The Forrest City times., 1908-06-05

1 s We demand that the General As sembly refrain from passing special l laws in any case where general law Is. or can be. made applicable.
 Convict Lease System h Opposed. l 9. We believe that all competition between convict labor and free labor should as far as possible. be avoided. l We believe that the welfare of the con victs can be better maintained when | they are employed in work directly for l the benefit of the state and to do all that we can to this end favor work ing the state convicts on the public l roads, keeping only sufficient number | on the states farm to raise supplies to | elothe and feed themselves and those | engaged on public roads And we are unalterably opposed to the making of any further contracts by which any con 1 vict is leased or hired to any person, l firm or corporation. and we especially charge and diEect the legislature next l to convene to pass such laws as will carry out these principles.
 1 10. Believing that the improvement | of the public roads and highways is a | matter of vital importance to the prop | CT development of our state, we heartily | favor all measures to that end, and we especially recommend to the next Gen eral Assembly to consider the feasibil- ity of adopting state aid for public | roads and to establish a comprehensive system of highway improvements. New Banking Laws Needed. | II. We believe that the general laws of the state inadequate for the pro- tection of depositors of money in the | banks of the state. and therefore favor | the passage of wise and conservative | banking laws. such as will provide for the proper inspection of banks and the | maximum protection of the people who deposit their money therein,
 For Four Agricultural Colleges. | IF. As agriculture is the fountain of our prosperity and as the great mass or our people are engaged in that pur- suit. we favor the establishment and maintenance of not less than four az ricultural schools in different parts of the state-one to be located at the Uni yersity of Arkansas and another at the State Normal School.
 | 13. We favor the passage of such laws as may be necessary to provide for the proper protection of labor. We favor a wise and vigorous law for the collecting and dispensing of information regarding the science of agriculture hor- itieulture and animal industry through out this state. We favor safeguarding by appropriate legislation. the safety of persons employed in mining manufac- turing or other industries.
 IA. We pledge the people that the incoming administration of the states s government will be devoted to the devel- | opment of the states resources and that the business interests of this state shall be fostered and encouraged.
 Would Better Educational System.
 l5 Intelligence being the safeguard of liberty, we favor the encouragement of all the states educational interests from the district public schools to the University of Arkansas. free from the baneful influence of political partisan ship. We therefore not only renew the party's protection and pledges to this interest. but we pledge ourselves to the development of the entire system of education In the state. and believing that all legitimate expenditures in this f line of work yield the greatest profit to civilization. we recommend liberal appro- f priations for the education of the youth of the state and for the maintenance of it's normal institutions.
 l6. We favor the enactment and en- forcement of laws to suppress gambling in agricultural commodities
 Larger Powers for Railroad Comm;s- sion.
 r. We recommend that the powers of the Railroad Commission be so in- creased as to regulate and control trans portation of freight and passengers the equipment and roadbeds of railways. and that necessary relief in such matters may be granted without the necessity for snecial legislation.
 The Initiative and Referendum Advo-
 cated.
 IS. Believing in the peoples right to rule, we favor the submission of an amendment to the constitution, provid- ing for the initiative and referendum in matters of legislation affecting the general interests of the people. | 19. We favor the adoption of the two | amendments to the state constitution the one providing poll tax qualification for the elective franchise. and the oth- | CT permitting the issuance of bonds for local improvement by cities, towns and | counties
 20. We recognize the states obliga- tion to those who so freely offered their | lives when called to service by the state. and pledge the Confederate veteran that his services will never be | forgotten and that his declining years 1 shall h" made more comfortable.
 Publicity for Campaign Expenses.
 21. We demand the enactment of a law requiring the publication of a sworn itemzed statement of all cam paign expenses of al candidates and party committees in all primary, spe- cial and general elections in this state
 Would Leave Capisol Completion to | Donaghey.
 22 Tn order that the state eaiptol question may be taken out of politics and be no longer cause of discord and confusion, we demand that the next General Assembly pass such laws as will remove all persons and officials connected with or engaged in the con structon of the state capitol. so that the state may take charge of the con- struetion of the building at once and pass such laws upon that subject as may be recommended by the nominee of our party for governor; as we recog- nize his familiarity with this subject and the endorsement of his views by the people. and we condemn all graft or attempted graft in connection with it's construction. As the capitol is in a sense the home of all the people and will be for generations to come, we rec ommend to the General Assembly that in the completion of the building, in it's furnishing and in the grading and adorn- ment of it's grounds. a spirit of fair liberality be exercised.
 Higher Pay for the Judiciary.
 23. We recognize the necessity for increased pay for the services of the judiciary of this state of the trial and Supreme Courts. and pledge the Demo- cratic party to such action may be necessary for increasing said salaries, adequate to the responsibility and value of the services of our judges. And as under the present constitution the salary of circuit judges and chancellors can not exceed three thousand dollars per year. we request the legislature to pass a law at it's next session for that amount of salary for said circuit judges and chaneellors.
 To Decide Liquor Question at Polls. 24. Whereas. there are two methods or regulating the sale of liquor-local option and statewide prohibition, we be- lieve that the will of the people should govern, but the law it now stands provides no way of ascertaining which of these remedies the people prefer. We recommend that the 1sxt legislature pass such laws as will ascertain during the year 1909. whether the people favor local option or statewide prohibition. and we pledge the Democratic party to execute the peoples will when it shall have been las ri a pa1