Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-07-22

PLATFORM OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. !
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shall be added to, not substituted for, state
We welcome the belated promise Of tariff
REFORM now affected by the Republican party
IN N tardy recognition Of the righteousness Of
put the people cannot safely intrust the
execution Of this important work to party
which Is SO deeply obligated to the highly
projected interests as is the Republican
party. We call attention to the significant
tact that the promised relief was postponed
until after the coming election--an election
10 succeed m; which the Republican party
must have that same support from the beDe.
nciarles OF the high protective tariff as 1t
has always heretofore received from then !;
and to the further fact that during years Of
uninterrupted power no action whatever has
been taken by. the Republican Congress- to
tqulties. 80 ~ Y 50
We favor the Immediate revision Of the
tarih by the reduction of import duties.
articles entering into competition with
upon the free list, and material reductions
should be made In the tariff upon the neces-
saries of life, especially upon articles COM
peting with such American manufactures as
are sold abroad more cheaply than at home I;
and graduate reductions should be made In
such other schedules as may he necessary
to restore the tariff to revenue basis.
Hxisting duties have given to the manu-
they have organized combinations to raise
the price OF pulp and of paper, thus impos-
ing q tax upon the spread OF knowledge.
We demand the immediate repeal Of the
tarih on pulp print paper, lumber. timber
and logs and TINT these articles be placed
upon the free list.
Trusts. i
A private monopoly is indefensible and
intolerable: We. therefore, favor the svlgor-
GUS Enforcement of the criminal law against
guilty trust magnates and officials and de.
mand the enactment Of such additional leg
1slatlon as may be necessary to make 1t i'm
possible u, for private monopoly to exist In
r ,s, United States Among the additional
preventing duplication Of directors among
competing corporations: second, a license
system which will, without abridging the
rignt OF each State to create corporations.
OF rs right to regulate as 1t will foreign
corporations doing business within It's linn
Its, make 1t necessary for manufacturing
or trading corporation engaged in Interstate
commerce. to take out a federal license be-
Tore 1t shall be permitted to control as
much as 20 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 corporation Of more
tnan 5O per cent of the total amount Of any
product consumed In the United States and
third, law compelling such licensed cor
poration to sell to all purchasers in all
parts OF the country on the same terms,
transportation. -;
Railroad Regulations.
We assert the right of Congress to e1er-
else complete control over interstate COM
merce and the right of each State to exer.
else like control over commerce within Its
borders. ti3.ts9 I.
We demand such enlargement of the DOW.
ers OF the Interstate Commerce Commission
aa may be necessary to compel railroads to
perform their duties as common carriers
and prevent discrimination and extortion.
We favor the efficient supervision and
rate regulation of railroads engaged In In
terstate commerce, and to this end we rec
ommend the valuation, of railroads by the
interstate Commerce Commission, such val
uations to take into consideration the ply
sical value of the property, the criminal
COST cost Of production and all elements Of
value that Will render the valuation made
fair and just. 49,
We favor such legislation as Will prohibit
the railroads from engaging In business
which brings them into competition with
their shippers, also legislation which viii
assure such reduction In transportation
rates as conditions will permit, care being
taken to. avoid reductions that would COM
pei reduction of wages prevent adequate
service or do Injustice to- legitimate Invest
ments: We heartily approve the laws pro-
limiting the pass and the rebate, and we
favor any further necessary legislation to
restrain, control and prevent such abuses. !
We favor such legislation rs will increase
the. power. Of the Interstate Commerce Com-
mission, giving to It the initiative with ref:
.erence to rates and transportation 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. Tint the
present law relating thereto lie inadeouate
by reason Of the fact that the Interstate
Commerce Commission ls without power to
NIX or Investigate rate until complaint
has been made to 1t by the shipper
We further, declare that all agreements Of
trafic or other associations of railway agents
affecting Interstate rates, service or classi-
tication' shall be unlawful unless filed with
and approved by the Interstate Commerce
Commission. =
We favor the enactment Of law giving
to the Interstate Commerce Commission the
power to inspect proposed railroad tariff
rates or schedules before they shall take
effect. and, II they be found to be unrea.
sonable, to initiate an adjustment thereof.
Banking.
The panic Of 1907, coming without any
legitimate excuse. when the Republican mar.
~ had for a decade been In complete con-
troll Of the federal government, furnishes
additional proof that 1t is either unwilling
or incompetent to protect the Interests Of
the general public. 1t has so linked the
country to Wall street that -the syndicate
sins Of the speculators are visited upon the
whole people. While refusing to rescue the
wealth producers from spolintion at the
hands Of the stock gamblers and spectators
In farm products. It has deposited treasury
funds, without interest and without com.
petition. In favorite banks. 1t has used an
emergency for which 1t Is largely RESPONSE
BILE to force through Congress a bill chang.
ing the basis Of bank currency and Inviting
market manipulation. and has failed to give
to the 49, 100000 depositors of the country
protection in their savings.
We believe that in so far as the needs of
commerce require an emergency currency.
such currency should be issued, controlled
by, the federal government and loaned on
adequate security to national and state
banks. We pledge ourselves to legislation
under which the national banks shall he