The Tupelo journal., 1908-07-17

on behalf of, or consent to the contri-
button by. corporation of any money
ing the election of a president or vice.
president of the United States or of any
member of the congress thereof.
we denounce the action of the Re-
publican party, having complete con-
troll of the federal government, for it's
failure to pass the bill introduced in
the last congress to compel the publ
cation of the names of contributors and
the amounts contributed toward cam
paign funds, and point to the evidence
or their insincerity when they sought
sible amendment to defeat the passage
of the bill AS further evidence of
their intention to conduct their cam
paign 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 convention at Chicago refused
when the plank was presented to it to
declare against such practices.
We pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of a law preventing any
iund and any individual from contrib
uting an amount above a reasona be
maximum and providing for the publ
cation before election of all such con-
trlbutions above reasonable mini
mum.
Rights of the States.
Believing, with jefferson. in 'the
support of the state governments in
all their rights as the most competent
administration for our domestic con-
Germs and the surest bulwark against
Republican tendencies" and in
the preservation of the general gov
eminent in it's whole constitutional
vigor as the sheet anchor of our peace
at home and safety abroad. we are OPP
these suggestions. now frequently
made, that the powers of the govern
ment should be extended by judicial
construction. There is no twilight zone
4
which exploiting interests can take
refuge from both; and it is as neces-
sary that the federal government shall
exercise the powers delegated to 1t as
1t is that the state governments shah
use the authority reserved to them. but
we insist that federal remedies for the
regulation of interstate commerce and
for the prevention of private monOp-
oily shall be added to, not substituted
for, state remedies.
Tariff.
We welcome the belated promise of
tariff reform now affected by the Re
publican party In tardy recognition of
the righteousness of the Democratic
position on this question: but these
cution of this important work to n
party. which is so deeply obligated to
the highly protected interests as is the
the significant fact that the promised
relief was postponed until after the
coming election-an election to succeed
in which the Republican party must
have that same support from the
benehciaries of the high protective
tariff as it has always heretofore re-
ceived from them; and to the further
ed power no action whatever has been
taken by the Republican congress to
correct the admittedly existing tariff
iniquitieS.
We favor immediate revision of the
tariff by the reduction of import duties.
Articles entering into competition, with
placed upon the free list and material
reductions should be made in the tariff
upon the necessaries of life especially
upon articles competing with such
abroad more cheap1y than al home; and
graduate reductions should be made in
such other schedules as may be neces-
sary to restore the tariff to revenue
basis.
Existing duties have given to the
manufacturers of paper shelter be-
binations to raise the price of pulp and
of paper. thus imposing a tax upon the
spread of knowledge.
We demand the Immediate repeal of
the tariff on pulp print paper. lumber,
timber and logs and that these articles
be placed upon the free list.
Trusts.
private monopoly is indefensible
and intolerable. We. therefore, favor
the vigorous enforcement of the Grim
inal law against guilty trust magnateS
and officials. and demand the enactment
of such additional legislation as may
be necessary to make it impossible for
private monopoly to exist in the Uni
ted States. Among the additional rem
edies we specify three: First, a law
preventing a duplication of directors
among competing corporations; second.
a license system which will, without
abridging the right of each state to
ulate as it will foreign corporations
doing business within its limits, make
1T necessary for a manufacturing or
trading corporation engaged in inter
state commerce to take out a federal
license before it shall be permitted to
control as much as 25 per cent. of the
product in which it deals, the license to
protect the public from watered stock
and to prohibit the control by such cor
pOration of more than so per cent of
the total amount of any product con-
summed in the United States; and third.
a law compelling such licensed corpo-
ration to sell to all purchasers in all
parts of the country on the same terms.
after making due allowance for cost of
transportation.
Railroad Regulations.
We assert the right of congress to
exercise complete control over inter
state commerce and the right of each
state to exercise like control over com
merce within it's borders.
We demand such enlargement of the
powers of the interstate commerce corr
mission as may be necessary to compel
railroads to perform their duties as
common carriers and prevent discrim-
inatiOn and extortion.
We favor the efficient supervision and
rate regulation of railroads engaged
in interstate commerce, and to this
end we recommend the valuation of
railroads by the interstate commerce
commission, such valuation to take into
consideration the physical value of the
property, the original cost, cost of pro
duction and all elements of value that
will render the valuation made fair and
just.
We favor such legislation as will pro-
hibit the railroads from engaging in
business which brings them into compe
ttion with their shippers, also legislation
which will assure such reduction in
transportation rates as conditions Will
permit, care being taken to avoid reduc
tons that would compel a reduction of
wages, prevent adequate service or do
injustice to legitimate Investments We
heartily approve the laws prompting
the pass and the rebate, and we favor
any further necessary legislation to re-
strain, control and prevent such abuses.
We favor such legislation as will in
merce commission, giving to 1t the initia-
tive with reference to rates and trans
portation charges put into effect by the
railroad companies, and permitting the
interstate commerce commission on its
own initiative to declare rate Illegal
and as being more than should be
charged for such service. That the pres
ent law relating thereto is inadequate by
reason of the fact that the interstate
commerce commission is without power
to fix Investigate a rate until com
plant has been made to it by the shipper.
We further declare that all agreements
of traffic or other associations of rail
way agents affecting interstate rates,
service or classification shall be unlaw-
full unless filed with and approved by
the interstate commerce commission.
We faver the enactment of a law Civ
ing to the interstate commerce commits
sion the power to inspect proposed rail-
road tariff rates or schedules before thew
shall take effect and, if they be found
to be unreasonable to initiate an adjust
ment thereof.
Banking.