The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-10-11
people. To this end we propose:


First.-The direct primary, by means
of which every candidate Of every par
ty, from president down, shall be
chosen by the direct vote of the party
voters, at an official primary, sur
rounded by the same safeguards as the
general election in place of the old del
egate and convention system.
standardization of United States
senators by popular vote, which will
do away with the Lorimer and Pen
rose type of senators.
Third.-Direct legislation, or the ini-
tiative and referendum, whereby rea-
sonable percentage of the people may,
by petition, compel the submission to
popular vote of n proposed law, and, If
adopted. it shall become an actual law
Fourth. The recall of judges or of
judicial decisions, whereby the power
will be taken from the courts of set
ting aside as unconstitutional popular
laws. such as employers liability laws,
laws lini ing the hours of labor for
women, etc, by decisions which are
based upon no precedent, but are In
effect judicial legislation.
Fifth.-Constitutional provisions max
Ing 1t easy to amend our state and ma
tional constitutions as the needs of
modern progress require.
This program will put in the hands
of the people the tools of democracy
md prevent control of legislation by
tie powerful corporate and financial
interest
On the tariff we declare for the prn-
ciple of protection, limited to the diff
ference in the cost of production here
and abroad to be ascertained by a
permanent nonpartisan tariff commits
sion. with the fullest power Of inves-
tigati1n We declare that no tariff is
justified unless its effects reach the
pay envelope of the worker IN higher
wages
We propose to handle the trusts by
the creation of new Industrial com
mission somewhat o. the lines of the
Interstate commerce commission, with
the widest powers of investigation,
supervision and regulation. This COM
mission will have power to investigate
the securities, the prices and the values
of the property and the trade condi-
tons of every great trust and the pow
er to put stop to further watered
stock and to all unfair methods of
competition, and IL such investigation
shall show these trusts to be built
upon privilege we will abolish the priv
iege.
We also propose to attack directly
so.ae of the most obvious evils of the
modern industrial life We will for
bid the work Of Wnr,rn and children
In factories at night and will stand for
limitation of the number Of hours
during which they can be compelled to
work during the daytime. We stand
for minimum wage for women below
which employers cannot take adyan-
tage al their necessity to drive down
wages We stand for the eight hour
day in continuous employment We
stand also for giving the interstate
commerce commission power to value
the physical property of railroads, for
the parcels post and for the income and
Inheritance tax on great fortunes.
We stand for program In Alaska
where we. can try the experiment of
various radical proposals which It is
difficult or impossible to try out In the
rest of the country, such as govern
ment ownership of railroads, telegraph
and telephone lines, government leas-
ing of coal and mineral lands with
clause of forfeiture for nonuses, etc.
In this way we can gain most vital ex-
perience fer use in the remainder Of
the country In due time when we are
sure of our ground.
Here is a program that is an honest
attempt to grapple with new condi-
tons. II offers hope to the worker. 1t
assures the obtaining of the informa-
tion by which alone we can hope to
solve the industrial problem. Upon
this program the Progressive party
asks and deserves the support of the
people