Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-04

Baltimore, Md, July 3.-The plat
form adopted by viva voce vote by
the democratic convention late yester-
day 10 as follows:
We, the representatives Of the demo-
cratic party of the United States, IN
national convention assembled, re-
affirm our devotion to the principles
of democratic government formulated
by Thomas Jefferson and enforced ny
a long and illustrious line OF demo-
cratic presidents.
Tariff Reform. ~.
We declare 1t to be fundamental
principle of the democratic party that
the federal government under the con-
stitution has no right or power to I'M
pose or collect tariff duties, except for
the purpose of revenue and we de-
mand that the collection OF such
taxes shall be limited to the neces.
stiles Of government honestly ana
economically administered.
The high republican tariff Is the
principal cause OF the unequal dls.
tribution Of wealth; 1t Is q system OF
taxation which makes the rich ricner
and the poor poorer; under us opera
! tions the American farmer and labor.
INK man are the chief sufferers; II
raises the cost of the necessarles 81
life to them, but does not protect their
product or wages. The farmer sells
largely in free markets, and buys a.
most entirely in the protected mar
kets. In the most highly protected IN.
dustries such as cotton and WOOL, steel
and iron, the wages OF the laborers are
| the lowest paid in any OF our IN.
dustries. We denounce the republican
nretense on that subject and assert
that American wages are established
by competitive conditions and not oy
the tariff
! We favor the immediate downward
revision of the existing high and, IN
many cases, prohibitive tariff duties'
insisting that material reductions De
speedily made upon the necessaries OF
life. Articles entering into competi.
ton with trust controlled products ana
articles Of American manufacture
which are sold abroad more cheapiy
than at home, should be put upon the
free list.
We recognize that our system OF
tariff taxation Is intimately connected !,
with the business of the country anu !.
we favor the ultimate attainment OF
the principles we advocate by !egisla-
ton that will not injure or destroy
legitimate industry.
We denounce the action OF Presl-
dent Taft in vetoing the bills to reduce
the tariff in the cotton, wooden, metals
and chemical schedules and the farm-
ers' free list bill, all of which were DE-
signed to give immediate relief to the
masses from the exactions OF tne
trusts.
The republican party, while promis-
Ing tariff revision, has shown by ITS
tariff legislation, that such revision IS 8
not 10 be in the peoples interest and
having been faithless TO- Its pledges o.
1908 it should no longer enjoy the con
ndence OF the nation. We appeal to the
American people to support US IN our
demand for a tariff for revenue only.
! Hlah Cost Of Living.
The hign cost OF living is serious
problem in every American home. me
republican party, in its platform az
tennis to escape from responsibility
/ for present conditions by denying that
thew are due to a protective tariff: we
tnke issue with them on this subject
| and charge that excessive prices result
IN q large measure from the high tariff
laws ena cted and maintained by the
republican party and from trusts anu
commercial conspiracies fostered anu
encouraged by such laws. ana we as
sert that no substantial RELIEF can De
secured for the people until import
duties on the necessaries OF lie are
| materially reduced and these criminal
conspiracies broken up
| Antitrust Law.
| nrivate monopoly Is indefensible
and intolerable. We therefore favor
tho vigorous enforcement OF the Grim.
inal al well as the civil law against
trusts and trust officials. and demand
the enactment Of such additional legis-
lat,on as may be necessary to make
n imnossible for a private monopoly
"a erist in the United States. We favor
tha declaration by law OF the condi-
tions upon which corporations shall be
| nern,itted to engage In Interstate
trade, including. among others. inc
prevention Of holding companies, OF
directors, OF stock water.
| Inc ~ discrimination In price. ana
the control by any one corporation OF
40 large a proportion Of any industry
as to make 1t a menace to competltlVe
conditions.
| We condemn the action OF the re-
publican administration In compro.
missing with the Standard on co. ana NJ
the tobacco trust and its failure to In
woke the criminal provisions OF the
antitrust law against the officers OF
those corporations after the court had
declared that from the undisputed
facts In the record they had violated
the criminal provisions Of the law.
We regret that the Sherman anti
trust law has received judicial con.
struction depriving 1t Of much OF Its
efficacy and we favor the enactment
az LEGISLATION which will restore to the
statute the strength Of which 1t has
been deprived by such Interpretation.
Rights Of the States.
We believe in the preservation and
maintenance in their full strength and
integrity Of the three coordinate
| - ~ Rndaral oovaNy, m ant