The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-06-29
THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

/ tbAulHS ptlVttNfe RnlCn ltduefs ol
the Republican platform must Keen
ia mind il they would estimate that
document at its real value. That
principle is that every statement and
promise in the platform must be judg-
led in the light of the history and
character of the party whicl. made it,.
Ii any utterance VIII. bear rwo con
structons the one which is in har-
mony with the past OF the party IS
the one TO be believed Where there
is vagueness and uncertainty in the
language the wise critic viii inquire
what abuse characteristic of the par.
( ~ the language cloaks
After the usual Introductory mat.
tel the Republican platform promises
a all times 10 uphold the authority
ahd integrity of the courts. Nobody
IS attacking the authority of the
courts in this campaign unless Col
Roosevelt may be charged with the
cfense and this promise should turn
the voters attention to what use tho
Republican law Officers have made OF
the courts in the past. They have
upheld the authority and integrity or
: the courts by condoling criminal VIC.
iations of the antitrust law and set.
Ting trust litigation by private agree
Eent.
! The authority and integrity Of the
courts has been to them I'M such mat
ters beautiful abstraction. TO car
ly this policy further, the platform
makers propose in a succeeding par
agraph a federal trade commission"
which they frankly state is to sup
~ ha IN,
tain great questions. While the lam
saage is not clear. this commission
is evidently the Roosevelt Perkins
court OF big business a rich mans
court, TO advise the combines how
near they may come to criminal con-
spiracy without going TO jail. 1t is /
to assume the functions OF a Lord
chancellor and keep the corporations
conscience.
Next in order comes the treatment |
Of the tariff. Specifically. this is a |
stronger declaration IN favor of down.
ward revision than was the plank OF |
1908, but left 10 the Interpretation
Of a Republican congress. and presi- /
dent. and there is no likelihood that /
afy real relief from tariff oppression
would ever be provided under it.
it says some duties are too high. /
Il does not say the duties on steel
and wool are TOO high. The inter-
probation of it must be in the light Of
The PayneAldrich bill and the Taft
veto OF genuine tariff revision meas
u7es. The tariff commission is ap-
proved, bur one will search in vain
Tor any approval of the efforts of
hat body TO separate the cost OF the
wool on Sleeps back from the cost
ci the rest of the sheep. Scientific
revision of the tariff is called for and Il
this comes from party whose idea
OF scientific tariff making has always
been to call in the men and interests
70 be beniiited and ask them how
ruch they think they ought to have.
Two paragraphs widely differ
rs TO matter and singularIy alike in
hammer may be considered together.
They are the demand for an eouit-
ihle method Of retiring civil service
employees and for the revival of the :
merchant marine. Their language
nay be taken to mean anything
heir true import is probably a civil
ension list and a ship subsidy. This
onclusion is accordant with the Re-
1
The financial policy announced in
be platform seems to point 10 the
.ldrich banking and currency bin.
closes with bid for the farmer
ote by holding ont the prospect of
ome method by which farmers may
orrow money easily and cheaplv.
he American farmer who has fol
long while been paying mortgages. I
G. making them, will know how to
7timate this paragraph at it's reall
alue.
The platform discusses various 9TH
: matters. Some OF them are not in
spnte and others have no standing
political issues. In closing. the
atform challenges criticism of the
of Mckinley. Roose-
IL and Taft. The Mckinley admin
tration is rather remote for criti
SIN In this campaign, though it is
zen to effective attack. AS to the
hers. Roosevelt's alliance with the
1sts and Taft's opposition 10 genu-
G tariff reform are sufficient to con
mn both administrations.