Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-10
DEMOCRATIC Ma
TIONAL PLATFORM
Clear Declaration of Principles With
True American Ring

ognition of the righteousness Of the
democratic position on the question:
out the people can not safely entrust
the execution of this important work
10 party which IL so deeply obli-
gated to the highly protected inter
ests as is the republican party. We
call attention to the significant fact
that the promised relief was post
poned until after the coming elsc-
ton. an election to succeed In which
the republican party must have that
same support from the benefcIaries
of high protective tarin as II has al
ways heretofore received from them;
and to the further fact that during
Ssars OF uninterrupted power no ac-
ton whatever has been taken by the
republican congress to correct the adj
mittedly existing tariff inequalities.
We favor immediate revision OF
the tarif by the reduction OF import
duties. Articles entering into COM
petition with trust-controlled pro-
ducts should be placed upon the free
list, material reductions should be
made In the tariff ON necessities of
life. especially upon articles compet-
ing with such American manufac-
lures as are sold abroad more cheap
ly than at home; and reductions
should be made in such other sched-
ules as may be necessary to restore
the tariff to q revenue basis.
Existing duties have given the
manufacturers Of paper q shelter be-
hind which they have organized com
binatiOns to raise the price OF pulp
paper, thus imposing a tax upon the
spread Of knowledge. We demand
the immediate repeal Of the tarin
on wood pulp. print paper, lumber,
timber and logs. and that these ar
ticles be placed upon the free list.
Abolish One Man Power.
Arbitrary Power OF Speaker The
house OF representatives was design
ed by the fathers Of the constitution
to be the popular branch OF the gov
eminent, responsive to the public
will. The house OF Representatives
as controlled in recent years by the
republican party has ceased to be- q
deliberative and legislative body re-
sponsive to the will OF majority Of
its members, but has come under the
absolute domination OF the speaker.
who has entire control of its delIber-
ations and powers OF legislation.
We have observed with Amusement
the popular branch Of our federal
government helpless to obtain either
the consideration or enactment Of
measures desired by majority OF its
members. Legislative government
becomes a failure when one member
in the person of the speaker Is more
powerful than the entire body.
We demand that the house OF rep
resentatives shall again become a de-
Lucrative body, controlled by a ma
tority OF the peoples representatives
and not by the speaker. and we
pledge ourselves TO adopt such rules
and regulations 10 govern the house
of representatives as to enable a ma
tority OF its members to direct it's de-
alterations and control legislation.
Publicity for Campaign Funds.
Publicity OF Campaign Contribu-
tions--We demand federal legisla-
ton forever terminating the partner
ship which has existed between cor
porations of the country and the re-
publican party under the express or
implied agreement that In return for
the contribution Of great sums Of
money wherewith to purchase cleo
tions they should be allowed to con-
tinue substantially unmolested In
their efforts to encroaeh npOn the
rights of the people.
Any reasonable doubt as to the
existence of this relation has been
forever dispelled by the sworn ;esti-
mony OF witnesses examined in the
Insurance investigation in New York,
and the open Observation-Disclosures
ed BY the republican national COM
mittee-of a single individual. that
he himself at the personal request Of
the republican candidate for the
presidency raised over a quarter Of
million dollars 10 be used In a single
state during the closing hours OF the
last campaign.
In order that this practice shall be
stopped for all time we demand the