The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1908-07-04
Reform Policies Rejected

Some people seem to think that the nomination
of Taft by the republican national convention spells
great triumph for President Roosevelt but a
| little study of the proceedings of the convention
and Of the platform adopted will convince any one
that the apparent victory is barren one The
ticket and platform both represent compromise in
which the opponents of the president had all the
best of it.
Roosevelt secured the nomination of his choice
for president and lot of fulsome praise in the
| platform which was nulliied by the ignoring Of
his policies.
The reactionaries dictated. the platform and
named of their trusted representatives for vice
| president
The reform element of the party, led by Senator
LaFollette secured nothing but the satisfaction of
putting the delegates on record on several import
| ant issues.
Both President Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft had urged
their party to enact legislation providing for pub
licity of campaign contributions but the conven-
ton refused to ndorse their position by vote of
$50 to 94
President Roosevelt had advocated the plan of
ascertaining the value of the railroads. as basis
for determining the fairness of freight rates, but
the convention turned down his suggestion by
vote of 917 to 63.
President Roosevelt had advocated increasing the
powers of the interstate commerce commission over
freight rates. but the convention recommended leg
islation to increase the latitude Of the railroads.
President Roosevelt had advocated an income and
inheritance tax but the convention entirely ignored
his recommendations.
President Roosevelt had advocated new law
against blackisting, but the platform is silent on
that subject
President Roosevelt had advocated laws to pre-
vent grosser forms of gambling in securities and
commodities, but not one word in the platform is
devoted to that recommendation.
President Roosevelt has demanded clear-cut
and effective limitation of the powers of the courts
to issue injunctons but the plank in the platform
on this subject is weak compromise.
The people have long demanded election of United
States senators by direct VOTE and the popularity
of the plan is demonstrated by the fact that it has
five times been indorsed by the lower house of con-
gress, yet the convention voted down declaration
in favor of the reform by vote of 866 to ia.
The old-line politicians had strength enough in
the convention by giving the crumbs to the reform
element, to retain the loaf for themselves. No
wonder that Senator LaFollette says that the
platform is disappointing in some fundamental pro-
visions and omissions" It must be disappointing
to the hundreds of thousands of the rank and file
of the party who have labored faithfully to wrest
the organization from the control of the politicians
representing the selfish interests, and who had
hoped to see this convention take advanced ground
on the question of reforms needed and demanded
by the people, They may try hard to enthuse over
the nomination of Taft, but this is about the only
crumb of comfort they can find in the proceedings
of the convention William Goodyear in the COL
fax Commoner
Relative to the primary law, it is matter be-