Evening journal., 1912-09-13
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.

THE Democratic State platform adopted in Dover on
Tuesday is weak, insincere and, in many re-
spects foolish partisan illumination. It is grossly
misrepresentation and dishonest in criticism Of the
Republican party in this State, and in
its promises relative TO what the Democratic party will
do if the people of Delaware should be foolish
to vote to re store it to power Disregardng
relative TO the cardinal principles Of the Demo
cracy as. onuncated by Thomas Jefferson and the
dorsement Of the Baltimore platform and ticket and
getting down to the local issues treated. the trainers
of platform could not conceal the fact that they
had exhausted their ingenuity to find something in
relation the Republicans about which to complain,
that they ready TO promise and all things
in behalf of the Democrats in the hope Of winning
a few votes.
The plank in relation to the purchase of votes and
election bribery an insult the people and to their
courts Of Justice Il may be said truthfuy that if
all the Democrats in Delaware who have spent money
influence elections corruptiy had been prosecuted
and sent to prison, there many who took
prominent part in the work Of the Democratic State
convention who would have read the convention news
in their cells In the exercise yard Of State
Workhouse II the Democrats who debauohed
the Delaware electorate and Il the Republicans
who gained freedom such debauchery for thous-
ands OF electors drove the buyers OF
business. this connection Il may be we'll 10 call
public attention to the fact that for years the
Democrats have had full the machinery OF
the Attorney Generals Office; that the Democratic At
lausted their efforts to find Republican corruptonsts
Ind send them to prison. that the records Of tho
korney- Generals office show their face the false
lood of the charges made in the Democratic platform
Ne also TO assert that Aorney-General Gray
Ei not come out and publicly assail the courts as
lhe platform OF his party has done The truth OF the
matter s that the Democrats with the Investigating
land prosecuting machinery fully in their hands, have
done their to find corruption the Republican
1 side and, except i'm one or two inconspicuous in
stances have failed utterly to do
II is all well enough for the Democrats to demand
the repeal Of the Voters Assistant and the smpl-
hcation OF the system Of voting They should remem-
ber. however, that they responsible primarily
for the voters assistants and that when they in
power they used them and the most cumbersome
voting law ever have had in effort bolster up
sAeir waning power in our State. Tho recommended
non that the State detectives be appointed by the
httorneyGeneral instead Of the Governor; that the
y httorney-G Generals Office be supplied with con-
tngent fund for the prosecution bribery cases and
Chat the ordinary safeguards of the courts be denied
10 men accused by partisan official and partisan
Weectves Of crimes against the elections will make
NXQpeai to voters They know that under such
umstances the State detectives could be used mere
lyVs partisan agents; that the contingent fund could
be Aquandered for partisan purposes and that there
could be gross buse of the powers Of the courts for
political purposes. If there is corruption on the Re
publican side, let the Democratic Attorney General
and his deputies go out and find it, They have gone
out repeatedly and returned empty handed because
they looked for corruption the Republican side
where it does not exist when they should have looked
for it on the Democratic side where it does exist
has existed for years
The hypocrlucal appeal of the Democrats for publ
support is shown further by the fact that there ar
declarations in favor of State Utility Commission
workmen's Compensation Act the conservation o
the health and safety of workers in our factories an
the Payment by corporations Of their employees at Ieas
twice month. Those declarations are in direct con
hct with the attitude Of the Democratic party when
vas IN power here and are further proof of the dis
honesty Of the platform and its trainers in dealin
eith the public. Nor is there any sincerity in tn