Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-20
Genesis Of the Denver Platform.

WhNH NtNN ~ NAtuANs ~ was ENAa AAHA year
that Mr.. Bryan rejected all aid, framed
the document himself. put It into the hands
Of Governor Haskell, then his nearest
friend, and practically ordered the oonven-
ton TO accept II. Certain Il is that he was
much pleased with that part Of the conven-
tion's work. and in his canvass interpreted
It without an II. an and or a but
Fortunately, as the senate is just now
discussing that platform, there are mem
bers OF the body who should possess full
information. Clarke Of Arkansas, Stone OF
Missouri. Newlands Of Nevada, Simmons
OF North Carolina, Frazier Of TENNESSEE
and Daniel Of Virginia we're members Of
the platform committee at Denver. Did
they accept the convention's expression OF
principles perfunctorily7 They accepted
the candidate. and in the. campaign did
what they could for him.. But at least
two OF them-Mr. Simmons and Mr.. Dan
lei have in the present tariff debate shown
but small consideration for what was said
by the convention on the subject of tariff
reform.-Washington Star.
The genesis Of the Denver platform,
with special reference to its declara-
lions on the tariff, may be so shrouded
In doubt down at Washington as to
Justify the question here ~propounded,
but II is a matter of record here in
Nebraska that may be easily traced
back. The framework Of the Denver
platform was originally promulgated
In the democratic state platform put
out by Nebraska in September, 1907.
IA a.. .zA1-aa... 49, -vA4lo Ahok Iaov-
ment was presumably presented by a
resolutions committee It was. In fact,
drafted under the personal direction
Of William Jennings Bryan. With
reference to the tariff, Mr.. Bryan's
platform plank Of 1907 reads:
We favor an immediate revision OF the
tariff by the reduction Of the import duties.
Articles entering into competition with
articles controlled by trusts should be
placed upon the free list; material re-
duction should be made In the tariff
upon the necessaries of life and reduc-
tions should be made in such other sched-
ules as may be necessary to restore the
tariff to a revenue basis.
This platform draft was taken up
~ ldNCu Win ulAll DOl ldhl AOu-
ifcations by the Nebraska democrats
in their state convention held in
March, 1908, at which the delegation
to the Denver convention was Sc
lected. Again MI. Bryan was person
ally present and supervised the plat
form making. In this draft the clause
already quoted is retained verbatim,
but with a prelude suggested by Incl
dents that had transpired in the in
terval, reading as follows:
We welcome the belated promise of
tariff reform now offered by a part OF
the republican party as a tardy recogni-
ton OF the righteousness of the democratic
position on this question. But che people
cannot safely entrust the execution OF
this important work to a party which is
so obligated to the highly protected IN
terests that 1t postpones relief until after
election. And we call attention to the
significant fact that the promise now made
by those republicans who favor tariff re-
vision is wholly vitiated by the use OF
the very qualifying words under which
the present tariff ~iniquities have grown up
The program Of Mr.. Bryan and his
political managers was to reiterate
this Nebraska-made platform at Den
yer and thus give it the stamp of ac-
ceptance by the national organization
Of the party. While the likeness is
more than a family resemblance,
when finally incorporated into the
Denver document the tariff declara-
ton In full is as follows:
We welcome the belated promise Of tar
iff revision now offered by the republican
party in tardy recognition of the righte-
business of the democratic position on his
question. But the people cannot safely
entrust the execution Of this important
work to a party which is so deeply obli.
gated to the highly protected interests
as is the republican party. We call atten-
ton 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 have
the same support from the benefioiaries
Of the high protective tariff as It has
always heretofore received from them; and
to the further fact that during this uninter-
rupted power no action whatever has been
taken by the republican congress to cor
rect the admittedly existing tariff in
EQUITIES.
We favor immediate revision Of the tariff
by the reduction Of import duties. Articles
entering into competition with trust con-
trolled 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 eheaply than at home;
and graduated reductions should be made
In such other schedules as may be neces-
sary to restore the tariff to q revenue
basis.
Existing duties have given to the manu-
facturers Of paper a shelter behind which
they have organized combinations to raise
the price Of pulp and Of paper, thus i'm
posing a tax upon the spread Of knowledge.
We demand the immediate repeal of the
tariff on wood pulp, print paper, lumber,
timber and logs, and that these articles
be placed upon the free list
The first two paragraphs would.
doubtless. have covered the ground
were it not for the pilgrimage made
to Lincoln just before the Denver con-
v%ention by Herman Ridder. who had
been actively engaged in the agitation
for free print paper and wood pulp
and as actively opposed to MI. Bryan's
candidacy. Mr.. Riders visit to Fair