Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-17
INDEPENDENCE LEAGUE
HOLDS CONVENTION
80 OUT OF SO COUNTIES ARE
REPRESENTED
Platform Declares Against Fusion with
Any other Party--SeveraI Planks
Wanted by Member Not
included
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO, May 16.-With
about 100 delegates in attendance, rep
resenting thirty out of the tifty-elgnt
counties in California, the state con-
vention of the Independence league
met today. adopted platform declar-
ing against fusion with any other po-
litical party and elected four delegates
at large and four alternates to the ma
tional convention of the league 10 De
held in Chicago July p.
The eight congressional district dele
cations also elected two delegates ana
two alternates from each district.
Hugh McIsaac of Marin county, j. r..
Henderson of Alameda. Gessner Will
liams of Los Angeles and John l.. 20
Ito of San Francisco were elected by
reclamation as delegates at large.
John l.. Polito was chairman of the
convention.
After a three hours discussion the
committee reported the platform,
practically the same as submitted 10
it for approval, with the exception or
eliminating the words 1.-THE Indepen-
dence league party" thirty times and
inserting in place of 1t the word we
and adding, I'VE declare against flu
sion with any and all other political
parties"
Harry A. Odell of the Garments union
and editor of the Picket, declared on
the floor that the committee on plat
form, of which he was a member, had
taken advantage of his absence to ap"
prove the platform and adjourn with
out giving him opportunity 10 present
several clauses which he desired to
have inserted.
His resolution pledged candidates to
support the American Federation or
Labor. condemned the national ad-
ministra ton for allowing itself to be
bulldozed by China and for its stand
on the question of allowing Japanese
to gol to public schools attended by
whites and condemned the administra-
ton of San Francisco for employing
Greeks and other foreigners on street
work and demanding that only Amer
leans of one years residence in the
city should be employed on such work
He was ruled out of order.
The platform as reported and adopt
ed calls for Independent action in ma
tional politics and is practically the
same as the preamble adopted by the
state convention of the Independence
party i'm New York, and approves the
declaration of principles adopted by
the national conference of representa-
tive's of that party held in Chicago on
L en- ueti
1t advocates direct nominations;
popular election of United States sena-
tors and judges; government and mu-
nicipal ownership of railroads, tele-
graphs and public utilities; creation
of an interstate commerce court to
enforce the orders of the interstate
commerce commission; favors i'm
proved waterways and the inland deep
waterways project, and favors a ship
subsidy for the development of COM
merce and extension of naval reserve
force.
1t demands honest conduct in public
office: severe and effective legislation
against corrupt practices in public af-
fairs and prohibiting the use of money
at elections the right TO recall public
officials from public service: more
stringent laws for the protection of
the life and health of the nations
workmen: increased and cheapened
railroad facilities: a revision of the
tariff, mot by the friends of the tariff.
but by the friends of the people," de-
clares that the distribution of wealth
is as important as the creation of
wealth, and denounces the evil of
overcapitalization.