Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-29
The Platforms.

The Platforms.
Anyone who reads the platforms
promulgated by the several political
parties at their state conventions at
Lincoln dispassionately will see that
the republicans have put forth a clean
cut document, standing squarely on
the republican record and appealing
for continued support for republican
candidates, while the democrats and
their side partner populists have en-
deavored TO befog the issues by insin-
cere protestations of adherence to
spurious nonpartisanship.
The republican declaration on the
tariff is as specific and definite as any
such declaration could be, short OF at
tempting to fx the exact rate of duties
which should be embodied in the
schedules. Nebraska republicans IN
qualifedly endorse the stand taken by
President Taft in the matter of tariff
revision and suggest that unless he
secures from congress a bill conform
ing to his idea Of revision downward
within the limitations of the protective
principle" he should use his veto, and
for such a veto will have the backing
of the party in this state.
The republicans invite comparison,
or rather contrast, between the perma-
nent benefits and substantial reforms
given the people by the last republican
legislature and the partisan buncombe
that characterized the measures put on
the statute books by the late demo-
cratic legislature. The republicans,
Furthermore, insist that belief in re-
publican doctrines and profession of
republican faith are no disqualification
to holding judicial Office, but, on the
contrary, that a republican nomination
has been accepted, and should be again
accepted, as a stamp of competency
and trustworthiness. On the subject
of craftsmanship the democratic record
is held up as convincing proof of the
hypocricy of the present democratic
pretense of nonpartisanship.
The democratic and populist plat
forms are again the DR.. Jekyl and Mr..
Hyde for the democratic candidates to
dodge behind. One platform prom
ises county option, which it promised
last year, only to meet with ~repudia-
ton by the lawmakers elected on 1t.
Both platforms naturally defend the
deposit guaranty law because they can
not shake it off, Notwithstanding the
fact that their W party leaders In
the legislature denounced 1t as a be-
trayal of their promise to the people.
The crocodile tears over the early
demise of the fake nonpartisan judi
ciary act should fool no one If the
democratic and populist masqueraders
really opposed party nomination for
judicial offices they would not put any
candidates up under their party label,
but would rather run them by petition,
If the fact that their candidates have
hoisted the duplex party designation
gives them no claim to votes as par
tisans there Is no reason for any cam
paign in their behalf by the demo
cratic and ~populist organizations. And
yet, although the voters are abjuret
not to support democratic candidates
because of their p~artisanship, they are
asked to oppose republican candidates
even before we know who those candi
dates are, because Of their partisan
ship.
To submit such political thimble
rigging as a platform is quite in line
with the fraudulent practice by which
democratic candidates take oath tina
they are also populists, and at tn,
same time try to fool the people b!
false professions of nonpartisanship.