chair nan Hearst hal delivered speech which brought forth the most unstinted applause.
 Hearst's Address. MT. Hearst delivered short address to the conference at it's opening, de- claring that the first purpose of the leagues platform is to restore the power of the government to the people, to make their will supreme in the prl- maries; in the elections and in the control of public officials after they have been elected"
 He declared against the use of money at elections except for literature for meetings and for legitimate appeals to the intelligence and patriotism Of the voter.
 Mr. Hearst asserted that it should be the task of the league to correct some of the evils of high finance and to frame conservative legislation which will encourage all legal business enter prses.
 He said: q plead for a national party devoted to the old American ideals: I plead for a permanent party, wholly nd lot fx,,tc c1x tl,. principles of Washington, Jefferson. Jackson and Lincoln. l define a party as a collection of individuals devoted to certain definite principles and ac- tive in politics to that definition that there is no national party in the United States today"
 'Let us inaugurate a party that Is founded on fundamental American prn- ciples that will be a national party in the true sense of the word and let us call 1t the national party if you will.
 High Ideals.
 For 20 minutes or more the tall, mus cuar, boysh looking New Yorker con- tinued to Lombard the situation with epigram, quotation and historical prece- dent, analysing existing conditions, thrusting with unerring accuracy at the weak spots in machine armor and hold
 
 have made the league a great national factor in less than two years.
 Charles A. Walsh. formerly secretary of the democratic national committee, was called to the chair by MT. Hearst after he had made his opening speech
 Next to the intrinsic strength the most significant feature of the meeting was the presence of MT. Walsh and John Temple Graves
 Alexander I. Brown, a Wall street law yer, and the very last speaker of the day, expressed the new doctrine of political in- dependence and political conscience in part in these words:
 Tn my youth l was taught to despise a turncoat Today l despise any man who votes the ticket of one party for more than a few years. I have no quarrel with parties, but in our times a man must change his politics occasionally if he wishes to keep right"
 The platform was reported by Clarence J. Shearn of New York. chairman of a committee appointed in September, 1907. to formulate the document. "The objects of the Independence league are to con- serve for the citizens of the United States the right and liberties won for them by the founders of this government says the platform, "and to perpetuate the princi- ples and policies upon which the nations greatness has been built,
 Tho league is devoted Ito the preserva- ton of American liberty. to honesty in elections, to opportunity in business, 10 equality before the law"
 Independent Platform.
 The declaration advocates direct nom- nations of all candidates. popular elec- tions of United States Senators and Judges, and legislation prohibiting the use of money at elections except for meetings, literature and the necessary travelling expenses of candidates An in come tax is advocated as is public own ership of all public utilities. when muni- cipa state and national governments are in a position to undertake this. The immediate purchase of the tele- graph lines Is made an issue separately. The referendum is indorssd, over-cap-