The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-27

I convention last evening:
 The Bridgeport democracy, in con Venuon assembled, in order to declare to the voters of the city the principles and idea democracy stands for, and to which its nominees must pledge themselves to carry them into effect II they are elected by the people to the respective offices for which they have been nominated, adopt the following platform:
 l. We believe that a party plat form, declaring the principles and ldeas the party stand for is a solemn and sacred pledge of the party and its candidates for office. given to the people, and its nominees, if elected are in honor and duty bound to carry the pledges of the party into effect to the utmost of their ability. and we pledge our nominees to stand by the platform adopted by the dem ocratic party.
 Attempt to Delude People 2. We believe that the action of the republican party in advocating ideas and innovations in the form of our city government, which it could not carry into effect if it would, and would not if it could. is a deliberate attempt to de1ude the people into the belief that the party has experienced change of heart and will live up to it's party pledges; whereas, from its past performances and the acts and. declarations of it's accredited leaders in the nation, state (especiallX in the last legislature) and in the scity, it became an established conviction of the people that the republican plat forms are made to be disregarded soon after the election, and we de- clare 1t reflection upon the intelli- gence of the voters to believe that they can be hoodwinked again by the sham promises of the republican party.
 Opposed to Radical Change.
 3. We believe that in the process Of evolution and progress in our en- tire civilization, forms of government of cities, as everything else, have to be changed to accommodate them to changed conditions in the city, and as far as such changes will improve the administration of the city govern ment and will result beneficially to the Interest of the taxpayers we pledge our nominees for office to carry such changes into effect. as far as the city charter will permit them to do so, and We pledge also the party to advocate before the next legislature such changes in the charter as will enable those who are responsible for the city government to make needed changes in the different departments of our municipal government, but we declare ourselves as opposed to a rad 1cal change in the basic principles upon which our government rests. as we do not believe that such a change will improve conditions or benefit the people.
 4. Our nation. our state and city have grown, expanded and prospered under the present or similar form of government for centuries, and we claim that the success, or failure of Tnl1n161nQ1 nr o6 ir,fcr rf,-,ti ti<xx,c depends not upon the form of gov, ernment, but upon the character of. the men elected to office, their hon. estay and fidelity to their vic duty, and the efficiency and integrity with which they execute the responsible duties of their office.
 Public Office Public Trust.
 ,. We believe that, in view of the declarations in the republican plat form of making the republican or ganfzation an adjunct and kind of first aid' to the mayors office,- i. IS timely that we of the democratic party reassert the old, quaint. demo- cratic doctrine that a public office is a public trust" and that it is in the very nature of things "a personal trust the faith and confidence the voters have in the nominee for office, not in the organization which is be- hind him. and which is not directly responsible to the people.
 Organization Essential.
 It is true that parties are an in tegral part of our system of govern ment, and they not only represent diff ferent ideas of different men, sbut also serve as check and balance to make party government successful. but the activity. of an organization ought to cease soon after election. Because under our system of government, a successful candidate becomes the choice of the whole people irrespec- tive of party, and the public good alone must be his guide in the admin istration of the public office, not party organization.
 It is our firm belief that the char acter. of the man nominated for office, if he has strength of character and honest determination to carry into effect his party pledges, and if in ad- dition he has been tried in office and found faithful to his duties and effi- cient-is a better guarantee to the voters, that if such a man is elected to office, he will be faithful to his people, than the guarantee of party organization standing behind it's nomi- nee, can give for him.
 Such men of probity and character, the democratic party determined to and they will stand before the people, unfettered by any other promises, except their party platform pledges, and if elected will be bound by no other duty except their duty to the people, who elected them to ad minister honestly and faithfully the duties of the office they have been elected to, without the aid or advice of the party organization.
 For Municipal Ownership.
 6. We believe that the time is not far distant when all public utilities will, be owned by the people and op- erated for their benefit, and we declare ourselves in favor of it, but we believe that the financial condition of our city does not warrant it, at present, ot ac- quiring any public utility, and while we believe that interests of public service corporations are entitled to consideration, and their rights ought to be respected, we condemn and de- plore the action of these public ser vice corporations, who through paid agents are attempting to gain control of the city government for selfish pur- poses through the republican organ Ration.
 Believe in Referendum.
 z. We believe in a referendum in all cases of bond issues for permanent improvements, charter amendments and kindred local objects, which ought to be submitted to the people for their approval, and we also declare our selves in favor of the removal for cause of all appointments made by the mayor, and we pledge ourselves to advocate before the next legislature