Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-08-14
PROGRESSIVE PARTY.
Roosevelt and johnson for President
and yicc-President.

ANoostNeit ana JOHHsOn Ior president
and yicc-President.
Delegates and friends OF the new pro-
gressive party to the number OF 5000 as
sembled at Chicago last week in a national
convention.
The convention nominated Theodore
johnson, governor of California, for vice.
president.
The declaration Of principles or plat
form adopted by the convention says in
part:
We OF the progressive party here dedicate
ourselves to the fulfllment Of the duty laid
upon us by our fathers to maintain that gov
eminent of the people, by the people and for
the people, whose foundations they laid.
We hold, with Thomas Jefferson and Abra-
ham Lincoln, that the people are the masters
OF their constitution. to fulfill its purposes
and to safeguard it from those who, by per-
version of its intent, would convert 1t into an
instrument of injustice. In accordance with
the needs Of each generation, the people must
use their sovereign powers to establish and
maintain equal opportunity and justice, to
secure which this government was founded
This country belongs to the people who in
habit it. Its resources, its business, its in
| situations and its laws should be utilized,
| maintained or altered in whatever manner
will best promote the general interests. 1t is
time to set the public welfare in the first
place.
This declaration is our covenant with the
mo- nd bar ,x1 n "A ;te
candidates in state and nation to the pledges
| made herein.
The platform further declares in favor Of
direct primaries, nationwide preferential
primaries for presidential candidates,
direct election Of United States senators,
the initiative and referendum, more ex-
peditious method Of amending the federal
constitution, equal suffrage, the parcels
post, and 'such restriction of the power Of
the courts as shall leave to the people the
ultimate authority to determine funda-
mental questions OF social welfare and
public policy.
The party also pledges itself to full and
immediate inquiry into the high-cost- of
| living problem and immediate action to
deal with every need such inquiry dis
closes; the establishment OF department
OF labor with seat in the presidential cabi-
net; and the re-establishment Of the
"country-life' commission to deal with
the problems OF the farmer.
1t favors protective tariff whish shall
equalize conditions OF competition be-
tween the United States and foreign
countries, both for the farmer and the
manufacturer, and which shall maintain
for labor an adequate standard of living.
We declare no industry deserves protec-
tion which is unfair to labor or which is
operating in violation Of federal law. We
demand tariff revision because the present
tariff is unjust to the people of the United
States''.
The party pledges itself to work unceas-
ingly in state and nation for effective leg
islation for the prevention Of industrial
accidents, prohibition OF child labor, mini
mum wage standards and an eight hour
day for women, and the abolition of the
convict contract labor system, substitute
ing system of prison production for
governmental consumption only, and the
application Of prisoners earnings to the
support of their dependent families.