Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-10-03
PRoGREssrvE PARTY PLATEoRNI
(Second Installment.)
Business.

VIC OSiiSNC ludl True popular gov |
ernment, justice and prosperity go
hand in hand, and, so believing, it is
our purpose to secure that large !
measure of general prosperity which /
is the fruit of legitimate and honest |
business, fostered by equal justice |
and by sound progressive laws.
We demand that the test of true
prosperity shall be the benefits con-
ferred thereby on all the citizens not
confined to individuals or classes,
and that the test of corporate eff
cheney shall be the ability better to
serve the public; that those who
profit by control of business affairs
shall Justify that profit and that con-
troll by sharing with the public the
fruits thereof.
We therefore demand a strong ma
tional regulation of interstate cor
porations. The corporation is an es-
sential part of modern business. The
concentration of modern business, in
some degree, is both inevitable and
necessary for national and interna-
tional business efficiency. But the
existing concentration of vast wealth
under a corporate system, unguard-
ed and uncontrolled by the nation,
has placed in the hands of a few
men enormous, secret, irresponsible
power over the daily life of the citi-
zen-a power insufferable in a free
government and certain of abuse.
This power has been abused, in
monopoly of national resources, in
stock watering, in unfair competition
and unfair privileges, and finally in
sinister influences on the public
agencies of state and nation. We do
not fear commercial power. but we
insist that it shall be exercised OPEN
| ly, under publicity, supervision and
regulation of the most efficient sort,
which will preserve it's good while
eradlcating and preventing its evils.
| To that end we urge the establish
ment of strong federal administra-
! tive commission of high standing,
which shall maintain permanent ac-
! tive supervision over industrial cor
porations engaged in interstate COM
merce, or such of them as are of pub
lie Importance, doing for them what
the government now does for the ma
tional banks, and what is now done
for the railroads by the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Such a commission must enforce
the complete publicity of those COR
poration transactions which are of
public interest; must attack unfair
competition, false capitalization and
special privilege, and by continuous
trained watchfulness guard and keep
open equally to all the highways of
American commerce.
Thus the business man will have
certain knowledge of the law, and
will be able to conduct his business
easily in conformity Herewith; the
investor will find security for his
capital, dividends will be rendered
more certain, and the savings of the
people will be drawn naturally and
safely into the channels of trade.
Under such system of construc-
tive regulation, legitimate business
freed from confusion, uncertainty
, and fruitless legislation, will develoL
, normally in response to the energy
2 and enterprise of the American busi-
, ness man.
2 Commercial Development.
: The time has come when the fed
eral government should cooperate
/ with manufacturers and producers in
s extending our foreign commerce. TC
q this end we demand adequate appro
V priations by congress, and the ap
4 pointment of diplomatic and con
s sular officers solely with a view t.
+. their special fitness and worth, anC
not in consideration of political ex
t pediency.
q 1t Is imperative to the welfare o
our people that we enlarge and ex
tend our foreign commerce. We arr
: preeminently fitted to do this be
II cause as people we have developed
- high skill in the art of manufactur
- ing; our business men are strong eX
- ecutives, strong organizers. In ever
:; way possible our federal governmen
- should cooperate in this importan
matter. Anyone who has had oppor
. tunity to study and observe first
- hand Germany's course in this re
spect must realize that their polio
" of cooperation between governmen
and business has in comparativel
H. few years made them leading con
r petitor for the commerce of tn
le world. 1t should be remembered the
N they are doing this on a nation;
TX scale and with large units of bus
Oh ness, while the democrats would haV
ey us believe that we should do it wit
er small units of business, which woul
ut be controlled not by the nations
rs government but by 40 conflictin
sovereignties. Such a policy is Il
of terly out of keeping with the pro-
O. ress of the times and gives our gre;
es commercial rivals in Europe-hu
ys CRY for international markets-gol'
m en- opportunities of which they a.
es rapidly taking advantage.
ed Tariff.
Sc. We believe in a protective tari
in which shall equalize conditions
90 competition between the Unit,
er- States and foreign countries, bo
Ier for the farmer and the manufacture
ne and which shall maintain for lab
ed an adequate standard of living.
'ds Primarily the benefit of any tar
nd should he disclosed in the pay e
all velope OF the laborer. We decla
nd that no industry deserves protects
wn which is unfair to labor or which
operating in violation of federal la
We believe that the presumption
~, | oil in founr nf nnncup1i