The Alaska citizen., 1910-07-02
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

''tANA the document in detail -.'.;
 In both substance and form the platform is workable Declaration of Independence; and we submit that more comprehensive. enlightened and progressive program has never before been laid before the people of Alaska. The document shows more than careful labor; it shows also keen political insight and sound knowledge of Naska's present and future needs.
 As was to be expected, the plat form contains d strong deuuneiation of the Beveridge bill, which is de- clared. and with justice. to be ut erly at variance with the elementary principles of liberty as understood by free people This vieN ean uet be too strongly urged upon all Alas kans. Administration pets are not wanted in the North. What We want. and what we shah insist upon hay ing is complete control of. our own affairs; nothing else will do.
 The inipuity of the attempt of the administration to hand ever our Ha1- u4al resources to mpnopoHsts is next. dwelt upon, and also the injustice of the wood tax. In this latter com- nection it may be of interest to our readers 70 krow that it costs TEN dollars to collect every ONE dollar of this tax, such is the eXtrayagau2e of Washington methods of dealing with this country. ''
 The platform advocates roads and railroads, more lighthouses, and bet ter postal and tclegraphic commu- nication throughout the country. In speaking Df railroads. the platform specifically advises that the control and regulation of the same should remain forever in the hands of the people. as in the case of Texas. for instance; and that the bonded in debtedness should be limited to the actual cost of constructor. This would prevent oyer-capitaltzatiun, with all it's attendant evils of eX- tortionate rates for freight and pass cn2ers.
 The Republican party receives q severe rebuke for not correcting the abuses of the mining law, and the Democratic candidate is pledged tn active and earnest effort 10 abolish the present methods of stalking by power of attorney and to insist upon the performance of assessment work equal to $l0O for every 20 acres staked. including those claims stalk ed in associations.
 The operation of the road tax is declared to work a hardship upon the poor man by compelling him to pay more than his fair share of the tax, and the Republican party is ex- plicitly charged with passing an act. to relieve the Fish trust from all tax aton.
 A clause in the platform fayors. the enactment of laws regulating the hours of labor and insuring adequqto protection to the lives and health Of all employees; but declares emphati- cally that there is no hope of oh, taining the enactment of such laws at Washington, where they do not understand local conditions, and, in any case, are not sufficiently. inter ested to care. f.:
 The platform closes with a depun-. citation of the Repu blican administra- tion for its attempt to deprive the people of Alaska of their inherent rights, declaring such tactics to be an insult to our manhood and intel ligence. Each state and territory regulates its own affairs, and why not Alaska? Our own men, working in our own country, can manage our affairs far better than a bureau Of irresponsibles at Washington, who only succeed to office through ne potism or at the dictation of the cor porations.
 After reading the platform care fully. everybody must be convinced that the election of Democrat to congress would mean the commence mpnt of A naW age for A Ia Sl a. -