Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-17

favors the amendment of the law SO that
the ballot boxes may be opened if neces-
Sary to the state prosecution and convic-
ton of those who violate its provisions,
and we demand the vigoroussprosecution
of all y~iolators of the law without fear
or favor or hope of mere partisan advan-
tage.
In striking contrast with this fair and
impartial Democratic law is the brutal
record OF the Republican party leaders
when in power in this state, Nnsn they
not only refused Democrats representa-
tion in judges and clerks, but for purely
partisan advantage deprived Gen. Frank
p. Blair and thousands of other honest
law-abiding and loyal citizens of the state
of the right to vote, and in order to de-
feat the honestly expressed will of the
people burned the ballots which their own
judges and clerks had accepted as legal,
for the purpose of giving to Republicans
the offices to which Democrats were fair
ly elected.
We denounce the ~insincere p~retense of
the Republican press and Republican par
ty leaders in their loud and false claims
for fair elections. We gladly challenge
a comparison of the records of the two
leading parties in Missouri on this impor-
tant issue.
We condemn the action of the Repub-
lican party bosses in their effort to nullify
the primary law In this state by fixing the
state ticket in secret caucus in advance
of the primary election.
We favor an amendment to the primary
law prohibiting the member of one party
from participating in the nomination OF
the candidates of another.
st. Louis County Conditions.
The defiant violation of the law in St.
Louis county has been an insult to the
citizenship of the state and a reproach to
our form of government In this county,
Overwhelmingly Republican, where the
enforcement Of the law has been entrust-
ed by the people to a Republican prose-
cutting attorney and a Republican sher-
if, responsibility can not be evaded.
We pledge the Democratic party to the
enactment of such legislation as may be
necessary to insure the enforcement Of
the law IN st. Louis county n the
prosecution, conviction and punishment
of those who violate 1t.
We favor the Inauguration of such a
policy with respect to the management OF
the penitentiary as will ultimately with
draw convict labor from competition with
free labor, pledging the Democratic party
to thee enactment of such laws as will ac-
complish that result as speedily as pos
sible, having due regard to existing con-
tracts. the necessary employment of the
conVicts in useful work, and the econom-
ical management of the penitentiary, that
the same may not become a burden upon
the taxpayers.
The Democratic party, both in theory
and in practice, ever has been and now
is opposed to monopoly and unlawful com
binations, and we pledge the party to con-
tinue its efforts to protect the people
against trust extortion and oppression.
We are not hostile to corporations or to-
wealth as such, but we insist that cor
porations as well as individuals, the rich
as well as the poor, must obey the laws,
and we are determined that the violator
of law In the interests of trusts or cor
porations shall be punished by imprisOn-
ment as well as fine.
We favor a state as well as a national
guarantee law for bank deposits under
such regulations and restrictions as will
insure a sound and conservative bank
policy with absolute safety and security
to the depositors.
We favor the election of United States
senators by direct vote of the people, and
until the federal constitution can be so
amended we favor the retention of the
present system of each party declaring it's
choice for senator by primary vote, and
we pledge to the person who receives the
largest number of Democratic votes in the
state at the coming election for United
States senator the hearty support of ev-
cry member of the Democratic party in
the legislature.
we favor the impartial enforcement Of
the law and the maintenance and preser-
walton of order in every county and city
of the state.
In harmony with the fundamental prin-
ciples of the Democratic party, that the
people shall rule, we favor the regulation
of the liquor traffic by them under the
existing local option law, which was en-
acted by a Democratic legislature. under
the provisions of which each community
may determine for itself the question of
license or no license to Engage In such
business, and we pledge the Democratic
party to continue a strict enforcement of
the laws regulating such traffic and re-
quiring the closing of such places of bus
mess on Sunday, and we also favor such
other legislation as may be necessary to
secure obedience to the law throughout
the state!
We favor the adoption of the proposed
constitutional amendment providing for
the initiative and referendum.
We recognize the need of improved pub
lie highways in Missouri for the develop
ment and upbuilding of the state and we
favor state aid for this important work,
equitably distributed to all parts of the
commonwealth. ,
The Democratic party Is in full SYM
pathy with the attempt to secure deep
water for the Mississippi and Missouri
rivers, and their tributaries, and pledges
the party to the support of every reason
able measure looking to that end, /
We point with pride to the fact that,
under the Democratic administration Of
this state. its present high financial credit
has been established and maintained. and
that the tax rate in Missouri is. and for
years has been, the lowest of any state
in the Union, and much lower than any
one of the three adjoining Republican
states.
We endorse the administration of Gov.
Joseph w. Folk, together with the long
and honorable record Of Democratic gov
errors from Gov. Woodson to the present.;
and we endorse the record of Senator
William j. Stone, together with the laud-
able record of Democratic senator's fror,
Thomas H. Benton to the present: and
we endorse the records made by the DEM
ocratic representatives from Missouri in
the present congress.
We heartily endorse the Democratic
state ticket recently nominated at the
state primary election and pledge to each
of them unqualified support.
We invite the corporation and assist
ance of not only the citizenship of our
party, but we appeal to all those voters
of the state who recognize, as we do, that
with Bryan as president we would nave
as our chief executive a man whose heart
beats for humanity, whose hand would
guide the ship of state for the welfare Of
the masses and not the classes. His pure
life. patriotic devotion and superior
craftsmanship him to all Amer
leans, regardless of party. and assure an
early realization that the nation will COM
mission the worlds greatest private cit
izen and most distinguished
to the highest office within the gift of the
mightiest people of all the earth.