Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-07-24

ins viii. Imprisonment any oiicef Of 4
corporation who shall either contribute
on behalf Of or consent to the contfi-
butior by 4 corporations of any money
or thing of'valuetot Be used In further
ing the election Of president or vice.
president Of the United States or OF any
member Of the congress thereof
we oenounce the ection Of the Re-
publican party having complete con-
troll Of the federal government. Tor In
failure to pass the BILL introduced IN
the last congress to compel the publi-
cation OF the names Of contributors and
the amounts contributed toward cam
pafgn funds and point to the evidence
OF their insincerity when they Sought
by an absolutely irrelevant and tmpos-
sible amendment to defeat the passafe
OF the bill. As q further evidence Of
tneir intention to conduct their cam
paign IN the coming contest with vast
sums OF money wrested from favor
seeking corporations. we call attention
10 the fact that the recent. Republican
national convention at Chicago refused
when The plank was presented 10 n to
declare against such practices.
We pledge the Democratic party 70
the enactment Of . law preventing any
corporation contributing to Q campaign
sun1 ana any individual from contrib
=
maximum and providing for the publi.
cation before election Of all such con-
sr1Dutions above q reasonable mimi
mum. .isssale117,s, -
Rights OF he States.
Believing. with Jefferson, In ..the
support Of the state governments IN
all their rights as the most Competent
standardization for our domestic con-
eesn.. end the surest sbulwark against
anti-Republican tendencies" and In
tne preservation Of the general gov
vigor as the sheet anchor Of our peace
AZ home and safety abroad" we are OBJ
posed to the Capitalization implied In
THESE suggestions, how freouentlv
made. that the powers Of the govern
ment should be extended by judicial
construction. There is no twilight zone
between the nation and the state in
which exploiting interests can take
refuge from both; and 1t is as neces-
sary that the federal government shall
exercise the powers delegated to II as
1t Is that the state governments shall
use the authority reserved to them. but
we insist that federal remedies for the
regulation Of interstate commerce and
for the prevention of private monop-
oily shall be added to, not substituted
Ter. state remedies. f
Tariff.
We welcome the belated promise Of
tariff reform now affected BY the Re
publican party In tardy recognition of
the righteousness Of the Democratic
position on this question; but these
people cannot safely intrust the exc
cution Of this Important work to a
party. which is so deeply obligated TO
the highly protected interests as is the
Republican party. We call attention to
the significant fact that the promised
relief was postponed until after the
coming election-an election to succeed
In which the Republican party must
nave that same support from the
Deneficiaries Of the high protective
tarin as 1t has always heretofore re-
ceived from them; and to the further
fact that during years Of uninterrupt-
ed power no action whatever has been
taken by the Republican congress TO
correct the admittedly existing tariff
iniguities.
We favor immediate revision of the
tarin by the reduction Of import duties.
Articles entering into competition with
trust-controlled products should be
placed upon the free list. and material
reductions should be made in the tariff
upon the necessaries of life, especially
upon articles competing with such
American manufactures as are sold
abroad more cheaply than at home; and
graduate reductions should be made in
such other schedules as may be neces-
sary to restore the tariff to revenue
basis.
Existing duties have given to the
manufacturers Of paper shelter be-
hind which they have organized COM
binations to raise the price of pulp and
Of paper thus imposing a tax upon the
spread of knowledge
We demand the immediate repeal Of
the tariff on pulp print paper, lumber,
timber and logs and that these articles
be placed upon the free list.
Trusts.
A private monopoly Is indefensible
and intolerable. We. therefore, favor
the vigorous enforcement of the Grim
inal law against guilty trust magnates
and officials. and demand the enactment
Of such additional legislation as may
be necessary to make II impossible for
q private monopoly to exist in the Uni
ted States. Among the additional rem
edies we specify three: First, a law
preventing duplication of directors
among competing corporations; second,
q license system which will, without
abridging the right OF each state to
create corporations, or its right to reg
ulate as II will foreign corporations
doing business within Its limits, make
1t necessady for a manufacturing or
trading corporation engaged in inter-
state commerce to take out a federal
license before II shall be permitted to
control as much as Is per cent. of the
product In which II deals, the license to
protect the public from watered stock
and to prohibit the control by such cor
poration Of more than so per cent Of
the total amount Of any product con-
sumed in the United States; and third.
q law compelling such licensed corpe-
parts Of the country on the same terms.
after making due allowance for cost Of
transportation.
Railroad Regulations.
We assert the right Of congress to
exercise complete control over inter-
state commerce and the right Of each
state to exercise like control over COM
merce within its Borders.
We demand such enlargement of the
powers Of the interstate commerce COM
mission as may be necessary to compel
railroads to perfoym their duties as
common carriers and prevent discrim-
nation and extortion.
We favor the efficient supervision and
rate regulation Of railroads engaged
In interstate commerce, and to this
end we recommend the valuation Of
railroads Dy the Interstate commerce
commission, such valuation to take into
consideration the physical value Of the
property, the original cost, cost Of pro-
duction and all elements of value that
will render the valuation made fair and
Just.
We favor such legislation as will pro-
hibit the railroads from engaging in
business which brings them into cempe-
dtion with their shippers, also legislation
which will assure such reduction in
transportation rates as conditions will
permit, care being taken to avoid reduc-
tons that would compel a reduction Of
wages, prevent adequate service or do
injustice to legitimate investments. We
heartily approve the laws prohibiting
the pass and the rebate, and we favor
any further necessary legislation to re-
strain, control and prevent such abuses.
We favor such legislation as will in
crease the power Of the Interstate COM
merce commission. giving to II the initia-
tive with reference to rates and trans
portation. charges put into effect by the
railroad companies and permitting the
interstate commerce commission on is
own initiative to declare a rate illegal
and as being more than should be