The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-07-16
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM 7
ADOPTED At DENVER

| repeal of the tariff on pulp print paper,
nrtiTer, Imoer and logs, and that these
articles be placed upon the free list
RAILROAD REGULATIONS.
| we assert the right of congress to ex-
crGlse crrn, complete control over Interstate
commerce and the right of each state to
exercise like control over commerce
within its borders.
we demand such enlargement of the
lowers of the Interstate Commerce
commission as may be necessary To com
Iel railroads TO perform their duties as
common carriers and prevent discrimina-
ton and extorton.
we favor the efficient supervision and
| 80 regulation of railroads engaged N
ininterstate commerce To this end we
| recommend the valuation of railroads by
the interstate Commerce Commission,
s sSeh Ealuation to take into consideration
| tne physical value of the property the
| oilslhai cost of reproduction and all
c!en"nts of value that will render the
VaIuatlon 1I made fair and just.
| we 1aYor such legislation as will pre-
| vent the railroads from engaging IN bus
mess which brings them into competi-
tlon with their shippers, also legislation
Wnlcn VIII insure such reduction in
| transportation rates as conditions will
permit, care being taken to avoid reduc-
uon that would compel a reduction of
! wages, prevent inadequate service or do
hJustce to legitimate investments.
we heartily approve OF laws prohibit
| ihg the pass and the rebate and we
| iaVor any further necessary legislation
| 70 restrain, control and prevent such
abuse.
We favor such legislation as will in
crease the power of the Interstate Com
| mercc Commission, giving it the initia-
! i've Wlth reference to rates and trans
| poItauon charges put into effect by tho
| .allroad companies, and permitting the
! interstate Commerce Commission on it's
| o"i initiative, to declare a rate illegal
ara as more than should be charged for
| SUCH service. That the present law re-
| latlng thereto is inadequate by reason
| or the fact that the Interstate Commerce
commission is without power to fix or
nlEtstEate rate until complaint has
been made to 1t by the shipper.
| we further declare that all agreements
or traffic or other associations of railway
| agents affecting interstate rates, service
! or classification, shall be unlawful unless
nled with and approved by the Interstate
| Commerce Commission
| we favor the enactment of a law civ
| ing TO the Interstate Commerce Com
| railroad tariff rates or schedules before
! they shall take effect, and if they are
| found to be unreasonable to initiate an
| adjustment thereof.
BANKING.
The panic of 1907 coming without any
| legitimate excuse, when the Republican
| party had for a decade been in complete
| control of the federal government fur
| nlshes additional proof that it is either
unwilling or incompetent to protect the
| interests of the general public. 1t has
so linked the country to Wall street
that he sins of the spectators nc Wis
tied upon the whole people. While re-
| tusing to rescue the wealth producers
from spoliation at the hands of the
| stock gamblers and SPECTATORS in farm
products, II has deposited in heTreasIry
funds, without interest and without
competition, in favorite banks. 1t has
used as an emergency for which it is
| largely responsible to force through Con-
gress bill changing the basis of bank
currency and inviting market manipula-
ton, and has failed to give the IL, 900, GOO
depositors of the country protection in
| their savings.
| We believe that as far as the needs of
| rency, such currency should be issued,
controlled by the federal government
and loaned on adequate sec Iity to
national and state banks
We pledge ourselves to legislation un-
| der which the national banks shall be
required to establish a guarantee fund
for the prompt payment of the depositors
of an insolvCnt national bank under an
equitable system which shall be avail
able to all state banking institutions
wishing to use it. We favor a postal
savings bank If the guaranteed bank
cannot be secured, and that il be consti-
tutcd so as to keep the deposited money
ia the communities where it is estab-
liShcd.
But we condemn the policy OF the Re-
publican party in providing postal saw
|
which they will aggregate the deposits
of rural communities and redeDost the
same while under government charge in
the banks of Wall street, thus depicting
the circulating medium of the producing
ros!ons and unjustly favoring the specu.
ldtIVe markets.
INCOME TAX.
We favor an income tax as part of our
revenue system and we urge the sub
mission of a constitutional amendment
specifically authorizing congress to levy
and collect tax upon individual and
corporate incomes, to the end that
wealth may bear its proportionate share
Of the burdens of the federal govern
mcnt.
LABOR AND INJUNCTIONs.
The courts of justice are the bulwark
of our liberties, and we yield to none in
our purpose to maintain their dignity.
Our party has given the bench long
line of distinguished judges who have
added to the respect and confidence in
which this department must be jealously
maintained We resent the attempt OF
tie Republican party to raise false IS
sues respecting the judiciary. 1t is an
unjust reflection upon a great body of
our citizens to assume that they lack re-
spect for the courts.
1t ig The function OF the courts to in
tecrrct me laws which the people create
and if the laws appear to work economic
social or political injustice, it is our duty
to change them. The only basis upon
which the integrity of our courts can
stand is that Of urswerving justice end
protection of life, personal liberty and
property. II judicial processes may he
abused, we should guard them against
abmse.
Experience has proved the necessity of
a modification of the present law relat-
ing to injunctions, and we reterate the
pledge of our national platforms of 1896
and 1900 in favor of a measure which
passed the United States Senate in 1896
but which Republican congress has
ever since refused to enact; relating to
contempts in federal courts and provid-
ing for trial by jury in cases of indirect
contempt.
Questions of judicial practice have
arisen especially in Connecticut with in
dustrial disputes. We deem that the par
ties to all judicial proceedings should be-
treated with rigid impartiality, and that
injunctions should not be issued in any
cases in which injunction would not be
issued II no Industrial dispute were in
Volyed.
The expanding organization of industry
makes il essential that there should be
no abridgement of the right of wage
earners and producers to organize for
the protection of wages and the improve
such labor organizations and their mem
bers should not be regarded as illegal
combinations in restraint of trade
We favor the elght-hour day on all
government work.
We pledge the Democratic party to the
enactment of law by Congress as far
as the federal jurisdiction extends, for
general employers liability act covering
injury to body or loss of life of employees.
We pledge the Democratic party to
the enactment of the law creating a de-
MOI ~ of ta1N