The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
STATE PLATFORMS
 ATTRACT ATTENTION
Congressmen Look For Sug-
 gestions in Them
TARIFF IS THE ISSUE
Little Likelihood That National Plat form Will Contain Any of Roose- velt's "New Nationalism"-De
 eware Platform Considered
Fly JONATHAN WINFIELD

fly JONATHAN aIfFIELD
 Washington, May 25.-tspeeiai. .)-Mem-
 bers of Congress. In spite of the rush of
 late legislation, are taking time to analyze
 the platforms adopted by the recent state conventions with view of obtaining sug | gestions for the national platform.
 It is generally conceded that the plat form turned out by the recent republican | state convention in Delaware, the second | smallest state in the union, is as modern and progressive a document as has come to light in the present preconvention cam paign. At the same time it is considered as a model of sound and conservative | statesmanshp
 On the other hand. the sort of crazy quilt platform recently adopted by the so-called progressive element of the re- publican party In Pennsylvania, while it purports to come under the modern den- hilton of "progressive'' Is declared to be simply a pleaS for a return to the earlier days of mob rule. and is reactionary. There is no succession of catch phrases. or unnecessary verbiage in the Delaware document, as is the alleged case with the Pennsylvania platform. The republicans of Delaware went on record. 1t is cited, against the recall of judges or judicial de- csions and declared that these so-called nostrums would destroy the independence of the judiciary. On the other hand they favored new legislation to prevent the present annoying and costly delays in the courts. They urged complete and effec- | tive parcels post system, which they de- claI ed would reduce the cost of living by bringing the producer and consumer into closer contact And in this enactment | they dealt blow at a former son of the | state. Senator Hepburn of Idaho, who is l
 bitter opponent of the parcels post idea | Among other things they advocated | were currency reform, international arbi- | tration, a just protective tariff, the reten- | tion of the Sherman antitrust law, With | supplemental legislation to more clearly 1 define the rights of business men in the | matter of corporation control, national | worllmans compensation and employers l liability act, the improvement of the | waterways of the nation, the drainage of | swamp lands and opening them to agricul- l ture and the improvement of the public | highways of the country that the farmer | might have easier access to the markets |
 These things, say the leaders here, make | for progress and give to the voters of the 1 country a programme of advancement, | which if carried out by honest offiicals. | elected to office by the people. would do l much toward giving to the country a bet | ter government and better living condi- | tions.
 This unqualified approval of the Dela- | ware pronouncement by the leaders of the party now in Washington Is taken here to indicate in some measure Just what the nature Of the national declarations of the party will be when framed at the .conyen-
 tion in fChicagos Tn fact. it is regafded as certain that, the nominess of the grand old party on the national ticket will go before the country with the Fundamental principles of the Delaware platform as the main blanks of the national republican structure
 Of course, the question of the tariff and the recall of judges will be enlarged upon and other matters, such as trust prose- cutions and the policies of the administra- tion are expected to be included in the document. While the tariff will, as usual,
 be one of the leading issues at the chi- oago convention, the friends of Colonel Roosevelt have served notice they will
 make hard fight for the inclusion In the platform of some of the former pres
 ident's New Nationalsm' and Charter of Democracy policies, but the situa- ton is viewed here. there will be little likelihood that the convention will per init these things to go into the document, unless the convention be stamped for Roosevelt, in which event his forces may be able to force into the platform some of these features.
 At the most the leaders here say. the platform in the last analysis probably will have to be compromise between the two factions of the party as represented by President Taft and former President Roosevelt, and even If a dark horse be nominated in the effort to bring the party l together the co-called conservative ee- | ment of the party will be able to muster sufficient strength to be able to keep out of the platform at least some of the more | radical of the proposals made by the sage of Oyster Bay and his followers. In consequence. the political forecasters | in the national capital freely predict the | platform on which the republican party |
 will make it's fight for life or death next | November, will advocate "a safe and sane 1 progress" rf