Evening journal., 1912-09-11
Democrats Slash SauIsbury's
Pei PIanks Out of Platform


DOVER, Dol, Sept 11.-willard
saulsbury, the Democratic boss" of
Delaware, yesterday had some OF his
pet planks slashed out Of the draft Of
the Democratic State platform he had
prepared and which the state commit
tee had tentatively approved the night
before. The anti-saulsbury forces got
control OF the committee on resolu-
tione, and had a warm session for two
hours cutting away at the salisbury
platform while the convention wearily
waited for the committee to return
with its report. The fight against the
platform that came from the state
committee, after Salisbury and State
Chairman Thomas F. Bayard had
reached an agreement on It, was led
by James H. Hughes OF Dover. In the
committee the plank fevoring an EN-
ployer's liability act was cut out, as
was also a demand for a "Iim Grow"
law.
The platform. as originally drafted
by the Salisbury men, contained
yelled criticism OF Attorney General
Andrew c. Gray OF Wilmington, who
Is counsel for the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Although not mentioning
his name. IN a plank to make illegal
the employment OF any state official
by a public service corporation, Mr..
Gray Is regarded as an anti-Saulsbury.
His friend, Mr.. Hughes, however, had
the section killed by the resolutions
committee. The platform as adopted
unanimously by the convention, Is:
We, the Democrats OF Delaware, In
State Convention assembled, again re-
affirm our faith IN. and steadfast ad-
herence to the fundamental principles
Of our great party. We again assert
our belief that the principles Of
Democratic government, formulated
by Thomas Jefferson, which require
equal justice to all and special privi-
lege to none. aDe the only true princi-
pies by which a simple, honest and
economical government can be pre-
served in THE great Republic,
We hereby endorse and concur in
the. declarations Of the platform cf.our
national party, recently adopted at
Baltimore, as the expression Of our
beliefs in the political issues now be-
fore the country. and we pledge the
united and untiring efforts OF the
J
electoral vote for our chosen stand
ard bearers, Woodrow Wilson and
Thomas R. Marshall
We favor a revision and a gradual
reduction of the tariff not by those
who make It an instrument Of abuse,
extortion and discrimination but by
the friends Of the masses; keeping
in view the ultimate end Of equality
/ rf M ~ ~
ties and the constitutional purpose
Of raising a revenue by taxation, to
wit, the support Of the federal gov
ernment in all its integrity and viril-
ity. And we denounce the action Of
the Republican party for its deliberate
breach of it's platform pledges to re-
duce the tariffs and further we de-
nounce President Taft for his action
In vetoing the tariff bills passed by
the last session of Congress.
We hold the purchase Of votes and
election bribery of all kinds 20 be the
most insidious and imminent menace
to our free institutions, and We depre-
cate the failure of the Courts in GER
tain instances TO impose adequate
punishment upon convicted vote buy.
ers. We charge chat those who are
now ia control OF the Republican party
cannot be depended upon to take any
step toward the suppression Of this
evil
We &nvibe the careful consideration
Of all those who are interested in the
purity of elections to the followine
program which We are confident will
go far toward achieving the desired
end. and which We pledge the Demo.
cratic Legislators 20 carry into ef-
feet:
l. The repeal of the Voters Assist.
ant Law and the .simplihcation of the
present system of voting;
2. Vesting the appointment and re.
moval of State detectives in the at
torney-general.
3. Providing the Office of attorney
general with a contingent fund ade
Quate for the investigation of briber,
cases;
A. Providing. by statute. such rea
sonable rules Of evidence in the tria
OF bribery cases as will prevent
guilty party from escaping punish
ment through a mere suppression O
pertinent facts;
I, 8. The enactment Of a Corrup
> Practices Act, requiring every candi
, date for office, State or county. {,
p make a sworn statement before cleo
. ton Of the amount contributed b,
him TO the campaign, and requiring
the State and County Committees o
= each political party, and all person.
! elected to Office and defeated candf
] dates to make sworn statements afte
] election OF the sums expended oI
I contributed for political purposes.
1 We favor the creation of a Stat
Utility Commission with full ant
I ample powers to so supervise the
A public utilities throughout the Stat
e that the rights of all our citizens
! may be safeguarded.
4 We favor a WorkmAn's Compensa
ion Act, including the abolition Of tn
,. legal rules concerning Assumption
/. Of Risk" and Fellow Servants" tn
: modification of the Contributor,
: Negligence" rule, and the granting O
a reasonable time within which L
! bring a new action for personal in
J. juries in case of a judgment Of non
:, suit.
: To iaFOT iS6i5idJIOn which vii
properly safeguard the health, con
venience and comfort Of the worker
:, Of our factories. and more particular
q !