St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-07-20
DEMOCRATS NOMINATE
Watson and ReardOn to Head State
Ticket-PlatfOrm Called for
Direct Primaries.

Vermont democrats in convention
at ST. Albans last week, placed the
following ticket of state officers in
nomination.
Governor. Charles D. Watson of st.
Albans:-
Lieutenant governor, Rev. John b
Reardon. a Universalist minister of
Springfield.
Secretary of state, C. L. Mcmahon
of Stowe.
Treasurer, John w. Thurston of
Island Pand.
Auditor of accounts, S. S. Clapp
of Brattleboro.
Attorney general, H C. Shurtleff of
Montpelier.
The representation by counties in
the convention was as follows: Addl-
son, 81; Bennington, 81; Caledonia
Al; Chittenden, rs; Essex, 10; Frank
lin, AT; Grand Isle, 12 Lamoille, 18;
Orange, So; Orleans, 26; Rutland, 81;
Washington, "a; Windham, 46; Wind
Sor, 43.
The Platform.
The democratic party of Vermont
meets today with bright prospects.
The republican party for the first
time recognizes that the states have
rights and that the tariff is not
scored thing but a business PROPOSE
ton.
The voters in the most intelligent
states of the nation are in revolt at
the failure of the republicans to keep
their promises to reduce the duties on
the great essentials of life, sugar, coal,
cotton, and Woolen goods.
We still believe in the old demo-
cratic notion of equal opportunity for
| all and special privileges for none.
The Tariff.
MO condemn tho PaVna- 16ric1
tariff bill, passed in 1909, as being un-
just and illogical, and demand
speedy revision downwards.
We particularly commend the indie
pendent republicans and democrats
in the present Congress-, for their at
tempt to defeat this act. The repub-
lican party has acted insincerely in
the matter of reciprocity with the
other nations, and we favor an honest
plan of reciprocity with all the world,
and particularly with our neighbor,
the Dominion of Canada.
Cannon and Cannonism.
We condemn that despotism on the
part of the speaker of the House of
Representatives known as Cannon
ism.
To prevent this form of tyranny we
favor an amendment of the United
States constitution, if necessary, which
will render this method of overriding
the rights of the citizens, absolutely
impossible.
We lament the fact that the Yer
mont delegation in Congress We're not
found voting with those who have
been successful in Kidding the coun-
try for a while, at least of the abuse
known as Cannonism.
We condemn the present federal
corporation tax law and recommend
it's repeal
We demand the passage by the COM
ing legislature of Vermont of the pro-
posed amendment to the United States
constitution giving Congress the
power to levy an income tax.
We demand the election of United
States senators and president by a
direct vote of the people.
State Affairs.
The democratic party today stands
as it has always stood for progressive
public schools of the highest type.
In the large towns and cities where
our party has great influence, plan
of manual training has for some time
been in use. We ask that manual
training be taught in all public
schools.
With great regret we note the fact
that this republican banner state has
sunk from the fifth position to the
34th in literacy.
For more than SO years the repub-
Hcan party has been in absolute
control of the legislation in Vermont,
anu yet luGy nave OuTIuS I'LL lHdI lILI0
kept upon the statute books double
taxation.
For nearly 20 years this same party
has promised to reform this matter.
These promises, like many others, it
has failed to keep, and judging by
the past no relief can be reasonably
expected, in the future.
We demand, therefore, a reform in
tax legislation and in such ways as
will completely wipe out the wrongs
entailed by double taxation.
Caucus Law.
We urge the repeal of the present
obsolete caucus and convention laws,
and the substitution of a direct prirn-
ary law, through which the people
may speak and which will sound the
death knell to purchase nominations
and election, bosses, and bossism.
Whereas, in the matter of elections,
we believe the greatest freedom should
be given the freemen in the selection
of officers; and Whereas the present
ballot law is the greatest barrier to
independent voting of any ballot law
in the United States, and was put on
the statute books for the purpose of
carrying candidates through who
could not be elected on their own
personality or record; therefore, be
it,
Resolved, That we favor a form of
ballot on which every candidate for
Office may stand upon his own record
without being carried into Office on
ground of party strength.
Publication of Campaign Expenses.
We demand the publication of all
campaign expenses by all candidates
for elective Offices both before and
after election.