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

assembled, reafIrm our BELIEF In. and pledge
our loyalty to. the principles OF the party.
We rejoice at the Increasing signs Of an
awakening throughout the country. The
various Investigations have traced graft and
political corruption to the representatives
Of predatory wealth. and laid bare the UNI
scrupulous methods by which they have de-
bauched elections and preyed upon de-
fenseless public through TIE subseryient ON
cials whom they have raised to place and
power, :. :
The consciences-of the nation is now
aroused to free the government from the
grip OF those who have mnde 1t a business
asset OF the fayor.seeking corporations; It
must become again q peoples government,
and be administered In all Its departments
according to the. Jenersonians maxim Of
equal rights to all and special privileges
to none" -
shall the people rule Z" Is the over.shad-
owing Issue which mNnifcsts itself in all
the questions now under discussion.
Omce-Ilolders.
Coincident with the enormous increase in
expenditures Is like addition to the num-
Der of ofice-holders. During the last year;
%, 1874 were added, costing 81 @, lac, 000 and
In the last six years OF the Republican ad-
sministration the total number Of new ofices
created, aside from many commissions has
been 90. S19, entailing an additional expendi-
sture Of nearly $10,000,OO0, as against only
l0,2 new offices created under the Cleve-
land and Mckinley administrations. which
We denounce this great and growing I'm
crease in the number of Office holders as not
only unnecessary and wasteful but also as
clearly Indicating deliberate purpose on
the part of the administration to keep the
Republican party in power at public expense
by thus increasing the number OF Its retain
sers and dependents. Such procedure we
declare to be NO less dangerous and corrupt
than the open purchase Of votes at the polls
Economy I'm Naturalization.
The Republican Congress- In the session
Just ended has made appropriations amount.
ing to $l,O0S, 100000. exceeding the total
expenditures of the past fiscal year by $780,
000,0 900, and leaving deficit Of more than
SOC, 900, 600 for the fiscal year. We denounce
the needless waste of the peoples money
which has resulted in this appalling Increase
as a shameful violation Of all prudent con-
Z dttions OF. government. as no less than a
crime against the millions OF workingmen
and women from whose earnings the great
proportion of these colossal sums must he
extorted through excessive tarin exactions
and other indirect methods. 1t Is not sur
prising that. In the face OF this shocking
record, the Republican platform contains no
reference to economical administration or
promise thereof in the future. We demand
that stop be put to this frightful extrava-
gance and insist upon the7strlctest economy
In every department compatible with frugal
and efficient administration. y
Arbitrary Power of speaker.
The House OF Representatives was de-
signed by the fathers Of the Constitution to
be the popular branch Of our government,
responsive to the public Will
The House OF Representatives, as con-
trolled in recent years by the Republican
party, has ceased to be deliberative and
legislative body, responsive to the will OF a
majority of Its members, hut has come under
the absolute domination Of the Speaker, who
has entire control of its deliberations and
powers OF legislation.
We have observed with amusement fte
popular branch of our federal government
helpless to obtain either the consideration
or enactment Of measures desired by ma
1orfty of Its members.
Legislative government becomes a fall
sure when one member in the person of the
Speaker is more powerful than the entire
body
satiyes shall ngain become a deliberative
body, controlled. by a majority OF the peo-
pies representatives and not by the Speaker.
and we pledge ourselves to adopt such rules
and regulations to govern the House Of Rep
resentatiyes ns will enable majority of Its
members to direct its deliberations and con-
troll legislation.
s Misuse OF Patronage,
We condemn. as violation Of the spirit
Of our institutions the action Of the present
chief executive In using the patronage of
one of his cabinet officers A forced success
sston IN. the prasidpncy- scarcely less re,
pugnant to public sentiment than Is life
tenure In that ONCE. No good intention on
the part Of the executive and no virtue in
the one selected scan justify the establish
mentsofsa dynasty. The right Of the people
T to freely select their officials is inalienable
and cannot be delegated.
Publicity OF Campaisn Contribution
We demand federal legislation forever ter.
nnlnating the partnership which has existed
between corporations of the country ana
the Republican party under the expressed or
implied agreement that In return for the
contribution OF great sums Of money where
with to purchase elections they should be
allowed to continue substantially unmolested
IN their efforts to encroach upon the rights
-of the people. + & q = =
Any reasonable doubt as to the existence
Of ibis relation has been forever dlspeled
BY, the sworn testimony of witnesses exam
ined In the insurance Investigation in New
York, and the open admission unchaiienged
by the Republican National Committee Of a
single Individual, that he himself at the per-
sonai request Of the Republican candidate for
the presidency raised over quarter OF a
million dollars to he used In a single State
during the closing hours Of the<.last .cam-
paign. In order that this practice shall be
stopped for all time, we demand the passage
of statute publishing with imprisonment
any cfacer Of a corporation who shall either
contribute on behalf of, or consent to the
contribution by, q corporation Of any money
Of thing Of value to be used in furthering
the election Of President or Vice Presi
dent 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 fed
seral government, for Its failure to pass the
bill introduced In the last Congress to COM
pei the publication of the names of contrib
utors and the amounts contributed toward
campaign funds and point to the evidence
OF their insincerity when they sought BY
an absolutel Irrelevant and Impossible amend,
ment to defeat the passage of the bill, As
further evidence Of their intention to con-
duct their campaign In the coming contest
with vast sums of money wrested from IA.
vor-seektng corporations, we call attention
to the fact that the recent Republican ma.
tional convention at Chicago refused when
tho plank was presented to 1t to declare
against such practices. ~
We pledge the Democratic party to the
enactment Of law preventing any corpora
tion contributing to campaign fund and
any individual from contributing nm amount
above q reasonable maximum and providing
for the publication before election Of iii
imum. 81 - -
Rights of the states.
Believing, with Jefferson, in "the sunport
Of the state governments In all their rights
es the most competent administration for
our domestic concerns and the slrest blll-
wark against antl-republicans tendencies,
and In the preservation of the general gov
eminent In Its whole constitutional vigor az
the sheet anchor Of our peace at home and
safety abroad, we are opposed to the cen.
traitzation implied In these suggestions. now
/ frequently made, that the powers }of fhe
general government should be extended by
judicial construction. There Is no twilight
zone between the nation and the state In
which exploiting interests can take refuge
from both; and 1t is as necessary that the
federal government shall exercise the pow
ers delegated to 1t as 1t Is that the state
governments shall use the authority reserved
to them, but we Insist that federal remedies
for the regulation of Interstate commerce
and for the prevention of private monopoly
WITH THE sAaEs.