Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-07-17

Denver, July Following is
summary of the Democra' ic national
platform.
oFFICEHoLDERs.
We denounce the great I'd growing
Increase in the number of officeholders
as not o1ly unnecessary and wasteful
bus also as clearly indicating delib-
crate purpose On the part Of the adj
ministration to keep the Republican
party in power at public expense by
thus increasing the number of its re-
tainess aDd dependents.
ECONOMY.
The Republican congress in session
just ended has made appropriations
amountingsto 81 Jos, 900, 900, exceeding
the total expenditures of the past fiscal
year We denounce the needless waste
of the peoples money which has re-
suited il this appalling increase as
shameful violation of all prudent con-
ditions of government, as no less than
a crime against the million of work
ingmen and women from whose earn
lngs the great proportion of these col
ossal sums must be extorted through
excessive tariff exactions and other in
different methods.
| MIS- USING PATRONAGE.
! We condemn as a violation of the
1 spirit of our institutions the action of
the present chief executive in using
the patronage OF his high office I o Sc
cure the nomination of one of his cabi-
net officers. A forced succession in the
| presidency is scarcely less repugnant
to public sentiment than is life tenure
in that office.
CAMPAIGN FUNDS.
We demand federal legislation for
ever terminating the partnership
which has existed between corpora
tlons of The country and the Republ-
can party under the expressed or i'm
/ piled agreement that in return for the
contribution of great sums of money
wherewith to purch Sc elections, they
should be allowed to continue sub
stantially unmolested i'll their efforts
to encroach upon the rights of the peo-
pie.
Any reasonable doubt as to the ex-
list nee of this relation has been forever
dispelled by the sworn testimony of
witnesses examined in the insurance
Investigation in New York and open
admission unchallenged by the Re-
publican national committee of a SIN
gle individual that he himself at the
personal request of the Republican
candidate for the presidency raised
over quarter of a million of dollars to
1 be used in a single state during the
closing hours of his last campaign.
We pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of law preventing any
corporation contributing an amount
above reasonable minimum and pro-
vlding for the publication before cleo
ton of all such contributions above a
reasonable minimum.
TARIFF.
We faver immediate revision of the
tariff by the reduction ofimport du-
ties. Articles entering into competition
with trust-coltrolled products should
be placed upon the free list and mate
rial reductions should be made ia the
tariff upon the necessaries of life and
especially upon articles competing
with such Americ@ n manufactures as
are sold abroad more cheaply than at
home and graduate reductions should
be made IN such ether schedules as
may be necessary to restore the tariff
to a revenue basis
RAILROAD LEGISLATION.
We demand such enlargement of
the powers Of the interstate commerce
commission as may be necessary 10
compel railroads. to perform their duties
as common carriers and prevent dis
erimil alton and eXtortion.
We favor the efficient supervision,
and rate regulation of RAILROADS en-
gagged in interstate commerce to this
end, aud We recommend the valuation
of railroads by the interstate commerce
commission, such valuation TO take
into consideration the original cost of
reproduction and all elements of value
that. will render the valuation fair and
just.
We.favor such legislation as will
pr ohibit the railroads from engaging
IN business whic brii IS them int
competition with their shippers, also
legislation which will assure such re-
duction in transportation rates as con-
Aitions will uernnif care heinp taken