The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-04-18
The Republican Platform.
Adopted at the State Convention in Bangor
April 10, 1912.

with pride and satisfaction to the great growth
and prosperity of this country under the
many years of Republican rule from the ad
ministration of President Lincoln through the
administration of President Taft, re-affirm
their allegiance to the principles of the Re-
publican party and pledge themselves to the
earnest and hearty support of the national
candidate of the party in the coming election.
STATE ISSUES.
/. The people by majority have declared
against the abrogation of the amendment of
1he constitution relating to prohibition. We
accept the verdict of the people and are en-
phatically opposed to all attempts to reopen
this question in any form. We demand that
the statutes be strictly and honestly enforced.
Ours is''a government of law. The law must
5e respected.
2. We believe in further legislation for
good roads The Republican policy of grad
ually placing the burden of bridges and high
ways upon the wealth of the State as whole
should be continued.
8. We believe in further legislation for
equitable taxation. The Democratic party has
made no attempt to redeem its promise to re-
form our tax laws.
a. We believe in the assumption by the
State of such municipal burdens as benefit
the State as a whole. The Republican party
made substantial progress in this direction.
The progress stopped with the election of
Democratic Legislature, might have been
expected
Va hoii Al
policy naugurated by Governor Fernald and
Republican Legislature looking to the con-
servation of our forests and the development
of our water powers in the interest of our
own people, policy sneered at by Demo-
cratic governor.
g. We favor a non-partisan Public Service
Commission to protect the rights of the peo-
pie at the same time fair to invested capital
7. A Republican Legislature gave the work.
ingman just employers liability law. A
Democratic Legislature refused to extend it.
We favor system of legislation that will
equitaby and fairly adjust tn relations be-
tween capital and labor We recommend the
common law doctrines as to fellow servant
in contributory negligence that became law
under social conditions of century ago be
modified to meet the social and business con-
q1itions of today They are not now just to
labor
s. We favor the enactment of law for
Presidential preference primaries, so that
every individual voter may express effectually
MS personal choice for President and Vice
President.
8. We arraign the present Democratic ad-
aninistration as false to the promises of its
platform of 1910 and guilty of Intentionally
deceiving the people.
1t promised "to enforce the laws by means
Of regularly elected officers. The alliances
between its regularly elected officers and the
violators of law are notorious and confessed.
The State is disgraced by corrupt notification.
1t promised corrupt practices act. 1t pass
ed a sham law. When some of its leaders were
prosecuted under its provisions, they sought
the frivolous delays of the law to prevent
nearing. In elections under it, Democratic Of
1fclals grossly violate its provisions and nulify
the law, as they do all others that stand in the
way of partisan success.
IT. promised direct primary law. 1t passed
an unusabe statute and the people were
forced to the use of the referendum to get an
honest law.
1t accused the Republican party of "saddling
an unnecessary annual expense of s4.0OO,O0O
i pom the people" Its appropriation bill for
1912 is 81 O44, 1885,, confession of the dishon-
esty of its platform.
1t accused the Republican party of cen
Irenching an army Of officeholders." 1t abol-
shed enc Office, the assistant, attorney general
costing the State many thousands through the
oss of efficiency in that department. 1t abol
ished the office of auditor of State printing
and ordered clerkship in its place by an il
legal order of the Governor and Council. 1t
abolished other offices and created substitutes
1raier new names. 1t has increased the num-
Der of officeholders and reduced the salaries of
none.
1t promised ''to reduce the State tax" I'm
der Republican rule in 1909 and 1910 the State
tax was eight mills; under Democratic rule in
1911 and 1912, the State tax is 10 mills.
1t promised fair treatment of our charitable
! institutions. The veto of the resolve in favor
u Inc CnlluTST uoSplldl Was CIueL anu SOiu
aolooded.
1t promised "wise legislation" Its lodging
at the regular session and laundering at the
$ pecal session were characteristic of the Dem
ocratic party. always rich in promises, bank
rupt in achievement.
1t promised economy. 1t repudiated the
Just claims of the towns that in good faith had
contracted pauper bills upon the credit of the
STATE. The reputation was dishonest.
10. We denounce the action of the unnec-
essary and expensive special session. Its
blunders and mistakes were illustrative of the
incapacity of Democratic rule. 1t favored re-
opening of the issue of constitutional pro-
hibition, although promising in 1910 to abide
by the will of the people. When Republican
county attorney accused Democratic sheriff
of corruption, it acquitted the sheriff merely
be cause he was Democrat and removed the
county attorney solely because he was Re-
publican. Both trials were farce and blot
upon the good name of the State of Maine.
We favor a referendum upon the ballot law
passed at the special session. It would open
the door for as gross fraud as the State steal
in 1879.
II. We pledge allegiance to all Republican
nominees at the primaries and with united
F..ant count with confidence upon the over.