Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-10-07


Natural resources, whose conserva-
tion is necessary for the national well
fare, should be owned or controlled
by the nation.
Waterways.
The rivers of the United States are
the natural arteries of this continent.
We demand that they shall be
opened to traffic as indispensable
parts of a great nationwide system
of transportation in which the Pana-
ma canal will be the central link,
thus enabling the whole interior of
the United States to share with the
Atlantic and Pacific seaboards in the
benefit derived from the canal.
1t is a national obligation to de-
velop our rivers, and especially the
Mississippi and it's tributaries, with
out delay, under a comprehensive
general plan covering each river sys-
tenn from its source to its mouth, de-
signed to secure it's highest useful
ness for navigation, irrigation, do
mestic supply, water power and the
prevention of floods.
We pledge our party to the imme-
diate preparation of such a plan,
which should be made and carried
out in close and friendly cooperation
between the nation, the states and
the cities affected
Under such a plan, the destructive
floods of the Mississippi and other
streams, which represent a vast and
needless loss to the nation, would be
controlled by forest conservation and
water storage at the headwaters, and
by levees below; land sufficient to
support millions of people would be
reclaimed from the deserts and the
swamps, water power enough to
transform the industrial standing of
whole states would be developed, ad-
equate water terminals would be pro-
vided, transportation by river would
revive, and the railroads would be
compelled to cooperate as freely
with the boat lines as with each
other.
The equipment, organization and
experience acquired in constructing
the Panama canal soon will be avail
able for the lakes -the-gulf deep
waterway and other portions of this
great work, and should be utilized
by the nation in cooperation with
the various states, at the lowest net
cost to the people.
Panama Canal.
The Panama canal, built and paid
for by the American people, must be
used primarily for their benefit.
We demand that the canal shall be
so operated as to break the transpor-
tation monopoly now held and mis-
used by the transcontinental rail-
roads by maintaining sea competition
with them; that ships directly or in
directly owned or controlled by
American roalroad corporations shall
not be permitted to use the canal,
and that American ships engaged in
coastwise trade shall pay no tolls.
The progressive party will favor
Legislation having for it's aim the de-
velopment of friendship and com.
merce between the United States and
Latin-American nations.
Alaska.
The coal and other natural re
sources of Alaska should be opened
owned by the people of the United
States, and are safe from monopoly
waste or destruction only while 81
owned.
We demand that they shall neithe,
be sold nor given away, except unde
the homestead law, but while held il
government ownership shall b.
opened to use promptly upon liberia
terms requiring immediate develop
ment.
Thus the benefit of cheap fuel will
accrue to the government of tn
United States and to the epople o
Alaska and the Pacific coast; tn
settlement of extensive agriculture
lands will be fastened; the extermin
alton of the salmon will be prevent
ed and the just and wise develop
ment of Alaskan resources will tax
the place of private eXtortion or mo
nopoly.
We demand also that eXtortion o
monopoly in transportation shall b
prevented by the prompt acquisition
construction or improvement by tn
government of such railroads, hal
,, Dor and other facilities for transpol
! tation as the welfare of the peopl
may demand.
We promise the people of the tel
ritory of Alaska the same measur
of local self-government that wa
given to other American territorie
and that federal officials appointe
there shall be qualified by previor
bona-fide residence in the territor,
Equal Suffrage.
The progressive party, believin
that no people can justly claim to b
a true democracy which denies poll
ical rights on account of sex, pledge
, itself to the task of securing equ;
, suffrage to men and women alike.
; Corrupt Practices.
: We pledge our party to legislatio
= that will compel strict limitation o
g all campaign contributions and e,
penditures, and detailed publicity {