The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1908-07-17

N0dhAhOoo anu AiOA &AAlJ Vi POAibACal IA
sues; and there is a general demand
for publicity in the collection and use
Of campaign funds SC that our citizens
may know whether a political party
has purchased its way into Office Oh
has won its victories by honest means
In the Chicago convention minor.
ity report of the committee on reso.
lutions, containing declaration In
favor OF publicity was overwhelming
ly defeated upon a roll call OF the con-
vention and the Republican party
placed itself squarely upon record in
favor of concealing the names of the
contributors and the amounts of their
subscriptions. BY a vote of So to /
In the committee, and vote OF more
than ten to one In the body of the con.
vention they confessed their guilt.
They thus admitted the charge so fire.
quently made by our party that Re-
publican success in the past has large
ly depended upon the vast sums Of
money collected from the great monop-
lies of the country and corruptly used
in the conduct OF its campaigns. Let
the voters of this country seriously
consider whether the refusal of the
Republican party to disclose the
sources and amounts of its election
finances is not a confession of the
debasing and corrupt use of moneys
in its campaigns.
1t Is eminently proper that this con-
vention should define the Democratic
attitude toward the regulation of
transportation companies and call the
attention of the country to the indis-
putable fact that it was only after
years of Democratic effort that an
amendment was made to the interstate
commerce law authorizing the commits
sion to establish reasonable rates
whenever 1t appeared that an exist
ing schedule was unjust and unreason-
able. The national platforms Of the
Republican party remained silent upon
this great question for years and the
fact that the necessary change was
advocated by a Republican president,
who succeeded only through the aid OF
the Democrats in both branches Of
congress in placing the amendment
upon our statute books, does not affect
the credit to which our party is en-
titled for having worked persistently
for such an enactment.
Further amendment to our laws Civ
ing the federal government super.
vision over the issuance of railroad
stocks and bonds Is demanded
The fixing OF transportation charges
and the control of issuances of rail-
road securities are inseparably con-
nected with the actual valuation Of
railroads. The Democratic party be-
lieves that the first thing to do is to
secure physical valuation of the
roads, that is valuation Of the solid
than the liquid assets of rail-
road companies. While, on the other
hand, the Republican party, on roll
call in the convention, by an over
whelming vote, took an unequivocal
stand in favor of system of water
rates without giving the people the
benefit of meter.
We search in vain for one syllable
In the Chicago platform pledging the
party to retrenchment and
reforms; and it Is no mere coincidence
that has given us billion-dollar ses-
sion Of congress on the eve of ma
tional election and the possible re-
vision of the tariff
So long as we maintain the present
method of electing United States SEN
ators we cannot hope that the upper
chamber of congress will reflect the
popular will.
On five different occasions the house
If representatives has passed con-
'titutional amendment providing for
he election of United States senators
~ the direct vote of the people, but
hese measures have been sandbagged |
n the senate by those who are deter |
mined that the senate shall not be-
'ome an integral part of our free, rep
institutions.
The Democratic party will continue |
o labor for the direct election of |
United states senators, and 1t appeals |
o the voters of all America to elect |
members of the different state legisla-
ures who will pledge themselves to
Tote for no candidate for the United |
states senate that is not in favor of |
his reform.
On the bosom of the Pacific will be
nacted the great commercial strug-
lies of the future, and the interests of |
american commerce in connection
With the exposure of our western
hores to any hostile attack will de-
nand that the greater portion OF the
navy shall be retained In the
waters of the Pacific to preserve the
eace of the world
This magnificent western country of
urs has not only proved attractive to
'ur own people and the other white