The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-03

render the valution fair and just We favor such, legislation as will effect ually prohibit the railroads, express. telegraph and telephone companies from engaging in business which brings them into competition with their shippers, also legislation pre- venting the over issue of stocks and bonds by. interstate railroads, express companies, telegraph and telephone lines, and legislation which will assure such reduction in transportation rates taken to avoid reduction that would compel a reduction Of wages, prevent adequate service, or doing, injustice to legitimate investments.
 BANKING LEGISLATION.
 We oppose the so-called Aldrich bill or the establishment of central bank, and we believe our country will large ly be freed from panic and consequent unemployrnent and business depression by such revision of our banking laws as will render temporary relief in lo- calities where such relief iss needed. with protection from control or don1- nation by what is known as the money trust. Banks exist for the ac- eommodation of the public and not for the control of business. All leg islation on the subject of banking and
 
 the securing of these accommodations on terms of absolute, security to the public and of complete protection from the nisuses of the power that wealth gives to those who possess 1t.
 We condemn the. present methods of depositing government funds in a few favored banks, largely situated in or controlled by Wall street, in return for political favors, and we pledge our party to provide by law for their de- posit by competitive bidding in the banking institutions of the country, National and State, without discrlm- ination as to locality. upon provided security and subject to call by the government
 RURAL CREDITS.
 Of equal importance with the ques- ton of currency reform, Is the queS- tion of rural credits, or agricultural an examination of agricultural finance societies in foreign countries be made so that it may be ascertained whether a system of rural credits may be de- yised suitable to conditions in the United States and we also favor legis- iation permitting national banks. to loan reasonable proportion of their funds on real estate security.
 We recognize the value of voca- tional- education and urge federal ap- propriations for such training and ex- tension teaching in the regular in CO., operation in the several states.
 WATERWAYS.
 We renew the declaration in our last platform relating to the conser- vations of our natural resources and the development of our waterways. The present devastation of the Lower Mississippi Valley accentuates the movement for regulation of river flow by additional bank and levee protec- ton below and, diversion and storage of such flood waters which overflow for their utilization for beneficial pur- poses of reclamation of arid and swamp lands and the development of water power, instead of permitting the floods to continue, as heretofore, agents of destruction. We hold that the control of the Mississippi river is a national problem, the preservation of the depth of its water for the pur- pose of navigation, the building of levees to maintain the integrity of it's channel and the prevention of the overflow of the land and it's conse quent devastation, resulting in the in terruption of interstate commerce, the disorganization of the mail ser vice and the enormous loss of life and property impose an obligation which alone can be discharged by the general government. 2 s2 ,zssss , To maintain. an adequate depth of water the entireH year and therefore encourage water communication, IS therefore, a measure worthy of leg prompt action on the. part of the Congress and the Democratic party pledges itself to the enactment of legislation leading to that end.
 We favor the cooperation of the United States and the respective %<@1s treatment of all waterways with a view of co-ordinating plans for chan nel improvement with plans for drainage of swamp and overflowed lands and to this end we favor the appropriation by the federal govern surveys of suchs lands, to devolve plans for draining such lands and to supervise the work of construction.
 We favor the adoption of a liberal and comprehensive plan for the de- velopment of improvement of over land waterways with economy and ef- ficiencp so as to permit their naviga- tion by vessels of standard draft.
 POST ROADS.
 We. favor national aid to state and local authorities in the construction and maintenance of post roads.
 RIGHTS OF LABOR.
 we TCpGdL our O0CldTaL1OnS or the platform of 1908 as follows:
 sThe courts of justice are the bull Wark of our liberties and we yield to none in our purpose to maintain their dignity Our party has given to the bench long line of distinguished justices who have added to the re- spect and confidence in which this department must be jealously main tained. We resent the attempt of the Republican party to raise false is- sue respecting the Judiciary. It is an unjust reflection upon a great body of our citizens to assume that they lack respect for the courts.
 Tt is the function of the courts tc interpret the laws which the people enact and if the laws appear to work economic. social or political injustice. it is our duty to change them. The only basis upon which the integrity of our courts can stand is that of un- swerving justice and protection of life, personal liberty and property. If Judicial processes may be abused. we should guard them against abuse.
 Experience has proven the neces- sity of a modified tion of the present law relating to injunction and we re- iterate the pledges of our platform of 1896 and 1904. in favor of a measure which passed the United States Sen ate in 1896 relating to contempt in federal courts and providing for trial