Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-03-10
FIGHT OVER PLATFORM
Socialists Reject Report of Committee
ON Resolutions After Heated
Argument.

In a meeting not altogether har'
monious, the Socialists of Polk county
decided last Saturday to place county
ticket in the field for the coming elec
tion. The nominating convention will
be held in the Courthouse in Dallas
on Saturday, April IL, at which time
candidates for all county Offices will
be named.
Saturdays meeting was held for the
purpose Of arranging plans for con-
ducting the campaign, and was pre-
sided over by James X. Sears, oil
Mccoy. The attendance was not large,
the Socialists present being mostly
residents of Dallas and Falls City.
The meeting was not characterized by
that harmony that one would naturally
expect to prevail in a gathering OF
idealists, and more than one delegate
went home vowing vengeance on the
leaders who had thwarted some Of his
pet plans and ambitions.
The principal wrangle occurred
over the resolutions prepared and sub
mitted by the platform committee,
which was headed by DR.. T. V. B.
Embree, sometime chief apostle Of the
Middle -of-the- Road Populists in Polk
county. DR.. Embree's resolutions
were strongly disapproved by Chair
man Sears. and after lengthy and
somewhat heated discussion, were
voted down, Notwithstanding the
recommendation Of the platform COM
mittee that they be adopted. In their
place, Chairman Sears offered reso-
luton which met the approval Of a
majority Of the delegates. The report
Of the platform committee, which was
turned down, is as follows:
We, the Socialists OF Polk County,
declare:
We favor direct legislation election
OF all officers by the people; the right
of recall.
The placing of the necessaries OF
life on the free list, import duties to be
laid upon luxuries and for revenue
only.
The repeal by Congress of all laws
creating Federal Courts.
Public utilities to be owned by the
public and operated for the benefit of
the public.
We favor an eight-hour law for
labor.
We believe in the right OF labor to
organize for mutual protection.
We believe In the right of free speech,
free press and a free ballot.
We favor equal suffrage for both
sexes.
We indorse the National Socialist
platform.
We favor putting out full county
and state ticket.
We invite all parties to investigate
and study Socialism:
T. V. B. Embree,
w. l.. Barnhart,
J. W. Miller,
Committee.
The following resolution, introduced
by DR.. Embree, was also defeated:
IbcbOlfOQ budb WO, J1O OOcldlAbIo Vi
Polk county, believe in the principle
of electing United States Senators by
direct vote OF the people, and that we
pledge each other that we will not vote
for any candidate for the Legislature
who will not pledge himself to vote
for the peoples choice as expressed at
the polls. first and last.
Resolved further that we will use all
honorable aud legitimate means to
defeat any candidate for the Legisla-
ture who is opposed to Statement No
and who shall attempt to explain its
meaning as an "idle pledge" which
can be construed differently from its
true letter and spirit.
"Be it further resolved that we ask
all Socialists of the state of Oregon to
unite with us In upholding the Pri-
mary election law, which gives the
voters of Oregon the nearest approach
of electing a Senator by direct vote
Of the people Of any state In the
Union"
Chairman Sears resolution, which
was adopted over the protest Of DR..
Embree and his followers, indorses
the State and National platforms Of
the Socialist party; calls for the nomi-
nation Of ticket for the coming elec-
tion, and denounces the Penrose
postal law as a menace to the freedom
OF speech and of the press, and as an
effort to prevent the education Of the
people on subjects Of vital interest