Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-20
STATE DEMOCRACY DECLARES
ITS PRINCIPLES IN PLATFORM
BY Associated Press.

FRESNO, May 19--The Democratic
state convention has adopted plat
form instructing the California dele
cation for William Jennings Bryan for
president and Endorsed former Con-
gresham Theodore A. Bell for tempo
Tary chairman of the national conVen-
ton to be held in Denver July l..
The following platform was adopted:
The Democracy of the state of Cali
fornia, in delegate convention assem-
bled, does hereby reaffirm the prin-
ciples of jefferson, which have ever
been the chart and guide of Demo-
cratic government, and which are ana
must ever be the essential axioms or
free society; we rejoice at the increas-
ing signs of an awakening against
graft and political corruption traced TO
the representatives of predatory wealth.
and the INSCRIPTIONS methods by Whlch
they have debauched elections, do de-
clare the true functions of democratic
government to be the preservation OF
the natural rights and equal opportunl-
ties of the people devoid of special priv
ileges: that every form of monopoly Is
a wrongful interference with these
rights and opportunities and is essen
TALLY farming out of the taxing
power to favored corporations and in
dividuals; believing in the full pres
eryation of state and local rights, Tree
from federal interference, we declare
for right Of petition, free Speech rree
ingly we adopt the following resolu-
tons:
instruct for Bryan
We instruct the delegates from Cali
fornia to the national Democratic con-
vention at Denver to vote first, last
and all the time, as a unit, for the
nomination of William Jennings Bryan
for president of the United states.
We deplore the pernicious activity OF
the Southern Pacific Railway company
in the political affairs of the state
That corporation has debauched public
officials, corrupted legislators and is
in absolute control of the organization
of the party in power which party,
wear after year, shamelessly submits 10
The control of its corporation master.
We denounce the state railroad COM
mission for its subserviencv 10 the
Southern Pacific, and for its continued
refusal to enforce the constitution ana
the laws. We declare that its pre-
tended investigation of such violation
of the laws, as was pointed out Dy tne
Hon. Franklin X. Lane, Is farcical IN
the extreme. that 1t was never begun
in good faith and that 1t has not peen
prosecuted with view to aftordlng
fhe neople relief from unjust and unfair
discrimination.
Favor Railroad Legislation
We recommend the fearless efforts
the provisions of the interstate COM
nnerce laws. We favor such additional
legislation as may be necessary to so
strengthen the hands of this commis-
sion as will enable it to bring within
government control the transportation
companies engaged IN the business Oh
interstate commerce.
The Democratic party affirms its
declaration of 1906 in favor of law in
behalf of reciprocal demurrage, and we
denounce the Republican legislature for
defeating bill introduced by Dem
ocratic representative and framed
along the line of the Texas car law.
We favor the passage of such laws
as may be necessary to invest our mu-
inequalities in the state with such pow
err to own and operate all and every
kind of public utility. and we affirm the
doctrine that unless such utilities shall
have been taken over by the people
we are opposed TO the disposition Of
franchises In any form whatever to
private corporations, excepting such
franchises as may be essential to the
operation of these utilities, pending
their restoration to the people, and I'M
til then we maintain that the right to
exercise such utilities should be under
license and not grant.
Railroad Rate Reductions
We favor reduction in railroad
rates to a basis that will pay a fair
rate of interest on the actual value of
the properties of the transportation
companies
We favor the total exclusion of all
Asiatc laborers from this country by
extending the provisions of the Geary
act to japanese. Koreans and all other
Asia tics, and the strict enforcement of
all existing laws upon that subject.
We favor an immediate revision of
the tariff by the reduction of import
duties Articles entering into compe-
tition with articles controlled by trusts
should be placed upon the free list.
lateral reductions should he made I'm
the tariff upon the necessaries Of life.
We demand the immediate repeal Of
the tariff on lumber wood and wood
products, which tariff operates rs a
premium upon the devastation of our
forests and the destruction of our va
ter sources.
A private monopoly is indefensible
and intolerable We therefore favor
the vigorous enforcement of the Grim
inal law against trusts and trust mag
mates and demand the enactment of
such additional legislation as may be
necessary to make it impossible for a
private monopoly to exist in the United
States.
Corporation Laws
We favor laws making it the duty of
corporation directors to enforce ODE
dience by their corporations, their
agents and officers, OF the interstate
commerce laws, and we demand the
enactment of laws making the failure
to perform such duty by directors pun
ishaDle as crime.
We favor the abolition of all unnec-
essary public Offices in this state and
Union.
We are in hearty accord with every
wise effort looking 10 the conservation
of our natural resources, and particu-
iarly is California vitality interested in
the protection of her great timber belts
and in the proper utilization of her
streams, both in the distribution of
their waters and for the generation of
electric energy. We deplore the fact
that members of congress, and particu-
larly members from this state, should
aave become the allies Of power com
panies and other corporate interests,